Despite its seedy sounding name ‘link baiting’ is actually a very effective method of attracting visitors to a website, while it has nothing to do with any underhanded techniques which are forbidden by search engines. Link bait is massive in the world of SEO and if you have the skills to understand the language then you will soon discover its many advantages, all of which can put you in the limelight and ahead of the competition.
Search Engine Optimisation is an art form which requires a certain degree of creativity as well as a technical understanding of its functionality, which is exactly why link baiting is held in such high regard. When it comes to producing a successful link bait campaign there are a number of tricks that you can use to your advantage in order to really get things of the ground and by mastering this you will be one step closer to achieving the coveted viral acclaim.
Sorry, what’s link bait again?
Link bait is to SEO what the Fonz was to Happy Days – it’s cool. It’s Steve McQueen, Marlon Brando and Bruce Lee all rolled into one brilliant, universal idea, but what makes it truly special and sets it apart from the rest is that it’s memorable. Any copywriter can write a good piece of content that will help attract a few links to a website, but when it comes to attracting the big numbers you need to think of something that’s shareworthy or useful, something that will entertain and increase the amount of links and exposure to your website and that’s essentially what link baiting is.
It’s content which is specifically designed to attract and encourage higher numbers of viewers who will then hopefully create hyperlinks to the site. The reason why this is so important is because the more links there are which are traced back to the website the better its position will be in search engines – making it the Holy Grail of SEO.
…so how can I achieve these results?
Be CREATIVE – the most important aspect of any brilliant idea is to be creative. Creativity is the lifeblood of the internet and because of this it has spawned millions of ideas that are used every single day. Adding your own personal touch to something that is viral-worthy will get audiences interested, so regardless of the topic if it hasn’t been done before then you will soon reap the benefits
Be TIMELY – it cannot be stressed enough how important it is to produce something that is in-keeping with current trends, because if you can produce something that audiences can relate to then it’s like riding the crest of a wave. If you take advantage of social media, the news and other information sharing mediums, you can help get a better idea of what’s relevant and what’s just another run of the mill topic
Be FUNNY – this is all subjective of course, but I’m a firm believer of adding a bit of humour to your content. It makes it a little more human and gives your target audience the impression that you are approachable, so by adding something that can make someone smirk is just another way of getting them to remember it – but remember anyone can be a comedian, but it takes skill to be funny
Be aware of your AUDIENCE – trying to target a specific word or audience can be difficult, because there are so many businesses or individuals trying to do the same thing that it can often get lost in the abyss of the double figured pages of Google. If you have a website which related to car tyres, then you should look for stuff that relates to that rather than talking about the trials and tribulations of deep sea fishing…
Be aware of your MONEY – now when it comes to producing a piece of link bait you will find that you can get away with not breaking the bank, but as the old saying goes ‘you’ve got to spend money to make money’. It’s true that you can produce a written piece of content or an infographic for a relatively low cost, but you want to really show your metal then you may have to break your budget – things like cartoons or videos can be costly but worthwhile at the same time.
When it comes down to it…
…It’s important to be human. It doesn’t matter what your subject matter is, whether it’s about cinema’s most iconic sunglasses or the history of the telephone (both of which I have done), if you can write something that’s gripping and put a unique slant on it you are halfway towards achieving those lucrative numbers. Most people search the internet because they want to find things out; they thrive on information and if you can deliver it to them in simple terms that they can relate to then you’re on to a winner.
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