Creating External Links on your Business Blog

The Value of External Links on Your Blog

When managing a blog, one often overlooked but incredibly important element is incorporating external content. This can be done through linking or embedding, and while both have pros and cons, understanding the difference can help you improve user experience, boost SEO, and manage your website more efficiently.

Linking vs. Embedding: What’s the Difference?

Linking involves placing a hyperlink in your blog post that directs users to another website or page. Clicking the link takes them away from your site to view the content.

Embedding, conversely, means integrating content—like a video, map, social media post, or document—directly into your webpage. Users can view or interact with an embedded video or audio without ever leaving your site.

Pros and Cons of Linking & Embedding

Pros:

• Both linking and embedding rely on third-party platforms—like YouTube or Google Drive—so you don’t need to store large files on your server. This can save storage space and improve your website’s loading speed.
• Embedding enhances user experience by allowing visitors to consume content on your page without navigating away from your site.

Cons:

• If the owner of the external content moves or deletes it, your link or embedded content may no longer be available. For example, a video might stop playing, or a link may lead to a “404 Not Found” page.
• The content must be publicly accessible. If the user doesn’t have access to the third-party platform—due to login requirements or geographic restrictions—it can lead to frustration.

Broken links or inaccessible embedded content negatively impact SEO and reduce user satisfaction.

Linking: The Good and the Not-So-Good

• External Links: These send users away from your site to another external destination. However, they’re useful for citing sources or sharing additional resources.
• SEO Benefits: Linking to authoritative and relevant websites can enhance your blog’s SEO by signalling trustworthiness to search engines.
• Simplified Pages: Since the content is housed elsewhere, your page stays light and loads faster.
• Navigation Support: Helps guide readers to more in-depth information or related topics.

But there’s always the risk that users won’t return to your blog after clicking away.

Embedding: Keeping It All on One Page

• Inline Content: Users can interact with the content—like watching a video or filling in a form—without leaving your page.
• Enhanced User Experience: Keeps readers engaged and focused on your content.
• No Hosting Worries: The content stays hosted on its original platform, so you’re not responsible for managing or updating it.
• Real-Time Updates: Many embeds automatically reflect updates made by the original creator. For instance, an embedded cookies policy can update in real-time when the provider makes changes—without you having to lift a finger.

However, you still rely on external platforms. If something changes on their end, it could affect how (or whether) your content displays.

Final Thoughts: Which Should You Use?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. If you aim to keep users engaged on your site and improve user experience, embedding may be the better option. If you’re citing sources or sharing resources that aren’t critical to the core content, linking might make more sense—and it can boost your SEO, too.

Ideally, a smart balance of both linking and embedding will help you create a blog that’s resource-rich, fast-loading, and user-friendly.