Comments on: Is the hyperlink headed for extinction? http://www.marketmotive.com/blog/teaching/is-the-hyperlink-headed-for-extinction Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:40:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: John Marshall http://www.marketmotive.com/blog/teaching/is-the-hyperlink-headed-for-extinction/comment-page-1#comment-1277 John Marshall Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:11:01 +0000 http://www.marketmotive.com/marshall/2009/03/31/is-the-hyperlink-headed-for-extinction/#comment-1277 Here's a refinement to my thinking: I don't think hyperlinks themselves will go away. I just worry that in-context hyperlinks within pages may become less prevalent because of all the other methods for finding content, and that will negatively impact the ability of a search engine to clearly decide that a certain page relates to a certain term. It's not a disaster, but it is a curiosity. Here’s a refinement to my thinking: I don’t think hyperlinks themselves will go away. I just worry that in-context hyperlinks within pages may become less prevalent because of all the other methods for finding content, and that will negatively impact the ability of a search engine to clearly decide that a certain page relates to a certain term. It’s not a disaster, but it is a curiosity.

]]> By: Bryan Zmijewski http://www.marketmotive.com/blog/teaching/is-the-hyperlink-headed-for-extinction/comment-page-1#comment-1274 Bryan Zmijewski Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:47:12 +0000 http://www.marketmotive.com/marshall/2009/03/31/is-the-hyperlink-headed-for-extinction/#comment-1274 Great example of this is Apture- they use the hyperlink to embed even more content on the page. Mega Navs are another consideration (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/mega-dropdown-menus.html). Stuff valuable links in the top- just more of a navigation. Great example of this is Apture- they use the hyperlink to embed even more content on the page.

Mega Navs are another consideration (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/mega-dropdown-menus.html). Stuff valuable links in the top- just more of a navigation.

]]> By: Andres G. http://www.marketmotive.com/blog/teaching/is-the-hyperlink-headed-for-extinction/comment-page-1#comment-1273 Andres G. Tue, 31 Mar 2009 23:47:19 +0000 http://www.marketmotive.com/marshall/2009/03/31/is-the-hyperlink-headed-for-extinction/#comment-1273 (idiom alert) Chicken or egg? The tail wagging the dog? So hyperlinking did start off as a way for a human to point us to relevant content. A search algorithm of course isn't human so an important part of finding new/relevant content is reliance on human created hyperlinks. I see your point about it being way easier these days to find the content we need, but if hyperlinks went away tomorrow, how would the search engines find new content as efficiently? I also think that since the hyperlink/algorithm thing is pretty common knowledge (not just for us marketing nerds) I don't know that many people out there are going to simply stop hyperlinking. After all I don't know that the search engines have found EVERY bit of content just yet. The ever expanding size of the internet, and this is one of my fave movie quotes, "is like your aunt Edna's ass, it goes on forever and is just as frightening". (idiom alert)

Chicken or egg? The tail wagging the dog?

So hyperlinking did start off as a way for a human to point us to relevant content. A search algorithm of course isn’t human so an important part of finding new/relevant content is reliance on human created hyperlinks. I see your point about it being way easier these days to find the content we need, but if hyperlinks went away tomorrow, how would the search engines find new content as efficiently?

I also think that since the hyperlink/algorithm thing is pretty common knowledge (not just for us marketing nerds) I don’t know that many people out there are going to simply stop hyperlinking. After all I don’t know that the search engines have found EVERY bit of content just yet.

The ever expanding size of the internet, and this is one of my fave movie quotes, “is like your aunt Edna’s ass, it goes on forever and is just as frightening”.

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