The Wall Street Journal online and links

Former journalist and current journalism instructor Mark Hamilton comments on his “Notes from a Teacher” blog this morning about the Wall Street Journal Online’s practice of providing links to other media sites in its articles.

Hamilton writes, “There’s a lot to like about the online Wall Street Journal, not the least of which is its linking policy.

“An example: in the latest Carl Bialik and Jason Fry Daily Fix column, there are nine links, all of them outbound and all leading to other media, including the New York Daily News, SF Gate, the Guardian and the Melbourne Herald Sun.

“This is one of the clearest examples I’ve found of the strength of branding by sending people away from your site. If the original content is good enough, and the linked-to material is of quality and interest, the reward is an uptick in credibility and trust: you’ll keep coming back not just for the original material, but for the good stuff these folks have also found for you.”

Read more here.