Using Trackbacks
You know that little link at the bottom of most blog posts that says Trackbacks (0)? Yeah. I never really paid attention either. As I get more into blogging, though, I'm wondering why more people don't use it. Essentially, it's a way to link to someone else's post so that the people reading that other post see your trackback and then can click over to see what you've said on the same subject. Instead of waiting for people to find you, you find them and tell them you have something to say that relates to their post.
I actually had a situation last week where trackbacks would have been useful! In one of my posts I asked you all to list the chores your children do. MelNel at aufdeckende Gespraeche found that she had so much to say about this subject that she wanted to write her own post. She left a note in my comments that she was posting about it. What she should have done is trackback. That way you all would read my post, then notice that the Trackback link had a (1) by it or you'd see it when you tried ot comment. When you clicked the Trackback link, it would take you to MelNel's post to continue the discussion. As more of you decided you had things to say, you could also send a trackback!
Shannon and I both Trackbacked each other when we wrote about our impromptu family slumber party last Friday. Did you see the Trackbacks? Go look. I'll wait.
Trackbacks would be a great addition, I think, to Jules' discussions over at Everyday Mommy. She's asking some really interesting questions and a lot of people are participating. With Trackbacks I bet she could practically have her very own blogring!
I know. It was a big muddled mess to me too when I first started looking at it. However,I found a really great, easy-to-understand tutorial at 5 Minutes for Mom. It's super easy or I wouldn't even be suggesting it. I promise.
I encourage you all to try it! The best case scenario is that you get extra traffic; the worst is that you expended two seconds of extra effort for nothing but you learned a new skill. Not bad for a day's blog work, huh?
