5 Secrets of Linkbaiting

When it comes to search engine optimisation and driving quality traffic to blogs and Website, certain questions are asked over and over again. One thing I have realised is that if you really want to find a solution to low traffic problems, no advice should be discarded. This article would therefore attempt to answer one of the most important questions asked by bloggers on how to use content to build links to a Website.

Firstly, why is it important to build links? The answer is simple: one of the signs of determining the importance and quality of any given site is by the number of Websites that link to its content. If in doubt, ask Google or Technorati. So much is the obsession with link building nowadays that certain terms have been used to describe it in the blogosphere for example, “Linkbaiting” and “Link Juice”. For the purpose of this article, we will define Linkbaiting as the creation of content to attract links and referral traffic to a given site.

While Linkbating is an effective way to create awareness, it is also a good way to attract long term traffic and build solid recommendations. Below are 5 solid techniques that will assist you in building links to your Website.

1. Break News: Probably not as easy as it sounds but breaking a new story in your chosen niche could lead to several others linking to you as their source. Depending on how hot the story is, you might actually be overwhelmed by the amount of impact a breaking news will have on your site’s traffic and popularity.
2. Post Quality Content: With the aid of proper research on for example, a topic that no one ever wants to write about you can increase the amount of incoming links to your site. This is evident in my post on Cloud Computing – which although not many people would want to write about, has generated over 90 incoming links already.
3. Write Timeless Articles: There are many people out there who are looking for timeless articles to link to. This is because writing timeless articles will allow publishers to reach readers for many years to come hence a way to guarantee continuous traffic.
4. Be Controversial: I have my reservations about this but it does work for those who have the guts. Writing controversial articles can provoke very strong reactions from readers who could then link up either for or against your argument.
5. Use Attractive Titles: The first thing readers usually look out for is the heading of an article. Whether or not they go on to read the main content depends on how attractive they find the title. Below are a few examples of titles that were formed to aid Linkbaiting.

• Everything You Should Know About X.
• X Shocking Facts About Y.
• Why You Must Learn X.

Talking Point

Share your thoughts, experiences and suggestions on Linkbaiting with our readers.