Keep shoppers on the product page: avoid outgoing links in content
Links that send shoppers off the product page can lose the sale. Keep content links on your store or open them in a new tab.
2 min read
Area
CRO & UX
Severity
Low
Fix effort
Small
Stores failing
Not enough data
A product page should keep shoppers on the store. Links in the description that lead to other websites invite them to leave. This check looks for outgoing links in the product content.
Why it matters
Every link away from the page is a chance to lose the visitor, and some may not come back. References such as a supplier datasheet are useful and can open in a new tab.
What the audit looks at
The audit reads the product description for links to other domains.
What usually causes it
- Links to a manufacturer page in the description
- Social links inside content
- Affiliate links within descriptions
- Embedded content with outbound links
How to fix it
Remove or open-in-new-tab the links in the product page that lead away from the store. The effort is small, usually a setting or a paste and under 30 minutes.
- Check the description and tabs for links to other websites and remove them or move them to the footer.
- If a link must stay (a manufacturer guide), open it in a new tab so the shopper keeps the product page.
On Shopify
- Edit the product description in the admin and remove outbound links; check app blocks on the product template that link out.
On WooCommerce
- Edit the product description and short description, and check plugin tabs that add external links.
How to check it yourself
- Read a product description and hover over each link.
- Check where each leads.
- Open external references in a new tab.
Frequently asked questions
Are outgoing links always bad?
No. Useful references are fine when they open in a new tab and do not compete with the buy button.
What about reviews on other sites?
Embedding them keeps shoppers on your page.
Related checks
Check your own store
See whether your store passes this check
Paste your store URL. The audit loads your pages in a real browser and shows the result for this check with the evidence behind it.