A trackback, also called a linkback, lets bloggers know when other people have linked to their posts on a website. Not all blogs have trackbacks enabled, but most bloggers appreciate this tool because they want to know when someone has mentioned their post online. A trackback also allows the person posting it to link their website to the blog it refers to. While most people find trackbacks to be a good way to let other bloggers know that they mentioned your post on their site, the downside is that they allow spammers to get the link to their own blog site.
A trackback, also called a linkback, lets bloggers know when other people have linked to their posts on a website.
Many bloggers strive to get as many comments and referrals as possible on their sites. This is not only because it means that people are actually reading the blog, but also because it generates links to your sites all over the internet. This, in turn, can drive more traffic to the blog, especially when placed on a site with related content. A trackback can also be beneficial to the person posting it, as your site will be included in the list of people who mentioned the blog. Therefore, this tool is usually useful for both the person who publishes it and the blogger.
Like many web publishing tools, trackbacks also have a downside. For example, they can create more maintenance work for the blogger to remove old trackbacks with links to sites that no longer work. This is because the blog’s search engine ranking can be affected if the referrer list is full of invalid links. Another drawback is that almost anyone can create a trackback to the blog, leaving your link behind. Not surprisingly, spammers often take advantage of this fact, linking to blogs that have little to do with their own content, only for the link to remain on the blog.
Because of these issues, some bloggers choose to disable trackbacks altogether or change their blog settings so that each one has to wait for approval first. This can allow bloggers to ensure that only valid or relevant web authors can link to their sites. Web authors referencing a blog on the same platform they’re using usually just need to add the link to their post, as it should automatically appear as a return link. On the other hand, bloggers on different platforms may have to find the referral link, which is usually found at the end of the blog post, and copy it. Either way, this tool can be beneficial to the bloggers involved when not abused.
