Link bait refers to content crafted with the primary goal of attracting backlinks from other websites. Backlinks play an important role in improving your search engine rankings. The more relevant, high-quality backlinks your site earns, the more search engines view it as trustworthy and authoritative.
Link bait typically offers something unique. It could be a comprehensive guide, a powerful visual, or useful data. When done well, it not only drives more traffic to your site but also enhances your website’s performance in the long term.
Why Does Link Bait Work?
The success of link bait hinges on its ability to appeal to people’s natural tendencies to share content. There are a few key reasons why link bait works so effectively:
- Psychological Triggers: People like to share content that makes them look intelligent or cool. For instance, sharing a groundbreaking study or a how to guide makes someone look intellectually curious and interesting.
- Emotional Appeal: Content that stirs emotion is more likely to be shared. Whether it’s laughter, surprise, or inspiration, triggering emotion increases the chances of people spreading your message.
- Value for the Reader: People love to share resources they find useful. When your content solves a problem or teaches something new, it has a higher chance of getting linked to by other websites and blogs.
Elements of Successful Link Bait
Successful link bait is about more than just creating good content. It involves strategic thinking to make your content link worthy. These are some of the elements that make link bait effective:
- Practical Value: The content must provide real value to readers. This could be a comprehensive guide, a downloadable tool, or a useful template. For example, if you’re running a website about running, you might offer a free workout planner to prepare for a marathon. The more helpful and specific the resource, the better its chances of attracting links.
- Emotional Impact: People respond to content that sparks emotion. Whether it’s joy, anger, or surprise, making an emotional connection with your audience increases engagement and share ability. Infographics with surprising (good or bad) statistics or stories of overcoming adversity are great examples of this.
- Visual Appeal: Visual content like infographics, videos, and high-quality images are inherently shareable. Infographics, in particular, work well because they convey complex information in a digestible and attractive format. A well-designed infographic about industry trends quickly become a go-to resource for other websites to link to.
- Unique and Opinionated Content: Content that takes a stand or offers a unique perspective often stands out. For example, writing a bold article about why a common industry practice is outdated can generate discussions and backlinks. People are more likely to share content they find thought-provoking or controversial.
- Newsworthiness Writing content about current events or emerging trends can help it gain momentum quickly. For instance, if there’s a major news event or a trending topic, creating content around that theme can lead to increased shares and backlinks. This tactic, known as “newsjacking” by David Meerman Scott, is particularly effective when time-sensitive content is needed.
- Storytelling: Humans naturally respond to stories. Adding a narrative, like a founder overcoming challenges in entrepreneurship, makes content more relatable and emotionally engaging. Everyone loves an underdog.
Best Practices for Creating Link Bait
Creating effective link bait requires a mix of creativity and strategy. Here are some best practices you should follow:
- Research Competitor Content: Start by looking at your competitors’ most successful content. What’s earning them the most backlinks? Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to analyse which pieces of content have attracted the most links. Then, figure out how you can make your version even better by adding more depth, or nicer visuals.
- Create High-Quality Content: Even the most eye-catching headline won’t help if your content lacks substance. Ensure that what you offer is well-researched, informative, and genuinely useful to your audience. A detailed, well-structured guide that answers every question your readers have can become a valuable resource that other websites want to link to.
- Promote Your Content: Creating great content is only half the battle, you also need to promote it. Reach out to influencers, bloggers, and websites in your niche who might be interested in linking to your content. Use email outreach, social media, and online communities to spread the word. This takes time, but it’s essential for getting your content noticed.
- Use Visual Content: People are drawn to visuals. Try incorporating infographics, images, and videos into your content to make it more engaging and easier to share. For example, a runners blog might create an infographic on “The Ultimate Marathon Training Schedule,” which is likely to attract links from other running websites.
Procedure to Create Effective Link Bait
Here’s a breakdown of how to create effective link bait using the example of a “Marathon Running Guide”:
Research the Topic
- Explore popular articles and guides on marathon running.
- Look for gaps in other content. Are there any specific subtopics that are not covered properly?
Develop Detailed Content
- Write a detailed guide covering all aspects of marathon running, from training schedules to nutrition.
- Add unique elements, such as a marathon preparation checklist or running pace calculators.
Incorporate Visuals
- Create a bold, detailed infographic outlining the perfect training plan.
- Create an instructional video on how to avoid common running injuries.
Promote Your Guide
- Reach out to running blogs, fitness websites, and influencers to let them know about your content.
- Share your guide on social media and relevant online forums.
Track and Monitor
- Use tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs to monitor the backlinks your guide earns.
- Keep in contact with websites that agreed to link to your guide, as they can be valuable connections for future projects.
Good vs. Poor Link Bait Practices
Good Link Bait Practices:
- Offering Free Tools or Resources: Free tools like calculators or templates are extremely link-worthy. For example, offering a pace calculator for marathon runners can attract links from fitness blogs and forums.
- Creating Data-Driven Content: Original research, surveys, or case studies attract backlinks because they provide unique insights. If you conduct a survey of marathon runners and publish the data, it can be referenced by other fitness websites.
- Engaging Visual Content: Infographics and videos attract attention because they are easy to share. A well-designed infographic on marathon training schedules can be easily shared across social media and various websites.
Poor Link Bait Practices:
- Clickbait Headlines Without Substance: If your headline promises something amazing but the content falls short, readers won’t link back. They instead might leave your page quickly, increasing your bounce rate and potentially harming your SEO.
- Too Much Self-Promotion: Content that focuses too heavily on promoting your brand or product won’t attract many links. Instead, focus on delivering value, and let any promotional elements appear naturally.
- Failure to Promote the Content: Creating content is only half the battle. Failing to promote your content means fewer people will see it and, consequently, fewer backlinks will be generated. Actively reach out to relevant websites to promote your link bait.
Conclusion
Link bait is an effective strategy for earning high-quality backlinks and enhancing your website’s authority within your industry. By creating content that offers real value, evokes emotion, and is visually appealing, you can increase the chances of getting linked to by other websites.