First, you write an amazing piece of content – then what happens? Unfortunately, even the best articles or pages on the web sometimes get lost in the void. What’s more, no one shares or links back to your incredible masterpiece. Of course, this is soul-sucking for you; however, for SEO, it’s also really bad news.
While you might get some organic traffic, obtaining links (also known as “backlinks”) to your website helps boost your link profile and domain authority, which then positively impacts your search engine ranking. So, what’s the solution to getting these links? Link bait!
What Is Link Bait?
What is link baiting? Simply put, link baiting is one of the best ways of getting backlinks to your site. It involves creating content that is designed to get backlinks. But that’s what everyone does, don’t they? Well, yes and no.
Link baiting is slightly different from regular content creation as it focuses on hard-hitting content that sometimes educates, and other times, causes controversy. This type of content tends to be so valuable that others want to link to it and share it.
How Does Link Bait Work?
Once you’ve delved into what is link baiting, it’s time to look at what it does. Unlike regular content, link bait pieces focus on igniting emotions and conversations. Usually, they apply triggers and psychological principles to draw people in and keep their attention.
There are several areas this content often targets, including:
- Triggers – People see something and want to share it
- Social currency – This content is shared to make the user appear good to others
- Public triggers – Content is shared just because others are sharing it
- Practical – Content is useful or helpful and shared for added value
- Emotion – If content sparks emotion, people feel the need to share it with others
What Is Link Baiting in SEO?
If you’re wondering how to do link baiting in SEO, the good news is that it’s not that complicated. However, you need to incorporate several triggers to give it the best chance of being shared.
How to Do Link Baiting in SEO
There are some critical elements to consider when link baiting for SEO, such as:
Creating Practical Link Bait
Content needs to be practical for the user to take notice. Something as simple as creating tools or templates is a great way to hook people.
Giving People Something to Think About
Content doesn’t have to be outlandish to make an impact. Still, it needs to offer something different than the usual topics. Even something considered an everyday issue such as ‘How To Write a Blog Post’ could include a unique spin such as ‘How Not To Write a Blog Post’.
Using experiences or perhaps controversial ideas outside the conventional content marketing box might spark conversation within the marketing community. This concept can apply to most niches, industries and topics, too, so don’t be afraid to get creative with your ideas.
Sparking Emotion
What is link bait without emotion? Answer: it’s not. Link bait content can target a wide range of emotions. Feel-good stories are often shared; similarly, those that spark anger and frustration also work well because they grab people’s attention.
Of course, the angle of this emotion should match your brand and how you want to come across to your audience. There’s no point angering people just for links, as this can do more harm than good to your reputation.
Making Link Bait Visually Appealing
They say a picture speaks a thousand words, and if it speaks a thousand links, then you’re onto a winner. Unfortunately, the attention span of users nowadays has diminished. If something doesn’t speak to them in a few seconds, they scroll on or click away.
However, this is where visual content can make a huge difference. Infographics, pictures, videos, memes and so on improve the likelihood of people sharing your content and linking back to its original source – i.e., your website.
Jumping on Newsworthy Link Bait Content
The news is everywhere; more often than not, it sparks emotion in every form. So, if you can jump on a newsworthy topic and make it relevant to your business, it’s a great link bait opportunity.
To do this, stay on top of current affairs and develop ideas that make your company fit into the narrative. Again, stories that spark conversation or give users something to think about tend to fare well.
Another way to use news is by providing expert commentary on relevant stories. This is also known as ‘newsjacking’ and puts your brand at the forefront of the current conversation.
Creating a Story
Humans love to read stories, especially if it’s something they relate to on a personal level. This type of content throws conventional SEO practices out the window somewhat, as it’s not about getting keywords; it’s about relating to people on a deeper level. The result? More shares and backlinks!
Creating a story is a great concept for businesses that typically deal with facts and figures. In short, writing content that spouts boring information won’t usually attract many readers or links. However, creating a real story behind these facts and figures just might. Use real-world examples with raw and emotional examples – it always relates and gets people talking!
How to Create Link Bait and Develop Ideas
We’re not going to sugarcoat it; creating link bait content is more difficult in some aspects because it takes time to come up with great ideas.
However, there are some ways to make this process easier, such as:
Checking Out the Competition
If your competitors are flying high with viral content, then why not check out what they’re doing to get some fresh ideas?
You can use link analysis tools to enter your competitor’s URL and examine what websites link to their site for a particular piece of content.
You’ll also be able to see the types of content users prefer to consume, such as listicles, data sets or infographics. This information offers insight into how you can tackle link bait content and get a share of those all-important links.
Use Real-World Data and Experiences
Most people can see straight through phoney content and pie-in-the-sky data; they want to hear real stories or factual information without the fluff, dramatisations and embellishments. This is where you can use your business data to your advantage.
Your business data is unique to you, and you can use it to showcase an authentic side of your brand. Show off your company’s positive stats and figures by incorporating them into newsworthy stories that stimulate emotions and get people talking. Rememer, being honest with people makes your company relatable and gives you a hook over other brands.
Conclusion
Link bait content is an effective way to improve your backlink profile and domain authority. It’s worth adding to your SEO strategy and isn’t as tricky to create as you first think. Still, if you need help with this area, our SEO and content experts can gladly assist – don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Ultimately, by taking the time to gather ideas and create unique, shareable content, you’ll reap the rewards tenfold. However, remember that truth and authenticity come first; otherwise, your business’s reputation could suffer.
