A Spot Of Linkbaiting Will Help Reel In Your Customers (Part 2)
Mar 3rd, 2010 by blogger
Research
It’s also about identifying those who link, what kind of content do they link to. It’s the current market that goes to define the content. Even though you think you have a great idea, the truth is that your readers will choose what you will get published and your ideas will come from carrying out research. If you haven’t spent enough time researching the niche you are going to publish in then you will fail.
Distribution
You then need to ensure that the content is shown to as many potential linkers as is possible, and the nature of social media marketing can assist you with this but a powerful online network is vital. For those who have no access, this is likened to hitting a brick wall. But it can be solved by taking the time to build a network, or buy the people who have built that network.
It’s vitally important that when considering adding linkbaiting to your marketing strategy it takes a particular skill to create something worthwhile. Linkbait which is successful usually has a degree of simplicity that makes its creation seem effortless. But the reality is that creating something which appears simple is actually quite a complicated process.
The process of creating linkbait should follow this three step process:
1. Find who links
2. Discover what they link to
3. Show the linkers the content
Successful linkbait must contain the following elements:
1. Attention grabbing
2.It’s important to entice the reader to consume the content
3. Instil a reason for the reader to share content
Linkbait is not a sales message whose intention is to get you to buy a particular product. The whole essence of linkbait is simply to get to to link by using a whole range of emotional responses. Many times it has been said that we do not buy rationally, but that we buy emotionally. Linking is no different, it must reach the linker and trigger the correct emotional triggers.
If you have discovered that your online marketing has way too few links, then linkbait as an element of your whole plan could well be the answer to your problems. It has to mesh with your other online marketing elements such as PPC, Search Engine Optimisation, link buying, blogging, article writing, social media, etc. Of course having a brilliant website in the first place will help and if you get your web design just right, it’s a good beginning.
It is imperative that it should never harm your overall branding strategy. The tone of the linkbait should not harm in any way the way your brand is perceived. So with all this in mind, if you work for a bank and you think that “Great Gadgets Bankers Buy with their Bonus” is a good title, then think again. In today’s climate, it doesn’t strike me as a great idea right now. Even though I am confident that this will get the banks links, linkbait should never really be about gaining links at any cost.