Encomium of Make Me Think About Links
“A chain is no stronger than its weakest link,” William James once said.
In general, links are a tool that deserve praise. They are so much more than a shortcut or a diversion. Some users may get a bad taste in their mouth when they come across a link, because their experiences with them have not been true to its true intent or purpose. This is misplaced blame.
When it comes to links and linking, there is a delicate balance.
Outside perspectives or voices are always useful, but too much can be overwhelming or even an annoyance to our audience. It should always be relevant, because the very purpose of a link is to provide information. The author don’t want to mislead readers. If the one integrating links into the work ensures that this is achieved, links and linking is nothing short of useful. Not only that, but there are several outcomes of leading the audience to separate pages or articles.
Some of these outcomes are that it directs the reader to a source that supports the information. Another is that it directs the reader to a source that provides additional information alongside the author’s. They also make sharing astoundingly simple.
The sheer variety of tools to bring readers to more pages, such as examples, scenarios, tutorials, case studies, white papers, full reports, background information, low-decibel information, see-also information, shortcuts, and spur-of-the-moment are amazing! They ensure that the page covers enough information that more than one kind of person will be interested. It also establishes trust between author and audience. After all, linking to other sites may make them less suspicious when it comes to the writer’s qualifications or reliability. “Not being afraid to link to other sites is a sign of confidence” (Neilsen, 152).
Some might argue that articles depend too much on the information within the link. This is why the author should avoid referencing to them again and again.
It’s safe to assume the reader has solid comprehensive abilities, and inputing information to support those links is far more effective.
Additionally, writers should be cautious with links in that they probably shouldn’t bring the reader to another section on the same page. Once again, it can confuse rather than enlighten, and it gives links a bad reputation. The causes for this reputation can easily be avoided.
As with most things, there are negatives. But there are defenses for each! There may be invaluable information, an overwhelming amount of links, or even a broken link. These are the fault of the author, unfortunately, and not the tool itself.
Links have been around for so long, and so many people use them, that they are often taken for granted. So many have forgotten how convenient a link is and just how much they can depended upon. This is not just in regards to a link within an article. This piece haven’t even delved into links that appear in texts, e-mails, news feeds, etc. Everyone has probably used sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Buzzfeed, Pinterest, Tumblr, or YouTube. Links are a major tool for these social medias! In fact, it is probably safe to say that they would not be as popular or well-known without them.
And what about implementing them on cell phones? It’s a certainty that at some point everyone has messaged a friend saying, “You need to watch this!” This is one of the most frequent uses of a link. They are meant to be convenient and simple. This is why writers and users should disagree when people make the statement that there are more cons than pros when it comes to using them.
Turns out, William James is a wise man.
