Link Baiting: Getting Your Bait “Hooked”

Michele 1811 Views, , , ,
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Link baiting is the process by which a publisher creates a piece of content with the purpose of enticing others to link to it. This content can come in the form of an article, video, software, etc…

Why aim at creating link bait?

There are several reasons, but one of the main reasons is creating backlinks to your website. We all know that backlinks are people’s way of “voting” for your site. The more backlinks you have, the more you are perceived as an authority in your industry. This is the reason why it is also important to monitor and track backlinks.

Google and other search engines reward those who are authorities in their industry with high page ranks. So it is in your best interest to get as many backlinks as possible and link baiting is an effective technique to get the job done.

Other benefits:

Traffic, traffic, traffic! Isn’t that what we all want? Traffic brings in leads which eventually will result in sales!

Now that we’ve discussed what link baiting is and the benefits, let’s now discuss some tactics we can create that will not only attract visitors to your site, but entice them to link back to it.

Your first course of action is to create a plan. You can create the most amazing piece of content, but if you don’t have a plan on how you want to share it and enlist others in helping you, then you may not have the success you’ve wished for.

Here are some steps you can take to create your link bait plan:

  • Decide what you want to create …and make sure it’s fabulous!
  • Decide which are going to be the best vehicles/tools you can use to get the word out.
  • Call in some favors with your alliances and ask them for their help.
  • Decide on how you intend to track your results.

Here are some ideas on creating link baits to get you started:

  • Create an open source plugin/software
  • Write a rich, content-driven eBook and post it on your website with no opt-in required
  • Create pillar content/tutorial
  • Post a funny or cartoonish article and get people laughing
  • Write about something controversial
  • Cover a hot, trendy topic
  • Create a list – “50 Tips to …”
  • Create a Resources /Tools of the Trade Page
  • Post an article of other informative and useful sites
  • Do weekly/monthly live ustream videos and embed the videos back on your site
  • Do a comparison review of the latest hot products
  • Hold a contest and require the participants to link back to your site
  • Publish an interview with an industry leader
  • Post a blueprint or manifesto for a particular technique
  • Create a video tutorial on a new technique
  • Glossary’s are always useful

So you’ve created this great piece of content, now what?

Market the heck out of it! Go all out …and don’t worry about looking bad. If it’s a great piece of content others are going to want to link to it.

Take your time when creating this mouth-watering link bait. When you are ready to get the word out, be sure to create an all-out PR event around it and most of all be intentional and persistent.

Are you ready to ‘hook your bait’?

If you’ve had success with link baiting, please feel free to share your experience!

Michele

Michele Welch works with entrepreneurs and small business owners to get the edge in business and life, develop their passion, and create a results driven marketing roadmap! One way I do this is to share with them how to use streamlined and effective online strategies to market their business online. Where I thrive at is in breaking down techie concepts into bite-sized nuggets where others can understand and easily implement what they've learned. Michele is also the creator of The Edge Code™ - Living Your Life & Business by Design! Please feel free to connect with her on Twitter& Facebook.

13 thoughts on “Link Baiting: Getting Your Bait “Hooked””

  • Hi Michele
    I’m fairly new to blogging and just been learning about the importance of linking. Now I can add this too. Thanks for sharing. Will bookmark for reference as there’s a lot for this newbie to take in.
    Patricia Perth Australia

  • Hi Patricia,

    I’m so glad you found it useful. It’s a lot to take in, but one step at a time. You’ll get there. You are definitely ahead of the game in learning this early on =)

    Good luck!

  • I have used most of the ideas you mention above and I can easily vouch for all of them. I say most because I have yet to explore further the power of using videos to attract more links. I understand that aside from “luring” people to link on say a wonderful video tutorial, it also decreases our websites “bounce rates”. Two birds in one stone. Thanks!

  • Just the kind of thinking you need… how to leverage your content as much as possible!

    For myself I have not created a contest or interview an industry leader … although I am working on it. 😉

    Thanks so much by the way for the great opportunity to write for your site. It’s an privilege I don’t take lightly.

  • Well thanks for the post i think i just gain a better insight into how to go about link baiting very helpful and informative and by the way Ditesco thanks a lot for your support and i am glad to see you back up and blogging again

  • I’ve had some success with list posts, especially one of those “Top 10” lists. It was actually authored by a guest author on my blog too, which makes it even cooler.

    • That’s great to hear Dave. One of my success stories was also with a “Top 30 … ” list. Very powerful technique for sure… think I’m due for another one. =)

  • Thank you for this article. All the advices you listed are very good, but I have one difficulty I have come up while working with link baits. It can be that all the competitors in your niche produce very similar kind of content. It сontains lots of useful advices for people but it not something that we would consider a link bait. That is, our normal content is not something hot, trendy or controversial that people would like to link to. So you decide to create an article or post on a really trendy and interesting topic. The post is very “clickable” as it presents utterly compelling information, BUT it does not correspond to the topic of your business. So you have more people visiting your website, and even more links, but as the theme of the topic is not your “target” theme, this rarely translates into real purchases.
    Please, let me know if you came up with such situations and how you deal with them.

  • Hi Christen,

    That’s a great question. I have not come across that situation as I have never created an piece of content not related to my industry for the sole purpose of driving traffic to my site.

    In my opinion, I would not suggest this technique. As you stated it would not be beneficial to your business as it will result to little to no conversion. And the whole point of driving people to your site is to establish conversion, correct? =)

    Having a great article may do well for retweets and such but for actual link baiting you have to go above and beyond that. It’s not an easy task for sure and it may take you some time to figure out a tactic that will work for you.

    I would use the list above as a comprehensive guide and brainstorm ideas that you can implement for your business. I see you offer writing services. Think about who would want to link to your site and go from there. What can you create that would benefit THEM to link to you?
    Is there an industry that is not in direct competition with you that would benefit from sending their readers to your site?

    Also remember a lot of this boils down to how you market it to your network and get them on board with what you are trying to accomplish. It will do little good to produce this amazing content and not market it if your main purpose is to get some backlinks.

    Do have a unique story you can share? Is there a particular industry publication such as a popular trade magazine that you can reach out to help promote you by placing a link on their site?

    Keep asking yourself questions such as these and I have no doubt you will come up with something fantastic! =)

    I hope I answered your question. =) Good luck!

  • Thank you for explanation, Michele. You’re absolutely right, I have to rethink our link bait tactics and find valuable topics and the industry that can benefit by sending their readers to my website. This question needs research and practice on my part, so thanks a lot for your advices. Material on your site helps a lot in gaining correct approach to SEO!

  • Love the list, Michele, but Christen is right. Must be careful that the traffic is good traffic.

  • Yes agree about the point of traffic. The traffic should be related to your business. Links should come from similar businesses. If you are doing a clothes business and link is from automobile that is of no concern and no benefit. So there should be relevancy also not just the link from good site.

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