Linkbaiting is a big topic that is getting attention recently. So, what is linkbaiting and why is everyone talking about? Everyone wants and needs incoming links. We can request for links, buy links or create articles and submit them for one way links. Linkbaiting is about getting inbound links without doing any of these. Linkbaiting is essentially baiting people in by creating something they want to link to. So, what could we use to bait people into linking to you?

Podcasting: Creating a podcast that discusses news, tips or information on your industry is great baiting tool. Making your podcast unique and consistent is the key to steady stream of new inbound links.

Interviews: These are great. If you could interview someone well known in your industry, that would certainly be worth linking to. For an added boost, do the interview on your podcast and then transcribe it.

Awards: Awards are another way to bring in traffic, though you can’t (or at least shouldn’t) simply make up an award. It has to have criteria, high standards and most importantly, meaning. If you give awards to everyone who applies, your award will seem insignificant and unimportant. The upside is you can gain a lot of traffic and one way inbound links from award winners.

Tools and games: These will always be popular. Create a new tool for your niche that is legitimately helpful or develop a game related to your niche that is either informative or amusing. Firefox or wordpress plugins will bring steady traffic for a long time.

Content: Content is the easiest of all to create. Articles and blog posts are a great way to go about linkbaiting. You need to use your imagination to make your post compelling. Keeping on top of news and current affairs will help you pick a topic that people are interested in. There is nothing wrong with piggy backing on some top stories if it relates to what you do.

Video: The is becoming one of the fastest forms of link baiting. Creating a funny or informative video can create quiet a buzz.

Giveaways and contests: These are great for a quick boost in traffic. However, these are also short lived. Giveaways need to have an associated monetary value. Contests, unless they are monthly, will die along with the links after the contest is over.

Blogs and forums: These are usually overlooked as a form of linking baiting, but they are one of the earliest forms of link baiting. Nothing says “link to me” more than a forum or a blog. Proving they have something of interest for the readers.

Guest appearances: Exchange of writings, interviews or ideas with other bloggers and podcasters is a good way of linkbaiting. Let me post a post on your blog and you can post on mine for a cross promotion. It’s a great way to get a link as well. If you have a podcast, exchange advertisements with other casts along with a link on your podcast page.

Lists: List are very popular. Why? Well, because they are a list of something of value that people want, all in one place. For example -  list of article submission sites to submit articles to, or directories that you can submit your podcast to for free, or free directories to get your site listed on are some examples. These lists are often viewed by many and is a good linkbait.

Where to set your bait: Press releases and social networks are the best places to cast your line. Make an enticing headline and real in some hefty traffic.

Linkbaiting can be very effective. It can draw hundreds of links within a short period of time and help increase your search engine rankings within a matter of days, and you will see a steady increase of traffic to your site too.

Source : Joe Balestrino at Mr.Seo.com

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