Best Ways to Use Linkbait to Catch the Most Links
Linkbait, defined by Wikipedia as “any content or feature, within a website, designed specifically to gain attention or encourage others to link to the website.” However, people conjure negative connotations when they hear the term. That’s a misconception, and oftentimes Websites are missing many opportunities to entice visitors to stay on their website as well as creating a positive buzz online.
Linkbait terms you need to know:
Seeding linkbait – seeding is submitting and posting content to different social networks, forums, directories, social bookmarks, etc. The purpose to start the buzz about your content and entice other bloggers, RSS feeds and people to share it with their networks. Best examples of seeding is used with Digg, Stumbleupon and Technorati sites.
Linkbait hooks – like a typical writing hook, it’s the words or approach that lead visitors to click something on your site like a video, images, etc. The most popular hooks come from other bloggers and publishers who republish the content.
Types of Linkbait:
Widgets
How to Guides
Top 10 (5, 7 etc) Lists
Comics
Audio/Video Clips
Quizzes/Polls
Blog posts
Infographics
Successful Linkbait practices that will create buzz about your content and make others help you with your link building campaign.
1. Do – write valuable and timely content via blogs, press releases, etc. that are of interest to your targeted audience.
2. Do - submit your content to social news sites like Digg, Technorati, Mixx and Reddit.com regularly to get the best buzz with an enticing hook (description).
3. Don’t - always self-promote your company’s products/services. Be an authority in your industry that provides something more than your competitors’.
4. Do – provide contrary content such as dispelling myths or contradicting your competitors’ claims. It attracts more links and people linking to your content and if you are responsive, you can keep the buzz going longer than company news features.
5. Don’t - write overly long blogs or other types of content. Make your point, be concise. People like to read, respond and move on.
6. Do – ask for feedback, ask questions at the end of blogs, social media networks, encourage conversations, connections with real people. Networking is good!
7. Don’t – write general headlines and titles. Be specific and direct. Get people to vote and favorite your content so others will do the same. The title is your linkbait hook, so be persuasive!
8. Do – submit your content during times/days that people will be the most likely to see it. If it’s directed toward to business people then do it early like around 8am during the week.
9. Do – submit content to the correct category (especially for news sites and forums) so that the right people can find your content easily. If you’re not sure, ask a co-worker how he/she would look for your content.
10. Don’t - miss the opportunity to monitor links with appropriate analytics and/or monitoring. You do want to know where your stuff is going and who is buzzing it across the web.
One final note for link building purposes, thank the people and sources that share your content, vote up your links and do comment on their sites as well. By doing this you will gain trust, appreciation and give a warm, fuzzy feeling to those who are promoting your company’s content.
