Newbie Blogging: Crucial Choices and Trackbacks
As a newbie blogger there are many choices you must make when starting out. The first choice is which platform to use. Should you go with Wordpress or Blogger? I will recommend against going with a Windows Live Spaces blog because it’s not as popular and many bloggers will not leave comments if they have to have an account to do so. My recommendation is if you know nothing about it, to go with a wordpress blog at Wordpress.com and I’ll explain why. The blog you’re looking at is a Wordpress blog, but I host it myself and there is a huge difference between this and having Wordpress.com host your blog.
If you don’t have any experience with blogging or using FTP then go to wordpress.com and create a blog. This is a good choice, really the best choice because if later on you want to host yourself, it will be much easier to do. For instance, you’ve been blogging for a while and you have decided to get serious - you’ll be glad you’re at wordpress! You can move from a blogger blogspot account to wordpress but the move is much more difficult if you’re not experienced. I moved from blogspot to wordpress and everything was fine except I lost all inbound links and my technorati authority dropped from 368 to 0. You have to do a 301 redirect which I did incorrectly! Bottom line? Pay a professional to do it for you if you don’t truly understand how to do it. It wouldn’t cost much and you can keep your rating. This really is only to host yourself. There is no need to move from blogger to a wordpress.com blog. If your technorati rating is real low, go ahead and move to word press. You can import all your posts and comments in one click, it’s that easy. If you have a high technorati rating, follow the advice above. Hosting yourself like I do can be a big challenge. It is the best way overall, but if you’re not willing to study hard and work, stay where you are for now. When you’re ready to host yourself, you’ll know. If that makes no sense, then you’re not ready!
One great thing about wordpress is it offers trackbacks. A trackback is a remote comment on another blog that has complimentary information. You can do trackbacks on other platforms but it may be very difficult especially if you’re a newbie unfamiliar with writing html and other basics. Also, spam can be a problem. You shouldn’t fear spam, but you should learn how to deal with it.
I found the best explanation of trackbacks I’ve seen yet from Jack Humphrey’s site:
video how to do a trackback
I’ve long misunderstood what a trackback is and this has opened my eyes. Lets say your blog deals with advertising. Type your main keyword and the word trackback in your searchbar. You will see all the blogs that offer trackbacks on this subject. Basically you link to the article and write a concise paragraph about it. Then copy the trackback url form that article and paste it in the trackback box on your wordpress dashboard. Then you await approval from them. This is how you can get other blogs to reference yours and it is a very powerful way to build a network of links specifically for your niche. If you want to have your blog be associated with a particular product, etc. this is a great way to do it. Wordpress makes this tool easy to use for everyone. Go watch the video and you’ll see exactly how to do it. If you are on blogspot trying to sell, market or even be a writer of non-business subjects - you will have a very tough time getting the traffic you need for your area of interest!
Here’s my post on the most basic things a new blogger should do: New Blogger Wisdom
The BrownBaron has 6 great tips for new bloggers here. The Baron is a new blogger like me but he is wise and his tips are great, so check them out!
BushMackel has a series of posts that start here. I recently found his blog through mutual friends, and it is very unique! Check it out!
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Janice: Yes, it will be more useful to you than this one. Yes, coffee and cinnamon rolls are served:smile:
Hey thanks Bobby! Hope you’re back to your normal healthy self!
Bush Mackel: You’re Welcome! I’m learning how to do trackbacks like the pros and your post, I did the technique from the video I referenced. I hope it works so all of us upcoming bloggers can associate our posts together for power:smile:
Great explanation of trackback and what it’s good for. Something that a lot of bloggers never bother to learn. This should clear things up nicely. Thanks for the compliment!
Brown Baron: Thanks BB! Is this how you do a trackback? This is how you and I, and all is bloggers who aren’t big league yet to connect to each other! I’m going to go back through older posts that I have links to other posts on, and go get the TB url and add it in:smile:
Bobby, im lost. trackbacks? wat’s that? okok, i will read. let me read this few more times. i’ll let u know if i still dont get it.
Jean: Yes backtracks. I will write how to do them in blogger next. This will enable you gain more specific traffic. Right now, everybody’s sites are pretty much about hanging out and having digital web coffee. . .pass the sugar please, and I’d love a dozen cinnamon rolls with it also:smile:hehehe hehe…he
Newbie Marketers Learn Trackback Techniques From Jack Humphrey….
Social Marketing tactics discussed include trackback techniques from a Jack Humphrey video. Watch It here……
Newbie Marketers Learn Trackback Techniques From Jack Humphrey….
Social Marketing tactics discussed include trackback techniques from a Jack Humphrey video. Watch It here……
I will wait for your next post
I want to take a rest here…may I have my coffee &…. you serving cinnamon rolls today? :)~~
yeah wordpress is really nice place to transfer blogs to . .and nice description of track back !
Nishu:Thank you! I hope you get some use from it:smile:
Hi I added you in my viral tags here:
http://searchtopics.net/?p=37
Thanks for adding me to yours.Great site!
Sandra
SF: I very much appreciate it:smile:
Hi Bobby! This is a very great article! I never knew what trackback is all about before. I agree with you about wordpress. I use self-hosted wordpress like you and yes, it’s a bit difficult.
Emila: Thank you very much! I am so glad you got some use out of it. I have much more to come, explaining how to use things a lot of may never learn otherwise. That’s my niche as they call it
New to blogging? Here’s what I’ve learned…
In the short week since I started this blog, I’ve learned quite a few things that would’ve made this process easier from the get-go. My tips for others (in no particular order):
Find a clean blog design. Skip the cluttery/artistic look…
[...] Trackbacks are useful for newbs - Revellian.com is a great blog resource with many different topics that will keep you entertained for hours if not for days. [...]
Hey Lost in Technology, thank you:smile:
Absolutely wonderful entry for blogging beginners. I’ve been blogging for 9 months and I’ve been slightly frusterated in the last few months because my blog has hit a plateau of subscribers and a low hit count every day. Have a look and if you have some recommendations, I’d love it.
I’m planning to link up to your blog to build your authority a little and I’m subscribing to your RSS ASAP.
Love the entry and I’m looking into transferring from blogger to wordpress.
Mag22: Thank you! You have been longer than me! I will come by and see:smile:
These tools allowed me to get a google page rank of 5 so far. However, I noticed I need to tweak it a little further because if you drop the http://www. before my site site address I get a 4 and adding it I get a 5.
Pinging is different by platform. I feel wordpress is the best ping platform. If you would like a list of sites to ping for wordpress and info on a google site map then drop by my site and leave me a message with your email addy and I will send it to you.
Check out my page rank here and then check yours here
Then try it again without the http://www. and you will see what I mean.
It’s interesting all the things newbies have to learn to blog and be good at it. I feel these things (pinging and sitemaps) are worth the most though.
I feel your readers may be interested in learning about pinging and sitemaps.
Neophyte question, but how does one exactly get people even aware of their blog? It seems to be taken for granted that you start a blog, people read your blog. Do you post various places? Is it all word of mouth?
You must go out and comment to make friends. Take your time and make the effort to get to know people, overall I think this should be the top priority for a new blog.
This is a great. I am a new blogger too. I compiled everything I learnt in one document - you may find it useful if you are new to blogging:
http://bluetoothkiwi.blogspot.com/2007/08/how-do-you-blog-well-i-got-myself-free.html
Happy blogging!
BlueToothKiwi: I read your post and it was very good! I will add you a link
Wow, Bobby thanks! You are always so helpful! I actually lost my rating when I transferred and still haven’t worked that out! It is a bit more work than anyone really tells you! It is worth it though! Your site is looking great, keep up the great posts! You are helping a lot of us along!
Barrett: I will tell you that if your rating is lost, it is lost. That’s ok though because now, it will be permanent and you won’t have to ever worry about moving again. It is better to own your own domain, there’s nothing like it
Nice Blog! keep posting!
Hope that more and more people will benefit from it
CrayonWeb: Thanks for the positive support
This is a huge learning experience. Thanks for the advice! I need all the help I can get!
Hey Max! You are so right! I used to be that blogging was simply a written post. Now it utilizes virtually every technology available and the help people get can be more and more confusing. I am a beginner blogger too but I do have a mostly self taught linux background which has helped immensely. I’ll come check you out!.
Hi Bobby,
Thanks for an excellent post. I agree it’s important to pass on basic information. I created a post back in February dealing with the very basic skill of cut and paste.
Regards,
Ian
Ian: Thanks! I’ll check out your post
[...] Revell - Newbie Blogging: Crucial Choices And Trackbacks Hosting yourself like I do can be a big challenge. It is the best way overall, but if you?re not [...]
Oh so nice ti see such down to earth and decently smart advice ! I blogged a couple of years ago, decently sucessfully, but did get disgusted with all the ‘blog-snobbery’. I’m getting back into it with a (hopefully) much more march to my own drummer approach… all that to say that I think your article is nicely well-rounded… anyway, I’ll be back. Thanks !
Sassy: Thank you! There is a ton of good stuff for beginners, it’s knowing whats good thats the hard part!
Thanks for the great tips and great links. I really enjoyed reading them. I have been blogging on and off for a few years and have not been very successful. I have finally decided to buy a domain and am going to blog as I’ve never done before. My blog is only one day old though… http://www.bethumbed.com
Anybody, want to help a newbie?
JC: What defines blogging success? Success is not what I blog for. I blog to learn and touch the lives of others
[...] Don’t understand Trackbacks? See Revellian.com’s blog posting [...]
i guess i’m going to try what you say.
Pablo: I wish you luck my friend
Cool, thanks for the tips Bobby. I also try to use the Trackback whenever I can. I just got 2-3 of them today.
Rolando: I get some, but few are looped correctly. I gave you one today!!!!!!
Very cool, thank you Bobby!
Rolando: You are welcome x 1000
Hi Bobby,
Great, great post. I think ‘ll always consider myself a newbie no matter how long I’ve blog. There’s always so much to learn from masters like you
Just to relate my experience, I’ve actually moved from blogspot to my own domain as well although I still am using blogger as a free hosting. No money yet to do my own hosting lah . When I did the transfer, I lost some of my authority but what really concerned me was when I lost my PR ranking - from PR3 to nada. Till now, my blog is still at PR0 coz google seems to stop ranking?? It won’t bother me so much but since it affected my earnings over at PPP, I am really pissed at myself.
Any advise for me and others going forward? Also, I’ve also have a blog over at wordpress.com that I don’t use coz it seems they charge for even changing the css styling? or am i doing it wrongly??
Also if I may, my recommendation for new bloggers who want to use the wordpress platform for free to head on over to http://blogmas.com. Free wordpress with all the plugins including adverlets and nuffnaggs. Sweet!
Sorry bobby for hogging your comment area, ya.
Cheerio
LadyJava
When moving from blogspot to a self-hosted wordpress blog, you can do it without losing pagerank or technorati authority. I told Marzie if she moved to hire a pro to move her. She can’t afford to lose a technorati authority of over 800!
Most folks just move and start from scratch. I did. On June 1st, this blog went to 0 on everything. I lost my PR3. I am a newbie too! I plan on always being a newbie.
I like having the open mindedness of a beginner! The update will be soon
[...] Newbie Blogging: Crucial Choices and Trackback -Smart choices and how to properly do a trackback [...]