To DOI or Not to DOI: Evaluating the Financial Sense of Persistent Links

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2022/01/08 - Updated: 2025/05/08
Publication Type: Informative
Topic: Website Accessibility - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This article provides a thorough and balanced analysis of the advantages and drawbacks of using Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) for online publications, focusing on their relevance, cost, and practicality for website managers, authors, and publishers. It discusses the intended benefits of DOIs-such as providing permanent, stable links and reducing referencing errors-while also highlighting significant challenges, including the financial and administrative burdens of acquiring and maintaining DOIs, the risk of broken links if publishers fail to update DOI records, and the potential inefficiencies caused by multiple browser redirects.

The article is especially useful for individuals and organizations managing digital content, as it offers practical alternatives like 301 redirects, which are cost-free and easy to implement, and emphasizes the importance of regular link checking to ensure accessibility and reliability. This information is particularly relevant for those serving audiences with disabilities or seniors, for whom persistent and accessible links are critical, as broken or slow-loading links can create unnecessary barriers to information access. The article's authority stems from the author's extensive experience in digital publishing and advocacy for accessible web practices, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to make informed decisions about link management and digital accessibility - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Pros of Using Digital Object Identifiers

The stated intended features of using a DOI are listed as:

Status: To enhance a journal's quality and impact.
Permanency: To attempt to provide permanent links for articles and studies.
Error Reduction: To help avoid human or machine errors in referencing articles or study URLs.

DOIs differ from URLs in that they are static. In other words, they will not change once assigned, which, in theory, makes it easy to locate at any future time. Organizations that meet the contractual obligations of the DOI system and are willing to pay to become a member of the system can assign DOIs.

A DOI aims to resolve its target, the information object to which the DOI refers. This is achieved by binding the DOI to metadata about the object, such as a URL where the object is located. Thus, by being actionable and interoperable, a DOI differs from ISBNs or ISRCs, which are identifiers only. The DOI system uses the indecs Content Model for representing metadata.

Focus

Cons of Using Digital Object Identifiers

A process exists for obtaining DOIs, including submitting meta-data and fees. It is often very time and cost prohibitive for some authors and publishers to obtain DOIs for their published works.

In theory, referring to an online document (let's use the title of this document "Are DOI Links Worth the Time and Money" as an example throughout this article), by its DOI SHOULD provide a more stable link than directly using its URL (https://www.disabled-world.com/disability/accessibility/websitedesign/doi-links.php). However, if the "Are DOI Links Worth the Time and Money" article URL changes, the publisher, or purchaser of the DOI link, must update the information for the DOI(s) to maintain the link(s) to the URL(s). The publisher is responsible for updating their DOI database list of the new link locations for every article that changes its web address. In the event the new link locations are not updated, the DOI will become a dead link leaving the DOI a 404 error - or worse, a useless broken link.

Clicking a DOI link and waiting for the final destination page to load could be faster. Some Digital Object Identifiers will redirect your Internet browser many times before eventually bringing your browser to the intended destination, provided the publisher has maintained their URL database properly, or else you'll receive the dreaded 404 error - or worse, an unhelpful blank page.

Why Even Use a DOI Link?

A DOI is registered by a Registration Agency. Since a cost is associated with using a DOI or a similar service, it is certainly only feasible for some publishers to add these identifiers. Any website manager worth their salt can easily 301 redirect a website address to a new location address using Apache .htaccess or similar. Visitors who visit the old page will seamlessly be redirected to the article's new page location. This 301 redirect only takes a few seconds to implement, costs nothing, and is virtually instantaneous.

Checking for Redirected and Broken DOI Links

If you wish to create a direct link from a DOI link on your webpage, click the link first, then copy and paste the FINAL destination URL and use that as your link - your visitors will thank you for not wasting their precious time for the DOI to resolve to its destination URL as you have linked directly to the final destination article and bypassed all the redirects in between that may contain unwanted tracking beacons, cookies, and other information gathering scripts.

Common DOI Link Errors

Here are some common DOI (Digital Object Identifier) link errors people encounter when citing or accessing academic content. You may come across this error message, or similar wording, DOI cannot be found in the DOI System. Possible reasons are:

The DOI has not been activated yet. Please try again later, and report the problem if the error continues.
The DOI is incorrect in your source. Search for the item by name, title, or other metadata using a search engine.
The DOI was copied incorrectly. Check to see that the string includes all the characters before and after the slash and no sentence punctuation marks.

Other DOI (Digital Object Identifier) link errors and mistakes people encounter:

Missing or Misused Protocol (http vs https). Issue: Using http://doi.org/ instead of https://doi.org/ Fix: Always use the secure https:// protocol
Using the DOI Without a Resolver: Example: Just pasting 10.1000/xyz123 into the browser without https://doi.org/ Fix: Prepend https://doi.org/ to make it a clickable, functional link.
Copy-Paste Artifacts: Issue: Hidden characters or formatting from PDFs or web pages. Fix: Paste into a plain-text editor first to remove hidden formatting.
Outdated or Deprecated DOIs: Issue: The DOI may refer to older content that has been moved or updated. Fix: Use CrossRef (https://www.crossref.org/) or a DOI resolver to verify validity.
Typographical Errors in DOI String. Issues: Extra spaces, wrong characters, or missing parts of the DOI. Example: 10.1000/ xyz123, 10.1000/xyZ12 (typo or case error). Fix: Copy the DOI exactly as provided by the publisher.
Incorrect DOI Format: Example: https://doi:10.1000/xyz123 (incorrect). Correct Format: https://doi.org/10.1000/xyz123 Fix: Always use the format https://doi.org/ followed by the DOI string.

What if the Linked to DOI Article Moves?

When linking directly to a DOI destination page and you wish to find out if the publisher has changed their DOI link final destination, use ScreamingFrog, Link Sleuth, or one of the many other broken/redirected link checkers on your site regularly to check for broken links, 404 pages, and 301/302 redirects - this should always be part of good website housekeeping anyway.

Cool Links Never Change

Remember, a persistent URL is one that never changes, and your webpage links bookmarked by 3rd parties don't break.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: In an era where digital accessibility is paramount, the reliability of web links is crucial. This article underscores the importance of practical solutions over costly systems that may not deliver on their promises. By advocating for straightforward methods like 301 redirects, it provides valuable guidance for maintaining accessible and dependable online content. The debate over whether to invest in DOIs or rely on simpler, cost-effective solutions like 301 redirects is more than a technical issue-it's a question of accessibility, sustainability, and inclusivity in digital publishing. As the article makes clear, persistent links are essential for ensuring that all users, especially those with disabilities or limited digital skills, can reliably access online resources. Ultimately, the best approach balances permanence, cost, and ease of maintenance, always keeping user experience and accessibility at the forefront - Disabled World (DW).

Author Credentials: Ian is an Australian-born writer, editor, and advocate who currently resides in Montreal, Canada. He is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.