WordPress Pingbacks and Trackbacks Explained + Why to Disable Them

If you’re a perceptive user, you may have noticed a setting in your dashboard relating to WordPress pingbacks and trackbacks. However, there’s a good chance you have no idea what these techniques are, or why they’re controversial.In a nutshell, pingbacks and trackbacks are technologies that notify other websites when content has been published that their users might find interesting. While this sounds pretty good in theory, there are also a number of downsides to using both strategies, which is why we recommend that you disable them.In this article, we’re going to start out by explaining what WordPress pingbacks and trackbacks are and discussing their pros and cons. Then, well show you how you can disable both on your own website. Let’s take a look! What are trackbacks?A trackback is a notification that WordPress sends to an external site when you link to it in your content. Let’s say that you’ve just published a new blog post on dog t raining tips, which includes a link to another website that contains some solid advice for your readers.In this scenario, you could send a trackback ‘ping’ to that site, in order to get the owner’s attention. That person could then choose to approve the trackback. This would display an excerpt of your post and a link to your site in their comments section.What are pingbacks?Pingbacks in WordPress have a very similar goal, but they work a little differently. In fact, they were actually created to be a better version of trackbacks, in order to resolve some of the problems with the technique (which we’ll look at shortly).The key thing to understand is that while trackbacks are sent manually, pingbacks are automatic. To illustrate this, we’ll go back to our earlier example. Let’s say you have pingbacks set up on your blog, and you just published that article about dog training tips (linking to the same external website as before).In this case, a pingback would immediately be sent to the site you linked to – as long as it also has pingbacks enabled. That site would then automatically check to verify that the pingback originated from your post (and wasn’t some type of spam), before displaying it as a simple link in the comments section. In most cases, pingbacks won’t include an excerpt from the post in question, though this depends on the theme that a site is using.From your perspective, the trackback and the pingback work in a very similar way. The most vital differences are ‘under the hood’ – the communication technologies used are different. However, it isn’t necessary to understand all the technical details in order to get a sense for the advantages and drawbacks of using these techniques.An example of what pingbacks/trackbacks look likeThe pros and cons of using WordPress pingbacks and trackbacks on your siteIn order to understand why we recommend that you disable pingbacks and trackbacks, lets discuss the pros and cons.Pros 👠It’s easy to see why so many people have used both pingbacks and trackbacks in the past. The potential benefits of these technologies include:Increasing backlinks to your own site, driving traffic your way and improving your Search Engine Optimization (SEO).Making connections with related sites, and encouraging them to share your content by showing your willingness to promote theirs.Offering more value to your readers, by introducing them to other content they may find useful.Cons 👎The biggest issue with trackbacks is that they soon became used to send huge amounts of spam. As trackbacks can be sent manually to any site, spammers use them to get their links posted on as much content as possible.Keeping these spam trackbacks off your site requires manually checking each one since there’s no other way to verify that they aren’t fake. Naturally, the time spent moderating these trackbacks could be better used elsewhere. It also makes them a lot less valuable than they could be in a theoretical sense.As we mentioned earlier, pingbacks were designed mainly to resolve this spam problem. That’s why they work automatically, and require verification before they can be posted. In addition, they won’t even be sent unless both blogs have enabled pingbacks.However, pingbacks soon fell victim to the same downsides as trackbacks. Many spammers were able to easily overcome the protections put into place. That resulted in a lot of fake and malicious pingbacks. Again, this means that sites with this feature enabled generally have to spend a lot of time moderating the resulting comments.In addition, you can end up with something called ‘self-pings’. If you link to another post or page on your own site, the pingback feature will send a notification (as though you were linking to an external source). This isn’t very useful and can quickly become an annoyance, although you can eliminate this problem with a free plugin like No Self Pings.Most sites should disable WordPress pingbacks and trackbacks (heres how to do it)There’s been a lot of controversy over the years as to whether using pingbacks and trackbacks is worth the downsides. These days, however, its widely recommended that you avoid both techniques.At the end of the day, using WordPress pingbacks and trackbacks tends to result in a lot of spam and wasted time. Even if they can provide a few benefits, there are better ways to drive traffic to your site.In addition, very few people actually use these technologies in a legitimate way at this point. This means that, more so than in the past, you’re likely to get a lot more fake pingbacks and trackbacks than legitimate ones.Fortunately, disabling both on your own site is a simple matter. In your WordPress dashboard, you can navigate to Settings Discussion:Here, you’ll want to deselect the first two options:Attempt to notify any blogs linked to from the articleAllow link notifications from other blogs (pingbacks and trackbacks) on new articlesThis will prevent your site from creating and receiving pingbacks and trackbacks. As a result, you should have an easier time keeping your comments section under control. Plus, youll free up time that can be devoted to more effective audience-building strategies.Skip the pingbacks and trackbacks!Pingbacks and trackbacks do have benefits in theory, but there are plenty of reasons why they’re rarely used these days. Ultimately, the downsides of both outweigh the potential for a slight boost to traffic and visibility.Keeping WordPress pingbacks and trackbacks active on your site is likely to result in a lot of spam coming from people who just want to get a link of any sort posted on your content. The good news is that you can quickly disable both options in your WordPress Settings screen.Have you ever used pingbacks and trackbacks on a WordPress site , and what was the result? Share your experiences with us in the comments section below! #WordPress pingbacks and trackbacks explained, plus why you really should just disable them

Online Classes Essay Example

Online Classes Essay Example Online Classes Essay Online Classes Essay Online Classes are easier for me to attend due to the convenience of flexible hours, the savings of time and money, and technological edge. Every morning I wake up and make my coffee, log into my computer, and check into my online classroom. I post answers to discussion questions throughout the week, write research papers, take weekly quizzes, and read my textbook all online. I actually enjoy this time. I get to wear my glasses, slippers, yoga pants, and cozy sweater, rather than jeans, boots, make-up and contacts. I don’t have to carry my backpack, find parking, or miss my cat. In my experience with online classes, I have found that the level of difficulty is equal to that of the traditional classroom. Online classes present the same level of challenge, but they are much more convenient. No set time is established for when and where you work. Courses are accessible from any computer, and usually twenty-four hours a day. I am able to plan my study time around my day instead of the other way around. I can listen to online lecture late at night when the house is quiet, or during the day when everyone has gone to work. I can pause, replay, and skip as much audio lecture as I want. Last night I took an exam at ten p. m. This was after a day of on campus classes, a dentist appointment, and a work shift. I knew I could fit the fifty minute timed exam in my day somewhere, but the flexibility of being able to have it done by midnight made my day flow with ease. The online classroom allows me to save money on textbooks and gas. I drive a suburban that has a huge gas tank, and takes nearly a hundred dollars to fill. Instead of driving forty minutes to campus five days a week, I meet face to face with my online class for three labs, and the final. My lab teacher created her own Lab book designed for online learning that saved me $150 dollars on the traditionally required lab book. Because Online classes save time and are flexible I am able to have more time to earn money. I feel balanced knowing I am not falling to far behind financially. Also, I am gaining more experience with Technology. I am exposed to the latest technology, potentially giving me an upper-hand upon entering the workforce, where knowing new technology may quickly affect my success. Emphasis is placed on developing skills and knowledge in technical areas that can have practical value in the workplace. Scanning in homework, listening to audio lectures (much like a taperecorded classroom), submitting assignments to an online dropbox, and emailing my professor are done on a daily basis. I have developed problem solving, time-management, critical thinking, communication and teamwork skills via an online community. Online classes work for me primarily because I am already a non-traditional student. I’m thirty years old, have an Associates degree, and I used to learning on my own. I do not need the structure of a regularly scheduled class to make sure that I am organized enough to complete my assignments in a timely manner. From my work as an Assistant Buyer and Retail Manager, I am already skilled in the self-motivation and drive necessary to stay on top of online classes. Additionally, I am one hundred percent committed to completing my education as quickly as possible and willing to put in all of the work necessary to do well. Online classes do not get cancelled. During snowstorms, colleges may cancel classes. This can hurt students who are on a tight schedule. People who learn online do not have to worry about cancelled classes. Even if their Internet service shuts down, a friend, or the library has the internet and they will still be able to complete their assignments on time. When colleges cancel classes, those classes have to be made up. This may cause the semester to run longer or the class may run longer in some cases. Since classes are online, students do not have to attend classes. For those who work full-time, this will save time, and make scheduling events in their lives much easier. Students will also not have to find parking spaces, leave work early to go to class, or miss family time. Lectures and other materials are sent to the student who will then read them and prepare to take quizzes and complete assignments. Students will never have to visit a classroom. Students will be able to plan their study time around the rest of their day instead of the other way around. Studying at nighttime or in the morning is up to the student. It is recommended that students try to develop a study routine if they can. Having to work and attend classes at the same time can be very stressful. Online classes remove the stress by allowing students to learn when it is convenient for them. During snowstorms and thunderstorms, colleges may cancel classes. This can hurt students who are on a tight schedule. People who learn online do not have to worry about cancelled classes. Even if their Internet service shuts down, a friend, or the library has the internet and they will still be able to complete their assignments on time. When colleges cancel classes, those classes have to be made up. This may cause the semester to run longer or the class may run longer in some cases. For those who work and have families, every second counts. In most online degree programs, students will not have to take elective classes unless required by their major. This allows students to study specifically what they need to learn for their job. For many students who want to focus on information relevant to their major, this approach will save time and help students earn their degree faster.