Linkbaiting Using Linkbait to get Links
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Definition: Linkbait is a piece of content, tool, video, widget , web page - designed to attract high number of quality links from other websites / blogs. The purpose of the linkbait is to increase incoming links to a website, thus increase the importance of the website for search engine optimization purposes.
Apart from SEO linkbaits generate traffic, visibility and brand image.
Linkbaiting is NOT manipulation of any sort it is rather an enticing proposal that benefits all who link to it. If blogger links to your content it is because your content offers something new or something of value to their audience. Focusing on manipulation or looking for loopholes in social media system can backfire more than help. To do linkbaits well put your mindset on value not found anywhere else on the web.
“Linkbait has limitations. It’s no good for: CTR-based ads, conversions, supportive, emotionally sensitive comments and instant subscribers.” - seomoz
Linkbait Graph
Development > Launch (public relations) > Links > Direct Traffic > Search Ranking.
· Content is developed over a period of few hours / days / weeks
· Content is launched and shared with bloggers, webmasters, news sources and submitted to social media networks like Reddit, StumbleUpon, Digg, etc.
· As bloggers/webmasters link content, their audience discovers it and links to it well, where in turn their reader link (network effect). If content is located on non-commercial domain (very important), it is promoted on social media sites where more bloggers and webmasters discover and link to it.
· Previous stage creates direct traffic to the article and website. Brand gets few recognition points.
· After several months / weeks search engines pick up all new links, giving a boost to your piece of content and to overall site link popularity. Once the piece is several months old you can adjust the title to be more keyword rich.
Linkbait Essentials
Linkbaits can come in any format: blog post, static HTML page, video, mp3, PDF, tool, software, etc. It’s a matter of your abilities. In this section we’ll focus on textual linkbaits, since those require no technical knowledge.
· Select topics that other people do not want to touch / talk about due to controversy / complexity / lack of knowledge / ignorance / laziness. Observe bloggers and websites and see what they lack. Fill in the holes where appropriate. Some industries outright lack authoritative content (few very competitive fields we’re in have 0 competition in terms of quality content, making linkbaits easy), while others are oversaturated (SEO, internet marketing).
· Fill the holes authoritatively. Once you spot something that industry lacks, fills in the holes with all you got. Make your content THE content when it comes to that topic. Examples: analytics, marketing optimization.
· Content must be placed where people can see it. Quality content alone does not attract links. How can I link to you when I don’t even know your content exists? I won’t. Once you create quality content, use basic public relations strategies. Notify friends, bloggers, webmaster and submit to social media sites in order to create awareness. Having few online friends helps here, as they assist you in spreading your piece.
· Understand hot content. For example if articles on a specific topic make a lot of headlines, then articles on related content have a good chance of getting similar level of publicity. Browse through social media sites for inspiration. The key is timely delivery and enough social media friends to help you vote the story up on time.
· Do not sell products. Commercial offers erode potential of linkbaits. If you’re parked on a commercial domain clean out any product / service offers from the linkbait page / section. Some social marketers go as far as creating separate websites for linkbaits and then direct accumulated link power to the commercial domain.
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