Update (4/23/06): For more information on how to trackback, see the Linking Policy.
Update (8/25/05): To reduce some of the e-mail I get from bloggers requesting links, please start using the trackback feature to let me know you’re blogging about a particular post.
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1) Haloscan users must use Simpltracks to trackback to this blog. Haloscan and WordPress are not compatible. Why not? You’ll have to ask some other geek.
For people on Blogger.com who don’t have a trackback feature set up, you can still use Simpletracks to trackback to other blogs.
2) If you trackback to an LBC post, a link to my post must appear in your post, or the trackback will be deleted. (I’ll go easy on new bloggers.)
Why link to a post just because you trackback to it? The reason you left a trackback is the same reason the other blogger wants you to link to his post: traffic. By leaving a trackback, you’re alerting the blog host and his readers that you’re writing about the same topic and/or the blogger’s post. The host and readers follow your trackback, increasing your traffic and readership. The host accepts trackbacks on his blog for the same reason. Quid pro quo and information-sharing, too.
3) All trackbacks must reference the post you trackback to. Any trackbacks that do not reference the post (off-topic) may be deleted. (I’ll go easy on new bloggers.)
4) Trackbacks leading to offensive, ad hominem-laced, and/or libelous posts where I’m the subject will be deleted. Habitual offenders will be permanently banned.
5) If a trackback leads to a non-offensive post, but you allow commenters to libel me, the trackback will be deleted and habitual offenders permanently banned.
What is a Trackback?
A trackback is simply a way for bloggers to communicate with each other in the form of a link and a ping. I will refer to a third-party trackback application called Simpletracks because each blogging platform has/may have different trackback methods.
Let’s say you’re blogging about this post, and you want me and other readers to know about it. Scroll to the end of the comments, and you’ll see an italicized link:
Trackback URI: http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2005/08/19/two/trackback/
(URI is short for Uniform Resource Identifier, but you don’t need to know this information in order to trackback.)
This is a trackback link or URI (also known as URL), and when using Simpletracks, you’ll need to copy and paste the trackback link (different for each post), the name of your blog, your post title, your post’s URL, and an excerpt of the post in the appropriate areas, and hit “Send Ping.”
Your blog will ping my blog, and the trackback will show up like this:
UPDATE: Rocket Missile Mortar Pathetic Attack on the NavyOne of the blogs I pointed out in my earlier post (noted by Michelle Malkin, La Shawn Barber, and The Jawa Report, among others) wrote a response: Noesy Online: Makes Me Laugh What makes him laugh is Captain Ed’s suggestion…
Trackback by Murdoc Online — 08.19.05 @ 7:24 pm
Clicking on “Murdoc Online” will take you directly to the entry where my post is referenced. Notice that the blogger included a link to my blog.
In WordPress, trackback entries are truncated, and post titles usually appear in bold. Depending on which blog publishing system you use, trackbacks will be slightly different. For instance, Movable Type automatically pings posts, so it’s unnecessary to enter URIs manually. In WordPress, I have to copy and paste trackback URIs in an area below the post. Haloscan is somewhat similar to Simpletracks.
Related: Comment Policy
