Hupspot guide to opening external WordPress links

In this practical guide inspired by Hubspot resources, you will learn how to open external links in a new tab in WordPress using menus, blocks, the classic editor, and simple code. This helps keep visitors on your site longer while still letting them explore helpful outside content.

Why Hubspot users care about external link behavior

If you follow Hubspot-style content and conversion strategies, you know that every click matters. Sending visitors away from your site too quickly can hurt engagement and reduce conversions.

Configuring external links to open in a new tab can:

• Reduce bounce rate by keeping your page open
• Encourage visitors to come back after viewing outside content
• Improve user experience by preventing unexpected page exits
• Support content offers, forms, and other Hubspot-driven campaigns

Below you will find step-by-step methods based closely on the original tutorial at this Hubspot WordPress guide.

Method 1: Hubspot-style control via WordPress menus

When you add external links to your site navigation, you can easily control whether they open in a new tab.

Steps to open menu links in a new tab

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Menus.

2. Select the menu where you want to edit or add an external link.

3. If you do not see advanced options, click Screen Options at the top right and check Link Target.

4. Add or edit a custom link, then enable the checkbox Open link in a new tab.

5. Click Save Menu to confirm your changes.

This approach mirrors the clear, user-focused setup you see in Hubspot navigation best practices, keeping important pages always available in a tab.

Method 2: Hubspot-friendly approach using the block editor

The WordPress block editor (Gutenberg) makes it simple to manage individual links inside your content, similar to how you might configure calls-to-action in a Hubspot landing page.

Open a single block link in a new tab

1. Open your post or page in the block editor.

2. Select the text or image that should link to an external site.

3. Click the link icon in the block toolbar and paste the external URL.

4. Expand the link settings (often a small down arrow or gear icon).

5. Check the option Open in new tab.

6. Update or publish your page.

This works for paragraph blocks, button blocks, and image blocks, giving you granular control over external link behavior.

Using the button block with a Hubspot-style CTA

For more prominent calls-to-action, similar to Hubspot buttons, you can use the built-in button block.

1. Add a new Button block.

2. Enter your CTA text, for example “Download the guide”.

3. Insert the external URL you want to promote.

4. Enable Open in new tab in the link settings.

5. Style the button to match your brand.

This helps you maintain a conversion-focused layout even when directing users to third-party tools or partner content.

Method 3: Classic editor and Hubspot-style content workflows

If your site still uses the classic editor, managing external links is slightly different but still straightforward, and aligns well with traditional Hubspot workflow tutorials.

Enable external links in new tabs in the classic editor

1. Open the post or page in the classic editor.

2. Highlight the text you want to turn into a link.

3. Click the Insert/edit link icon.

4. Paste the external URL.

5. Click the small gear icon to open advanced link options.

6. Check Open link in a new tab.

7. Click Add Link, then Update the post.

This gives you precise control even without the newer block editor interface.

Method 4: Code-based control for advanced Hubspot-style customization

For developers or power users accustomed to working with Hubspot templates or custom modules, you can enforce new-tab behavior for external links across your WordPress theme with code.

Using HTML target attributes

Inside the HTML editor, you can add the attribute target="_blank" to any anchor tag that should open in a new tab:

<a href="https://example.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">External site</a>

Always pair target="_blank" with rel="noopener" (and often noreferrer) to follow security best practices, similar to what you would see in modern Hubspot-coded assets.

Automatically open external links in a new tab

You can also add a custom script or theme function to detect external links and set target="_blank" for them. This is helpful when you publish a lot of content, just like large Hubspot-powered blogs.

Common options include:

• Using a small JavaScript snippet to scan links on page load
• Creating a filter in functions.php to modify post content
• Installing a lightweight plugin dedicated to external link handling

Always test thoroughly on a staging site before deploying code to production.

Best practices inspired by Hubspot for UX and SEO

Opening external links in a new tab is only one piece of a good user experience strategy. Hubspot-style optimization encourages you to consider SEO, accessibility, and clarity at the same time.

Balance SEO with user expectations

• Use descriptive anchor text that clearly states what the user will find.
• Avoid linking excessively to low-quality or unrelated external pages.
• Keep your own key pages open to support forms, chat widgets, and Hubspot tracking tools.

Accessibility and clarity

• Let users know when a link opens in a new tab, for example by adding small text nearby.
• Ensure focus states and contrast are clear for keyboard and screen reader users.
• Test your layout across devices to confirm tabs behave as expected.

Next steps and additional Hubspot-style resources

Now you know several ways to make external links open in a new tab in WordPress using menus, the block editor, the classic editor, and simple code. This mirrors many implementation patterns you find in Hubspot documentation and training.

To deepen your optimization skills beyond basic link behavior, you can explore specialized SEO and conversion resources from agencies such as Consultevo, which focus on analytics, content strategy, and technical refinement.

Combine these WordPress techniques with Hubspot-style measurement, testing, and reporting to ensure your external links support both user experience and long-term growth.

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