Deep Linking

Cameron Boyle
Greg Brown
Genevieve Chua
XuanHuong Luong

What is Deep Linking?

Deep Linking is linking to a web

page other than a sites homepage.

This type of linking bypasses the
homepage of the document that is
being linked to.

What is Deep Linking II:

The deep refers to the depth of the

page in a sites hierarchical structure of

pages.
Any page below the top page in the
hierarchy can thus be considered deep.

Issues in Deep Linking:

Deep linking has only begun to spark

mild controversies in recent times as the

Web has become more commercialized.
One of the fundamental strengths of the
Web is the ability for any public
document to connect to any other public
document.

Issues in Deep Linking II:

The legality of deep linking has been

called into question in several lawsuits

involving well-known corporations.
Opponents of deep linking argue that
deep linking unfairly eliminates the
ability of the homepage to contribute to
brand building and ad serving functions.

Issues in Deep Linking III:

Proponents of deep linking contend that

the ability to link freely is central to the

philosophy behind the public internet.
They also argue that a deep link is
better than NO LINK.
Deep linking may even be more
profitable than a homepage link if the
site has poor navigational structure.

Why Deep Linking?

Deep linking is used to offer links to

important information that the author

wants the user to have easy access to.
Educational Use: A student could be
sent straight to the article rather than
having to waste time searching for the
article from the homepage.

Why Deep Linking II:

Internal Company Use: A company

could add a link that would send an

employee straight to the purchasing
page to give them easy access to
contract information.
Commercial Use: A company could use
a deep link to get protected material for
its own profit

Deep Linking is Good Linking:

Deep linking enhances usability

because it is more likely to satisfy

users needs.
Generic links, such as links to a
companys homepage are less useful
than specific links that take users to an
individual article of product.

Supporting Deep-Link Users:

Tell users their arrival point, and how

they can proceed to other parts of the

site by including 3 design elements on
every single page : 1) Company name
or logo. 2) Direct, one click link to the
homepage. 3) Search tool.

Supporting Deep-Link Users II:

Orient the user relative to the rest of

the website. If the site has hierarchical

information architecture, a breadcrumb
trail is usually the best method of
approaching this. Including links to
other resources that are directly
relevant to the current location.

Supporting Deep-Link Users III:

Dont assume that users have

followed a drill-down path to arrive at

the current page. They may not have
seen information that was contained on
higher-level pages.

Ticketmaster vs. Microsofts

Sidewalk Site:
In April 1997, Ticketmaster sued

Microsoft Sidewalk Site for deep linking

to pages within the Ticketmaster site.
Ticketmaster contended that by deep
linking, Microsoft was intentionally
bypassing advertising and links to other
services offered by Ticketmaster.

Ticketmaster vs. Microsofts

Sidewalk Site:
Ticketmaster demanded that Microsoft

only link to their homepage, so that

some sort of control could be exercised
over the experience of visitors to the
site.
The case was settled confidentially in
February 1999.

Conclusion:
A website is like a house with a million

entrances: the front door is simply one

among many ways to get in. A good
website will accommodate visitors who
choose alternate routes.