Tracking the Trackback

When you read blogs, are you sidetracked by trackbacks? If you are, you’re not alone.

For serious bloggers, trackbacks are nothing new. They are continually used to fuel conversations, connect entries and make the vast blogosphere less daunting.

But for newcomers to blogs, trackbacks are usually ignored or misunderstood. Conceptually, trackbacks are the online equivalent of saying, “Hey, your comments are interesting. Here are my observations or references on this topic. Here’s the address.”

The technical explanation is a bit more complicated. Trackbacks work only if both blogs support them. Each entry has a trackback URL that the commenting blogger enters to connect the two entries.

Even if the trackback still seems complicated, look for them as you read blog entries. You’ll likely gain a new (or opposing) perspective on the post you’re reading. A good overview is at Wikipedia.