Being a copywriter you sometimes feel like your role is underappreciated when it comes to certain aspects of the job, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty nothing gets you results quite like a compelling piece of content. It is the be-all and end-all as far as I’m concerned and it is the first thing that your audience will associate with when visiting the website – so having bad content is not an option. This is the same when it comes to creating link bait articles as good content sells and is one of the most effective ways to attract valuable links to your site.
It cannot be stressed enough how vital it is to understand what people are looking for when they venture into the internet, as many are simply looking for information across a variety of topics. That’s why when you offer informative articles you are not only pleasing your visitors and getting more links back to your website, but you are also establishing a reputation for yourself which will encourage people to return. But with everyone competing with one another to gain more followers, it is essential to understand that what you write has to be inspiring, factual and persuasive – so if you are looking for results with your link bait articles then you may want to consider these tips.
What should you do?
When it comes to creating an effective link baiting strategy it is imperative that you are original with your ideas, and given the sheer amount of data that is readily available in the cyberworld you should look to create something that is your own. Sharing someone else’s content and claiming it as your own is one of the most dangerous (and not mention stupid) ways of discrediting your appeal, as many will not take any of the content you produce seriously. You will find that if you put in the effort of making your article truly unique that people will start to reference and share your article, earning yourself a following in the process.
No matter what the subject matter you are discussing is about, it is always useful to present your articles in an attractive fashion. Your style is your signature and how you portray yourself can make all the difference in attracting people to your page, so with this in mind it helps to create a narrative voice in your pieces that people will associate with. So regardless of where your content is posted or who shares it, people will be able to recognise your work from the style you have set out.
How do posts go viral?
In truth there is no sure-fire way of creating a post that will go viral, but there are methods which can help increase your chances. Any piece of content has the capability of being shared and spread to the masses, from the most in-depth and researched articles to something as simple as a witty anecdote, so there isn’t necessarily a ‘type’ which attracts viewership. Good link baiting is all about how you promote yourself, both in terms of what your content says and how you can expose it to the masses through various outlets. Some useful ways in which you can promote your link bait includes:
Be aware of popular culture – anything from celebrity, merchandise and even the latest trends are something that you should always try and be conscious of when producing link bait articles, because it is something that the general public will be most interested in. An example of an article which I produced highlighted how inflation has affected people over the years, which I then measured against celebrities’ incomes against the average person. It may not have been the most interesting matter, but the fact that it discussed celebrities gained it a lot of attention, so it is something you should be aware of
Inform the media – this may seem a little presumptuous but it can actually benefit both parties, as your content will be shared and the media outlet will receive recognition for highlighting the subject first. If you are confident that your link bait article is good enough then there is no reason as to why you shouldn’t take advantage of this useful method
Make the most of social media – social media is your friend when it comes to communicating with the general public in cyber space, so sharing your content on places such as Twitter, Facebook and Reddit can make a massive difference. Familiarise yourself with the websites and make the most of sharing techniques such as hashtags, as there is always a potential for your piece to amass a following and if you’re lucky enough it may go viral
Make it relevant – the subject which you are discussing has to have at least some relevance to your audience (i.e a telecommunications company writing about the history of the phone), so it is your job to make that as compelling as possible. Regardless of how small the subject matter is, if there’s a chance that people may find it interesting then you should use it!
*One of your biggest assets is the media and things that are currently trending in the news, so taking something that has potential and linking it to your website could give your article more ‘oomph’ and attract the viewership it deserves.
Final word
Writing is an art form and it requires a creative mind in order to effectively manipulate it to your advantage, but it is also subjective and as such there are going to be times where people will simply not appreciate your work. You need to be thick skinned and have a positive outlook in this profession and look at every dislike or harsh comment as feedback, which in turn can help you perfect your technique and give you an understanding of how to target certain audiences. You can’t please everyone, but the time and effort you put in will go some way to swaying them.
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