Link bait is the process of content creation where the sole focus is on getting others to link to the content and share it. The underlying objective is to acquire as many inbound backlinks to a website as possible. It is essential to be careful with this process, as other websites and individuals will only link to your content and share it if it is truly valuable and compelling. If your content is not of value, it will be considered spammy, which can cause you to earn a Google penalty.
Link Bait – An Overview
Here is the thing: not every page on your website will generate backlinks for you. This aspect perfectly illustrates why link-building is hard. Nonetheless, the webpages need backlinks to rank higher in Google; yet, not all pages will earn backlinks. Still, the good news is that you can create a specific page that will help you generate backlinks naturally and better compared to other pages.
In the world of SEO, such an exclusive page is referred to as “link bait.” Thus, it wouldn’t be wrong to state that the basic objective of link bait is to design content to attract backlinks to your website. The condition is for the content to be so valuable and compelling that other websites, journalists, and bloggers would naturally want to link to it.
Link Bait – What is the Purpose?
Now that you have a brief overview of linkbaiting, let us discuss the purpose of this SEO strategy. Essentially, link bait helps your web page rank higher in Google by generating more organic links to your site. There are a few underlying reasons why this happens.
Reason #1: Google Sees Links As An Important Ranking Factor
The first underlying reason is that, as you might already know, Google sees backlinks as one of the most important ranking factors. In other words, the webpages that have more backlinks naturally rank higher as they get more traffic. With that said, if you successfully create a piece of content that can act as a link bait because it revolves around a topic that people are actively searching for, then the backlinks that content will attract will lead to an increase in organic traffic.
Reason #2: You Can Pass on Some Authority to Other Pages
The second reason is that since your link bait attracts backlinks, you can then pass on some of that authority onto other pages through effective internal linking. By doing so, you can boost your website’s rankings in organic search, which is a win-win situation for your site’s SEO.
Why is Link Bait So Effective?
Now that you know everything about what is link baiting, let us explore why this SEO strategy is incredibly effective. In simple words, the underlying reason why link bait works effectively comes down to the fact that it leverages psychological principles that naturally make people want to link to the content.
The underlying psychological principle is also referred to as “share triggers,” which are essentially contagious. Essentially, it comes down to the following principles that make link bait so effective:
Social Currency: People are prone to share content that makes them appear good in the eyes of others.
Emotional Triggers: People share something that has triggered them mentally or emotionally.
Public Perception: People often imitate others’ behavior if they can observe it, which explains why posts get reshared to the point of getting viral.
Storytelling: People love storytelling, and they share more than just information.
How to Do Link Baiting in SEO – Best Strategies
Now, when it comes to the best link bait tactics, let us emphasize the fact that you don’t necessarily have to reinvent the wheel. Of course, there is nothing wrong with trying out new things; however, your best starting point is to roll with what is already working for you. Try to narrow down your options regarding the potential link bait types that are already working within your niche.
For instance, if you are a personal injury attorney, you might want to do your research to find out what other personal injury lawyers are posting. As a matter of fact, copying your competitor’s link-building strategies is actually a great way to catch up in the search engine result pages.
So, while you are studying your competitors, get a better idea of the potential articles that are getting shared the most. Also, look for the types of content that are at the top of Google search results. You get the point: instead of trying something new, you should put your efforts into what is working and then create content that is better than the one that is already ranking.
With that said, here are some other effective link-baiting strategies for your website’s SEO:
Create Practical Link Bait
To create a practical link bait, you should create something that the readers can use right away, such as free tools, calculators, checklists, templates, etc. Creating practical link baits comes with numerous benefits, such as improving the visibility and authority of your website in search engines. Similarly, by creating a practical link bait, you will encourage other websites to link to and share your website content.
As a result, you will significantly increase the number of backlinks to your website, which will further help you signal to Google and other search engines, such as Yahoo or Bing, that your content is not only valuable but also trustworthy.
Subsequently, your website will secure higher search engine rankings, improved domain authority, and more business opportunities.
Create Opinionated Link Bait
Another effective strategy that can help you make your link bait more valuable is by creating opinionated link bait and giving your reader something unique to think about. You can do so in a number of ways, such as tackling a trending topic from a unique perspective while adding something valuable to the conversation.
The goal of creating an opinionated link bait is to focus on controversial content that will naturally attract quality links. You can create an opinionated link bait with the use of data, surveys, and case studies. However, what is even better is to share first-person accounts. Rest assured, make sure that the content is long-form and informative.
Also, make sure that it clearly expresses your perspective.
Create An Emotionally Evocative Link Bait
To secure more backlinks and help your website rank higher in Google, you also have the option of creating a link bait that stirs powerful emotions in the reader’s mind. There are several ways you can create an emotionally evocative link bait, such as through understanding the needs of your audience, compelling storytelling, and integrating emotional hooks.
You can also use the following aspect to create relatable and shareable content:
- Compelling visuals
- Humor
- Exceptional storytelling
Ultimately, you can also post positive content as people love to share positive stories due to the wide range of emotions one feels, such as awe, surprise, and happiness. You get the point: there are tons of emotions that you can appeal to. So, be strategic about which emotions you want to incorporate in your link bait.
Create A Visual Link Bait
When it comes to effective link baiting, you must make sure that your piece of content is appealing. Usually, the process where someone finds your link bait visually appealing and clicks on it happens in the following stages:
Stage One – See: In the first stage, the potential linker comes across your link bait for the first time.
Stage Two – Consume: The potential linker clicks on the link bait to consume it.
Stage Three – Enjoy: The potential linker enjoys the link bait, and the content creates a lasting impression on their mind.
Stage Four – Link: The linker takes the bait and links to it.
Now, here is the thing: the potential linker won’t go through these four stages if the link isn’t visually appealing. As a matter of fact, if the link bait isn’t visually appealing, the potential linker will disengage between the two stages of consuming and enjoying.
The underlying reason why the visual aspect matters the most has a lot to do with the fact that visuals are easier and quicker to consume, which is why great visuals potentially increase the possibility that someone will enjoy the content and actually link to it.
Create A Link Bait Video
When it comes to visual content, video content is immensely popular, which is why we recommend you create a video that millions of people around the globe will watch and share. If you are confused about the type of video to make, we recommend that you consider making a video related to a post that you can then use to generate loads of backlinks to your website.
Make sure that the content is good so that the viewers will actually want to share it. You can leverage many online sources to create a video, such as Wondershare.com.
Create A Newsworthy Link Bait
Next on the list of effective bait link strategies, we have the tactics of creating newsworthy link baits. Quite literally, the news is at the top of the minds of most people, which is why potential bloggers and news professionals, such as journalists, keep looking for the latest stories to cover. We all know that the pandemic has been one of the biggest news stories that was covered all around the globe a few years ago.
Equally covered were the resulting changes brought out by the pandemic, such as the significant shift to work from home. The biggest news receives tons of backlinks from authoritative websites.
With that said, if you want to receive tons of backlinks, you need to create newsworthy content so that big news publications will want to link to your content. Another effective strategy that goes hand-in-hand with creating newsworthy content is newsjacking, which is about monitoring live news and seeking opportunities to put your business or brand at the center of conversations.
Create A Story Link Bait
Let us admit one fact: humans love stories. As a matter of fact, people love to think in terms of stories instead of facts and numbers. Also, the simpler the story, the better and more enjoyable it is. With that said, you should know that as humans, we love storytelling, as this is the way a society functions. It comes as no surprise that we humans love to share and link to stories. Understandably, creating a story can be difficult; however, if you can incorporate a story in your link bait, then you are guaranteed to get loads of backlinks from various sources.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking to improve your website’s search engine rankings, then it might be high time to focus on link bait so that you can secure backlinks from trusted and reliable sources. Backlinks have always been a fantastic way to show Google, as well as other search engines, that your website provides value to others. Nonetheless, getting backlinks is often easier said than done, and if you want to save time and effort, then you can rely on the best link-building service providers, such as ours, to help you acquire quality backlinks, which is the hardest part of the process.
FAQs
What is a good example of a link bait?
Successful link bait examples include controversial content, informative guides, infographics, emotional content, and opinion pieces.
Why are backlinks best for SEO?
Backlinks, also known as incoming links, are particularly beneficial for your website’s SEO because they help search engines determine that your website’s content is credible and valuable, and thus deserves to rank higher in SERPs.
What type of SEO technique is link bait?
Link bait is an effective SEO technique that incorporates the process of creating exclusive content that has been specifically designed to attract many backlinks. Some of the most common types of link bait content include controversial content, newsworthy content, and informative guides.
