# External Links in a New Tab: Return to Site A/B Test

Page: https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/lab/ab-test-library/tests/external-links-in-a-new-tab-return-to-site-ab-test

## Hypothesis

If an external link opens in a new tab, visitors can check the resource and switch back to the first tab without losing their place. With the new-tab behavior clearly announced, that could raise active return to the original site, meaning a predefined action taken there after the external visit.

## When to run this test

Analytics sessions that end on an external-link click, or support tickets from people who could not find their way back, show visitors who click resource or partner links not returning. The behavior you hope for is a switch back to the first tab and a new action on the site within the same window. If the external page simply met their need, a new tab will not change that; first check that the site offers a next step worth returning to. Limit the test to a fixed link set, and never open payment or form submission in a new tab.

## Primary metric

**Active return to the original site**: Among all eligible assigned visitors, compare those who take a predefined active action on the original site after using a tested external link; do not count passive background time.

## Other metrics

- **External-link click-through rate**: Compare clicks on the tested external links among assigned visitors.
- **Active time on the original site**: Measure active interactions and exclude time when the tab is open in the background.
- **Return-path use**: Track returns via the Back button or tab switching; neither alone proves confusion.

## What to check before and during the test

- **Destination**: Use the same predefined external-link set and compare current-tab with clearly announced new-tab behavior.
- **Scope**: Keep internal links unchanged.
- **Expectation**: Clearly indicate that a link opens a new tab without changing its label or destination.
- **Device**: Review return behavior separately on mobile and desktop.
- **Accessibility**: Make the new-tab behavior clear to keyboard and screen-reader users.

## What to watch when reading the result

- A tab left open in the background is not proof of interest, so do not count passive time as success. Even if external-link clicks or active time on the original site go up, active return remains the deciding metric. Returns through the Back button or a tab switch prove neither confusion nor success on their own.
- Test the new-tab behavior in every supported browser to make sure it works the same; an arm that behaves inconsistently skews the result. In both arms, visitors should keep the option to right-click a link and open a tab themselves.
- Apply the result only to the set of external links you tested. Keep mobile and desktop apart in the analysis, since switching tabs may work differently on each, and validate again before extending the behavior to other kinds of links.
- An active return can only happen after an external-link click, so these events may be few. The [sample size calculator](https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/calculators/sample-size-calculator) gives the visitors needed per variant; divided by each arm's daily eligible traffic, that number sets your run length.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does an open original tab prove the visitor returned?

No. An open tab does not establish attention. Use a predefined active action on the original site within a common window. Do not count passive background time as success.

### Should internal links open new tabs too?

No. Preserve internal links. This test covers a fixed external-link set. Opening critical submission or payment actions in another tab may disrupt the flow.

### How should new-tab behavior be disclosed?

Add a clear destination-behavior notice without changing the descriptive label or destination. Verify keyboard and screen-reader access and consistent browser behavior.

### Does returning with the back button prove confusion?

No. Visitors can return through back navigation or tab switching. Review mobile and desktop behavior separately without treating either action as proof of confusion.