Linkbait
Linkbaits or clickbaits are popular SEO strategies to get a lot of traffic for a web project in the most natural way possible. The purpose of a linkbait is to get as many backlinks as possible for a webpage. In other words, linkbaits consists of various strategies designed to attract attention and encourage others to create hyperlinks to your website, with the aim of improving the site’s position on the search results.
Background
Even after the Panda and Penguin updates, domain popularity is still determined based on the quality and partially, the quantity of inbound links. A linkbait can therefore be a good way to influence link building positively.
Possible linkbait methods
There are many different ways to create linkbaits, which ultimately depends on personal taste or circumstances. The following are possible examples:
- Infographics: This form of linkbait presents illustrative graphics to explain a rather complicated or complex topic. Infographics are indeed liked and viewed a lot nowadays, but some people do question the sense of this type of linkbait.
- Top 10 lists: People are always looking for meaningful advice in all possible areas. For this reason, a well-sorted top 10 or top 5 list can ensure a good amount of voluntary linking. Portals like [www.zehn.de/ ZEHN.DE] can be specifically used for such lists.
- News articles: Anyone first reporting about a popular issue, has a good chance to benefit from many backlinks. Linking on social media channels like Twitter or Facebook is ideal for this type of linkbait. Hashtags can also help in the dissemination of news.
- Funny posts: Humor is often an effective way to attract attention. A platform which proves the popularity of funny posts is YouTube. A number of “funny” video clips with cats, babies, athletes or comedians can be found there that are shared millions of times, embedded on other websites or simply looked at.
- Videos: Videos don’t have to be on YouTube to server as linkbait. How-to-videos or clips from the DIY sector are very popular video formats for linkbait. Other popular areas for videos include electronic tests or new releases.
- Tests: In addition to reviews, test results are important purchasing decision factors in e-commerce. Accordingly, posts with tests for almost every consumer product are possible content for a linkbait.
- Images: the power of images is a potential that can be used for linkbait. The tabloid press is a good example of that. It ensures high circulation and coverage again and again through sensational paparazzi images. Linkbaits most definitely do not have to include the unpublished photos from the private life of a star, but a unique image is often sufficient to get attention. Instagram or Pinterest are platforms where photo linkbaits can be launched.
- Tips for tools: The SEO scene is not the only area eager for new tools which make evaluations or everyday work easier. Info pages on the latest apps or widgets on a popular topic are always a good opportunity for a linkbait, which can additionally be combined with other elements. There are already numerous articles on the subjects like “the 10 best iPhone apps to chat with” or “10 apps that you should definitely have,” etc.
- Information: Any news site is potentially a permanent linkbait producer. Because every important current issue poses complex backgrounds which require further explanation for the layman. Whether it’s about the next presidential elections in the USA or the latest hurricane doesn’t matter. Meaningful information on current topics always have potential for a linkbait.
- Linkhubs: In times of increasing information overload, linkhubs or link lists are an interesting variation to obtain backlinks. The chance that such lists will be linked, is very high.
- SEO Contests: SEO contests are very good examples of linkbaits, which are initiated by SEO blogs or agencies. Since each participant links to the operator’s site as part of their contribution, numerous social signals are to be expected. Linkbaits of this type can strengthen domain popularity and provide broad coverage.
- Bashing or rumors: Linkbaits can also be used in the form of provocation, according to the motto “bad publicity is still publicity.” However, this method should be handled with extreme care.
Prerequisites for a successful linkbait
The success of a linkbait depends primarily on its content. One could argue that linkbaits should always be kept in mind when structuring the content of a website. After all, the benefits a website has to offer are crucial for the success of a web project.
A message needs receivers to spread it. A successful linkbait should accordingly be disseminated. Besides meaningful content seeding, social media channels should also be used for dissemination. Likewise, all other contacts through networks such as Xing or Skype can be used to distribute content. It can generally be assumed that well-linked websites and domains with a lot of traffic can launch successful linkbaits easier than small websites that are not well-known. The possibility that someone discovers special content and links to it is more likely. However, the virality through social networks of an appropriate message should not be underestimated.
The content of a linkbait should always provide something new and not copy already known ideas. In the case of news, it is obviously quite important if you are the first to report about an issue or an important aspect of an event.
A linkbait should never be defined and disseminated as linkbait. Good linkbaits are not obvious at first glance as such.
Benefits for SEO
Linkbaits are tools to generate backlinks in the most natural way possible. Usually the makers of linkbaits have no impact on anchor texts or possible placements of backlinks. That way, link building can develop naturally.
Linkbait limitations and risks
As a general rule, linkbaits are an effective means for natural link building. Nevertheless, in theory there is a risk that a linkbait could be identified as spam if a website generates its backlinks exclusively through a single action and all inbound links direct to the same subpage.
Linkbaits are limited when it comes to news reports. Once interest in a certain topic has faded, some backlinks may disappear again or the ranking of certain terms may diminish. The news sector, therefore, is a lot more work-intensive for webmasters, especially considering Google’s required “freshness” if you want to create permanent news linkbaits.
Linkbaits can be planned in many cases, but are often spontaneous ideas with a viral effect. Therefore, the success of a linkbait is usually not exactly predictable. It is therefore less suitable as a predictable tool for SEO or a marketing strategy.
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