How-To

Blogger is a great service but there are a few little annoyances connected with it. One of the things I've found most annoying is that when you put a URL Link in a page the default (and only) option for doing so in the normal compose mode results in a link that takes your audience away from your pages. Let's face it, the average blog reader has a pretty short attention span anyway and the LAST thing you want is a link that takes them away, never to return.

So, you have two choices: You can put in bad links so nobody will follow them (bad idea) or you can fix the links so they WILL open in a new window. The latter is obviously the best option, even though it will require you to experience just the smallest dabble into html.

I know, I know. You're using Blogger because you don't want to mess with all that technical stuff. Relax, this html tweak is about as simple as it gets, and it will help keep people on your site. Trust me... I'm not a doctor. :)

Just go ahead and write your post the way you normally would, putting in all those good links that will add interest and value to your page. Then, after you get done, click on the 'edit html' tab. In the html editor, your links will look something like this:
‹ a href="http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/U/URL.html">URL Link ‹/a ›

To change that to a link which will open in a new window all you have to do is add the statement target="_blank" in the right place. It will then look like:
‹ a href="http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/U/URL.html"target="_blank">URL Link ‹/a ›
Note that the 'target="_blank"' statement always goes in between the closing quote and the > sign.

If you're thinking that it is just going to be too much trouble to change all those tags, remember the clipboard copy function on your computer. It is only necessary to write it once, then copy it into every link you have in your article. Very simple really as long as you are careful to put the target phrase in the right place in your link.

Now, just save your post and publish it and all the links that are clicked by your visitors should open in a new page... giving them the easy option of getting back to YOUR pages when they are done.