Link Baiting Articles: How Should They Be Written?

Computers & TechnologySearch Engine Optimization

  • Author Vanessa Doctor
  • Published January 16, 2008
  • Word count 756

In today's realm of online information-gathering and dissemination, many observers say that the best way of obtaining quality inbound links is through generating a lot of high-value content that people would like to link to.

You gather inbound links when other online publishers and Web masters link to your website, or one of your pages. The larger the number of links that you can get, the better it would be for your web site and the better you are likely to rank in the search engine rankings.

Inbound links may create wonders for your page, as not only will they get you targeted traffic from the Web sites linking to you, as even search engines attach higher importance to websites that are being linked to by other websites. This serves as sort of a vote of confidence for your content. The process of generating content for the sake of getting inbound links is generally referred to "linkbaiting".

Linkbaiting Is A Relatively New Concept in Obtaining Inbound Links

As mentioned earlier, linkbaiting is the method of generating content for the purpose of getting inbound links. However, does this method mean that you generate content just to obtain inbound links?

Actually everything works in tandem and although linkbaiting is a relatively new term, the concept has been present for more than a decade, although it initially existed in a crooked form. In the same manner as link-exchange programs, it was the same thing but back then, where they used to exchange links indiscriminately. Unlike before, nobody was worried about the link value provided, just so long as a reciprocal link was gained, so people welcomed almost every sort of link.

As the initial system created havoc online, search engines eventually began to stop ignoring link exchange activities and considered only those links that were linked to high-value content. This created the need for unique link-worthy content. The quality of content not only adds value to your Web site and enhance your conversion rate, it also encourages the others to link to your web pages. This linking, which originated out of the value of your content, in effect will greatly improve your search engine rankings.

The Different Types Of Linkbaiting

Link baiting is basically considered as building links with a twist. Rather than go hunting out links, you in the process, are bringing the links to you through unique and popular site content. In simple terms, experts consider link Baiting is just like fishing.

As you publish a new page on a topic and release it on the web, you are hopeful that others pick up on the content and see it as fresh and interesting, and link to it. The article is the bait, and the link is the catch. A creatively written and interesting Web page can capture huge links on its own with little to no effort from you. Here are the different linkbaiting types that writers and Web masters employ to generating good links.

  • News Hook. A news hook is where you provide content that others don’t have, but will want to link to. A specific example of a news hook is a ’scoop’ where you are the first, or one of the first, to report on some information of general or industry news.

  • Attack Hook. This type of hook works much like a contrary hook, however takes things to a newer level. In this hook, you not only present a contrary point of view, but you also turn it into a personal attack on the original source.

  • Contrary hook. This is employed when you contradict or counter something someone else says. Usually, you will start with a link back to the original story, which would be their link bait, and then present your contrary viewpoints.

  • Humor Hook. A humor hook involves using humor to attract links. The humor can be in the form of a story, or it can also be a piece of satire or a list of funny items.

  • Resource Hook. This hook provides useful information for others to link to. It can be a list of resources, a compilation of links to articles. Your resource can be a how to or tutorial based on your industry.

Link bait refers to the unique and interesting content that other sites naturally want to link to. The kind of link bait can be something original, or it may be one that is original in idea, something that is contrary, one that is humorous, or something that is useful.

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