External linking is a tricky tightrope for web designers. Referencing external sources adds credibility to your work and improves the user experience. They’re an integral part of well-researched writing. But that doesn’t mean we like them.

When we’re trying to get users to stay on a website, the last thing we want is to provide them with an excuse to leave. A user clicks an external link to a mono typeface you recommend, visits a new website, falls in love with the pretty motion graphics and spends hours assessing if the font is suitable for a terminal. Before you know it, your website is relegated to a forgotten tab, never to be seen again.

Am I being hyperbolic? Probably. But bounce rates are undeniably a cause for concern when designing a website. Fortunately, designer and developer Jonas Pelzer has a solution.

SlideFrame allows users to open external links internally. Designers can integrate Pelzer’s simple HTML code into their website. Then, when a user clicks an external link, the content will open as a dynamic overlay. That means users get the information they need without ever leaving your site. It’s innovative, simple, and effective.

Developers can integrate slideFrame into almost any website. That said, the tool does come with some limitations. For example, you can’t link to any non-HTTPS sites due to security restrictions. Plus, it only works on desktops, so mobile external-internal links are off the menu.

Limitations aside, slideFrame is a great way to reduce the bounce rate while improving the user experience. You can try the tool out by integrating the HTML code on your website today.