If you’ve ever wanted to participate in a blog link party, this is a must-know! One of the common courtesies is to link up to the specific post rather than your whole blog. Most well-run blog link parties insist that you do.
Why does it matter? Because not all readers will discover the post while your contribution is your most recent entry. Here’s a really great example, one of my most-visited posts to date is the MckLinky party with all the homeschool rooms from my Not-Back-to-School Hop in August 2009. Those links still get a lot of traffic. If they had linked to the blog, rather than the post, people would click them today and never find the post from way back in August 2009.
So, what the heck is a permalink, and how do I find it? Easy. I’ll show you!
1. Find the post title.
2. Click it. Your blog will reload.
3. Now look up in your browser bar. Instead of seeing your blog’s URL you will see a URL for only that post.
My blog’s URL is: http://my3boybarians.com/
But my permalink for that post is: http://my3boybarians.com/2010/03/spring-ohhh-spring-where-art-thou/
4. With your mouse highlight the address is the browser bar. To copy click cmd-c (ctrl-c on a PC ), or you can right-click and your context menu will appear.
5. The final step is to paste your permalink into an Inlinkz, MckLinky, Mister Linky or blog carnival link box. Put your cursor in the box and click Cmd-v ( Ctrl-v for a PC ), or right-click> paste the link.
- or -
6. Click “Next Step” or “Enter my Link”. Voilà! You just entered your permalink. Congratulations!
Why should you participate in a blog link party?
It’s a really great way to gain exposure for your blog and for you to meet others in the process. It’s also good netiquette to visit some of the other participants. This is how networking and communities are built in the blogosphere.
Looking for some popular blog links to join? Here are a few blogs that hold regular ones.
- Kimba, A Soft Place to Land: DIY Day, link up your do-it-yourself projects on Tuesdays.
- Nester, Nesting Place: not a specific day, but she plays link pages often! Ex.) Using Chalkboards in your Home
- Wordless Wednesday: Wordless Wednesday, no copy, all photo link day.
- Emily, Chatting at the Sky: Tuesdays Unwrapped, celebrate the small things, focus on “discovering the gifts in the midst of the ordinary.”
- Kristen, We are THAT Family: Works for Me Wednesday, tips and ideas that make life easier.
- Right here at Life with my 3 Boybarians: Sweet Shot Day, each Tuesday link up your favorite photo of the week.
Go forth. Conquer the blogosphere!
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Ok, my *geekie* adorable friend.
Where did you get the Spelling and Grammar, Substitutions, etc . . . . in your drop down menu?
‘Cuz I gots to know.
It’s a Mac thing, baby. ‘Cause we Mac-daddies, errrr, Mac-mommies like to know our grammar.
I don’t have that on my mac. I highlighted, right clicked and I don’t have near the menu yours shows. Hmmm…system preferences?
Great post Darcy!! I’m starting a linky party next week…I’m going to link to your post in the how to’s……I’ve already had a few people let me know they may need help doing it…so this will be perfect!!
.-= TidyMom´s last blog ..New Link Up Party! I’m Lovin It! =-.
That’s awesome. I can’t believe there are 3 new link parties starting next week. Great minds think alike. I’ll swing by on Friday!
Q for U – I posted in a McLinky last week and at the last moment of clicking realized I had copied and pasted my .com instead of the actual post. What do you do????? How can a linky-er fix this? I sent a note to the help thing, but not sure that “helped”. . . . Is there a way to change your link once its up? Thanks for the reminder to always check to make sure we are posting the actual article, and not just the .com.
There isn’t currently a delete option for linky-uppers. The blogger who is in charge of the Linky can delete your entry from the linky admin panel. This will allow you to link up again.
I’ve done that before, too! How I handled it was to email the blogger, apologize and relink with the correct permalink.
Good question!
I did email the original McLinky blogger – she said to post a second “fixed” linky, and she would delete the wrong one.
Easy. 
You are SO good and helpful!
.-= Sandy´s last blog ..Easter Centerpiece: $4.76! =-.
*she bows down*
Thank you for doing this post. I am still shocked and amazed at all the links I click on that do not go to the actual post they are trying to reference and I know most people don’t have time to spend searching for it. This helps everyone involved.
.-= Amy Bayliss´s last blog ..Get Revived Conference 2 Day Special! =-.
Thank you, thank you!
.-= Anna K.´s last blog ..Peace~ =-.
Darcy,
This is so helpful! Now maybe I’ll get the courage to do this. I tried it once and chickened out at the last minute. Thank you for helping me get in touch with my *inner Geek*.
.-= Debi´s last blog ..Chillin’ and Grillin’ =-.
I’ve always wanted to know how to do this…STEP BY STEP! You are a great teacher – thanks
Thank you so much! I am new to blogging and ran into this very thing two days ago. I’ve been looking all over the place trying to figure out how it works. Your instructions have been VERY helpful!
Joy
.-= joy@thriftyparsonageliving´s last blog ..A New Use For An Old Item =-.
THANK YOU so much for posting this. It was easy to read and even easier to understand. You have no idea how important the simple steps are for me. When EVEN I can do it, you know you did something right! I still have SO MUCH to learn but with posts like this, it makes me excited that I can do it.
.-= Renee @Kudoskookies´s last blog ..Spring – A Time For Renewal =-.
Thank you for the great post. I am new to blogging and had not idea how to do this!
.-= Raina at The Garden of Yum´s last blog ..Homemade ravioli =-.
Okay, I must admit when I read directions I think my brain shuts down. I am a first time visitor. I am linking up a post I did yesterday. It’s about a run my family did over the weekend and mostly about Lung Cancer. I am linking up for two reasons. !.) I love these things and most importantly. . 2.) .I want to inform people about the terrible stigma of Lung Cancer. It’s not just for smokers any more
I understand if I didn’t link up right you must take my post off your blog. I am asking simply to let me know I did it wrong and I will give it another shot. For I am Challenged when it comes to these things. 
)
Thank you!!!. in advance
Thanks for this advice……I have only just started linking up to a few blogs…so good to know. (I may have done it wrong today….sorry, this page was unavailable earlier.) Loving your blog
what is a bokeh?
Thanks for your post! I have been wanting to start a blog party on my site but I wasn’t sure how to go about it. I am new to the blog side of technology and am hoping to start giveaways too! Thanks again
Your site and information is wonderful. Thank you so much. I understand how to link up for the party permalink but how do I link in that party website into my blog at the end of my post so that I link back to them.
I have a design blog out of Italy that you might love since you love Italy.
A presto e grazie
A host should offer a button if it’s a regularly reoccuring party. If not, simply include the URL starting with http:// of the blog post (not the main blog) of the link up.
Hope that helps!
I do miss Italy!