If you read my last post, you have seen an example of a link bait post. I have to admit, it was an extreme one. When doing your link bait posts, you don’t have to be as extreme.
What is Link Baiting?
Link baiting is pretty self explanatory: make posts or articles that get linked to often. This is easier said than done, but once you master the art of link baiting you will find that it is one of the best ways to build links. More ways to build links can be found at my link building post.
There are different types of link baiting:
- Attacking link baiting: You say something negative about a site or service.
- Humorous link baiting: You use funny weird posts to build links.
- Promoting link baiting: You promote a great service.
- News link baiting: You come out with an interesting news story about your niche or subject before anyone else.
- Controversial link baiting: Write something that will heat arguments.
Link Baiting Tips
- Be wary when using attacking link baiting. Make sure many people agree with you or it could do you more harm than good.
- Humorous baiting is good, but make sure the viewers know your joking.
- Make sure you have backing on your views before writing something controversial.
- Use link baiting sparingly. People won’t like it if you do it every post.
- Make sure no ones feelings get hurt when you insult something.
- Once you make the post, make sure you spread it everywhere: on forums, comments, and social bookmarking sites. You will get a ton of views from these.
- Fuel the fire, make sure you respond to comments. You can’t be left out of the debate on controversial posts.
- Try doing a post on something everyone loves, saying you hate it. Make sure to outline all of its great features and make sure everyone knows it’s a joke.
- Add some great pictures and even do articles about controversial pictures.
- Digg and stumble like crazy. Get your friends neighbors, anyone you can to digg and stumble your post. You want to get all the way to the homepage.
- Keep trying. At first, it is hard to link bait. Keep trying and you will get better at it.
- Look at good link baiters. Nothing is better than analyzing the pros.
- Let it sit. It takes time to build links. If you add more posts (for blogs) the bait post will be lost.
- Make sure you know the news first, so you can immediately write about it. The early news post catches the links.
- If your not funny, don’t try to be. Nothing is more embarrassing then writing a humorous post that is not funny.
- When you write something good about a website, make sure they know. They may link to you.
- Don’t overdue controversial posts. You don’t want your readers to get mad.
- If you are not good at link baiting, try to get someone to write who is.
- A list is perfect for link baiting. Make is a good controversial one.
- Don’t try to much. Many great link bait posts happen naturally.
- Have great intriguing page titles that make the reader want to read the post and link to it.
Questions or anything to add? Please comment.
Altinkum
Tom | Build That ...
Adama @ Selling M...
Klaus @ TechPatio
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
-
1
letter writing (2 comments) December 7, 2009 at 7:12 am
-
-
2
Adwebio (1 comments) July 13, 2009 at 10:28 am
-
-
3
W-SEO (1 comments) June 2, 2009 at 4:33 am
-
-
4
Syed Hur Abbas Naqvi (4 comments) April 27, 2009 at 7:26 pm
-
-
5
sammy (2 comments) April 27, 2009 at 2:28 pm
-
-
6
kpss (1 comments) April 25, 2009 at 6:32 am
-
-
7
Image Hosting (1 comments) April 25, 2009 at 1:06 am
-
-
8
Jeet (3 comments) April 23, 2009 at 7:23 pm
-
-
9
David (1 comments) April 23, 2009 at 2:35 pm
-
-
10
NorCal Cars (2 comments) April 23, 2009 at 8:36 am
-
phpnice idea ! It really helps to be humorous in your link bait. But more importantly, “be remarkable,” as author Seth Godin says. Remarkable doesn’t mean you have to be the best at something or have the best post about something. It just means that your work has to be worthy of notice.
letter writing´s last blog ..Snowshoe hare- rare specie to hunt
[Reply]
I agree with 20th item. The more you are trying to force it the less benefit you are getting from it. As with all other link building techniques it is necessary to stick to quality rather than quantity. I am from the Czech Republic, where linkbuilding is about 5 years behind US actual trends. What is more Google is not number one in my home country and Seznam.cz (our local number 1 search engine) is a very mediocre search engine and it is very easy to get good SERP even for MFAs or similar “low user value” websites. But many SEO copmanies are about to start using some of the techniques you have described in your list and it is funny to see that if you promote your website in a search engine friendly way you can get to the top quite easily as your competitors are still using “old linkbuilding techniques” so it is not difficult to be ahead in SERP.
[Reply]
admin (284 comments) Reply:
July 14th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Wow, interesting. I have to remember that my readers are from many different countries. Thanks for informing me; great comment.
[Reply]
Good Tips
W-SEO’s last blog post..Статични и динамични Уеб страници
[Reply]
Great Backlink tips thanks for these tips to increase backlinks.
Syed Hur Abbas Naqvi’s last blog post..Hieght Of Dreaming
[Reply]
admin (284 comments) Reply:
April 28th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Your welcome.
[Reply]
Good stuff. But you don’t want to get too negative. The point about responding to comments is a good one. I tend to let it go. I’ve had some fun with this on social networking sites.
[Reply]
admin (284 comments) Reply:
April 28th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Yep, you don’t want to get too negative.
[Reply]
good
[Reply]
about 20 minutes ago I found another great article from your blog posted on DP, was called 70 link building methods.
Now, you’ve got here an interesting article about link baiting. I never tried this technique on my blog, but it’s good to know this method.
[Reply]
admin (284 comments) Reply:
April 25th, 2009 at 6:37 am
Lol, i’m glad you like both of them. Maybe link baiting is worth trying.
[Reply]
Great tips there
And yes the last post was a good link bait 
)
Lists, howtos, ‘getting started’ guides make perfect link baits.
[Reply]
admin (284 comments) Reply:
April 24th, 2009 at 6:18 am
Yea, i agree. How-tos, est are really good for links.
Thanks for the comment.
[Reply]
That’s some very nice list of tips for link baiting, we’re all looking for traffic, and when you find something that works, you can then elaborate on that experience and try other things. It’s not exact science, but those tips help a lot in deciding what to try next.
http://shetoldme.com/Technology/20-Link-Baiting-Tips
Cheers,
[Reply]
admin (284 comments) Reply:
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Thanks for the comment, I agree.
[Reply]
#20 is a good point. Along with that though, when you do stumble into a good link bait than make sure to feed it. Keep commenting on the post, try to get a link from related forums to your post etc. Don’t let it lose momentum!
NorCal Cars’s last blog post..Factory Five
[Reply]
admin (284 comments) Reply:
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:06 am
I agree, you need to make sure that the post keeps its’ momentum up.
[Reply]