FREE Trackback Test

Free Trackback Test and Demonstration

So you want to understand trackbacks? This free interactive demonstration will show you EXACTLY how a trackback works.

There are just two types of trackbacks:

1: The Outbound Trackback
You sending a trackback from your blog to my blog. Interactive Demo Here

2: The Inbound Trackback
Me sending a trackback from my blog to your blog. Interactive Demo Here

The Outbound Trackback Test

To help you understand Trackbacks, as part of the Free Interactive Trackback Test by The UK Bloggers Guide, this post will demonstrate the use of an outbound Trackback and allow you test it on your own blog.

So What is an Outbound Trackback?
It's you sending a trackback from your blog to my blog. It lets me and my readers know that you have made a reference to a post on my blog. Let's use this post for the demonstration.

The Outbound Trackback Demonstration
Imagine, that you're so impressed with this post on the subject of "Trackbacks" that you're going to write about it on your own blog, and let me and my readers know that you have done so.

Step 1: Make a Post on your Own Blog.
Open a new browser window, login to your blog and make a post with the following title and body of text (Don't publish the post until step 2):

Title: Testing Trackbacks on my blog
Body: Just testing outbound trackbacks on my blog.

Step 2: Send a trackback with the post.
Before publishing the post you need to enter the trackback URL for this article, so that my blog knows you have referenced this post.

The trackback URL is entered in a box that normally called something like "Send a Trackback to this address". Once you have found the box, enter this trackback URL:

http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/2332144/20928671

Worth noting that the trackback URL for EVERY article is unique.

Step 3: Publish The Post.
Just publish the post to your blog.

Congratulations, you have sent your first trackback, but now what?

An email has been sent to me, notifying me that you have sent a trackback. Within 24 hours* I will approve your trackback and it will appear on this page.

*I approve trackbacks as soon as I get them, so you'll normally only wait a couple of hours to see your trackback in place.

Free Inbound Trackback Test

To help you understand Trackbacks, as part of the Free Interactive Trackback Test by The UK Bloggers Guide this post will not only demonstrate the use of an inbound Trackback, but allow you to test that you have trackbacks set up correctly on your blog.

So What is an Inbound Trackback?
It's me sending a trackback from my blog to your blog. It lets you and your readers know that I have made a reference to a post on your blog.

The Inbound Trackback Test
All this involves is you making a post on your blog, to which I will send a trackback.

Step 1: Make a New Post on your Own Blog.
Open a new browser window, login to your blog and make a new post with the following title and body of text:

Title: Just testing Trackbacks on my blog
Body: This is just a test to see if trackbacks are working as intended on my blog.

Step 2: Let me know when you've published it.
Using the comment using the form below. Let me know the URL of the post (not the trackback URL). I'll get an email and within 24 hours* I will send a trackbackto your post AND send you an email to let you know I've done so.

*I send trackbacks as soon as I get them, so you'll normally only wait a few hours for me to send the trackback to your blog.

Step 3: Approve The Trackback
Most blog platforms require that you approve the trackback before it appears on your blog. Once you have done so, my trackback will appear on your blog.

Congratulations, you have received your first trackback, but now what?

If you're happy with the way trackbacks are working on your blog, we're done. You can delete your post at your earliest convenience. You can leave the trackback in place for 7 days while you play around with your design templates. I normally delete the trackbacks I send as part of this demo within 7 days.