WHAT IS A trackback?

TrackBacks are a way to communicate between blogs

TrackBack is a tool that bloggers use to allow you to visit other sites related to your post. Wikipedia gives the definition of a TrackBack as "a mechanism for communication between blogs". Most blogging formats allow the feature. Let’s start from the beginning. You are posting an article for your blog and find related information that you want to include in your post. You will create a link within your post using the URL for that information. This will allow someone to see the related information directly from your site. Depending on what blogging platform you are using, you will find the place to list TrackBack or backlist. Just place the URL here. This achieves multiple objectives:

Each TrackBack allows you to have a conversation between blogs
It is seen by the search engines as an emphasized link
It is a courtesy for other bloggers to see where they are getting traffic from
It will allow readers to follow an article between multiple blogs

The only downside to TrackBacks is that you need to be careful of the TrackBacks to your site from spammers. Sometimes you will get a TrackBack from a site that is totally unrelated to yours. This can diminish your SEO efficacy. Take the time to edit and delete these TrackBacks from your comments so that it doesn't harm your ranking.

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Posted on September 17, 2006 00:00:45 by Mary.McKnight

Comment from: dennis [Visitor]

· http://www.iprocessing.biz

Thanks for the help. I am new to the blogging arena and your site has helped me. Especially with something as simple as "trackback".

Permalink November 21, 2006 19:37:36

Comment from: Andy [Visitor]

· http://www.digitalurban.blogspot.com

Interesting site - very useful. I run a blog looking at digital technologies in architecture and cities -with over 400 posts it gets traffic but not a massive amount..

Any tips?

Thanks a lot,

Andy

Permalink May 06, 2007 08:25:40

Comment from: Debi Braulik [Visitor]

· http://www.northslopehomes.com

Mary- This was on my task list to research this week. I'm so glad I found your post. But a question for you. Can you give a track back to a website itself and not a blog post? Like when I say for more information, check out www dot example dot com. Would I then put the website url in the trackback box or do you only reference blog posts? Make sense? Thank you!

Permalink June 20, 2007 01:26:26

Comment from: Christina [Visitor]

· http://www.newbernbearblog.com

I just started Blogging and love it. Thank you for the information on track backs, I did not know what they were.

Permalink March 02, 2008 21:37:59

Comment from: Jill Wente [Visitor]

· http://www.jillwente.com

I saw the trackback field in my wordpress blogging platform, but did not know what it was for. Thanks for enlightening me.

Permalink March 12, 2008 12:37:53

Comment from: Geoff [Visitor]

· http://profitable-investing.com

I still have some difficulty understanding trackbacks and how they end up on the other blog - or mine if they are coming to me. For example, this article above mentions that they end up in the comments field. I run wordpress on www.profitable-investing.com and I don’t get trackbacks in my comments area at all. I see them on my dashboard but how does that benefit readers? I’m confused!

Permalink April 29, 2008 02:34:13

Comment from: Connie Ragen Green [Visitor]

· http://www.ebookwritingandmarketingsecrets.com

I like to trackback to other posts because it puts me on the radar of the person whose blog I have been reading. Trackbacks are just a great way to connect with other bloggers and let them know you are out there in the blogosphere with them.

Permalink May 10, 2008 12:38:21

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