Hardest Part of Creating Linkbait

The hardest part of creating linkbait is not the creative process, it’s actually a project management issue.

The hardest part of creating linkbait is defining the objective. I think this because I constantly see people skip this crucial part.

What is it you want the linkbait to achieve?

And if your answer to that is get links, we need to talk. You need to be more specific, drill down, focus. Shine the spotlight on the actual people you want to get links from.

Linkbait, or using viral content to get links, works best when a specific target is in the sights. Creating linkbait is a series of processes and each step of the way the objective must be kept in mind. This is because linkbait is more effective when it moves people emotionally to act and give a link. When you know your target group and you know what they react to it’s simply a case of creating content which you know they will react to in a positive way.

The reality is, planning and project management is boring, it’s uncomfortable. This is good because it means that most of your competition will not be doing it. It is where you can get an edge.

As you become more experienced in creating content to tease links out of people the process gets quicker and if you become a master baiter it can be instant.

But, unless you are a Lord of the dark art, you need to sit down and think about the objective, and map out the process before you get stuck in.

Why Linkbaiting the Pope May Not be a Good Idea

There are good reasons why some people say you should never discuss religion, race or politics at a nice dinner parties. And for some good reason, they are subjects that are hugely emotive.

As we know, emotion is a key ingredient in motivating the linker to link and so couldn’t it be a positive thing to focus on these subjects? Initially it’s a good idea, but the problem is that seemingly simple subjects can be highly nuanced and are loaded with detailed cultural connotations. Sometimes going back thousands of years.

It’s easy to see the world through our own eyes and not to take the time to view it through someone who has not only a different viewpoint, but a whole set of different cultural and historical aspects which all bundle together to create an individuals identity.

I have on numerous occasions had to advise clients and members of Linkbait Coaching not to publish a piece of linkbait that crosses the line.

But where is the line? Shouldn’t we try to go as close as we can to it.

Absolutely not.

Your goal is to stay as far away from the line whilst meeting your objective. That of getting links.

It is not your goal to offend, but to get links. Being offensive is sometimes a by product of getting someone to link, but it should never be the objective. If it is, then it’s not linkbait, it’s only spite.

I realise I am going into preaching mode (ironically), but it’s very important to understand that your view of the world, your humour, politics, way of doing things, is only one way. It’s not “the” way. Linkbaiting is not about what you think, it’s about what those who may give links think.

I put a lot of thought into my linkbait, and I am careful to be as least offensive as possible, whilst still getting the links of course. Obviously, sometimes you cannot help being offensive and there is usually someone who will get offended at whatever opinion you put out.

So, be very careful and think about it in a strategic context when trawling #popefacts on twitter for juicy magnetic content. I’m not saying don’t do it, just add a certain cultural and historical aspect to your decision making process.

Why is Link Building So Boring?

The problem with link building is that it’s boring. Actually, strike that, it’s not that it’s boring it’s that it’s repetitive.

Hmmm, that’s not right either.

Because link building has many aspects to it.

The thing is most link building and link builders seem to focus on easy to do stuff, like:

• Dropping a link in the blog comments
• Article marketing
• Social bookmarking
• Paid links

I know some people think dropping a link in the blog comment box has no effect because it’s a nofollow tag. When someone says that, make a note of their name and make sure when they tell you other stuff you put it through a filter as they are plainly wrong.

So let me get back to the link building is boring thing. The above techniques are dull and boring. It’s something that you get stuck into when you are a rookie, a noob, wet behind the ears, in short trousers etc. but after a while it becomes as if you are choking on a thick mixture of sulphur and porridge.

The section of link building that is not dull and boring and will have you skipping through the daisies on a balmy summers day is something that is a little bit more difficult to do.

It involves:

• Research
• Cultural knowledge
• Understanding of how people function
• A strategic vision of how the web is used
• An ability to manipulate people with words and images

It is of course content based link building or link building with magnetic content, or linkbaiting (I tend to think of linkbaiting as a subset of magnetic web content).

Magnetic web content is something which draws people to it. It’s function is to attract and persuade people to link. A specific skill set is needed to achieve this and most do not have it.

Most people do not realise that it’s really about where you head is at, which is defined by the life you have previously led. It can be taught, but most people fail, simply because they do not have the right attitude.

If you look at those bloggers who seem only to have to fart softly into a leather sofa and it gets them links, you will notice they all have a similar attitude. A certain way about them. This is the place in this article where I should reach for the Zen dictionary and make some pop reference to the Magnificent Seven. But my tea is getting cold and I want to drink it before I finish the post.

To sum up:

• When you first do link building you should do the boring stuff the first two years.
• Think you can be a linkbaiter? Take an honest look at yourself or enter your details into the linkbaitometer.
• Many are called but few are chosen.
• Follow your path and adopt the state of mind.

Now where did I put those biscuits?

Linkbaiting Case Study

As part of this outing of Linkbait Coaching – which will only run for a short period – I decided to put my money where my mouth was and build a bit of linkbait form the ground up, with members of the coaching programme having full access to the success or disaster of the event.

I decided to go with a brand new domain that would remain secret, although it was shared with members of Linkbait Coaching. Because I wanted to keep the domain a secret and so not contaminate the test, I decided not to use friends who I could depend on for links. This one was going to be done cold.

I decided on a one page website format, I found something interesting and decided to put my twist on it and give it a fresh theme. The production process took about a day, but I did think about it for about a week or so. I find letting the idea rattle around the head helps refine it.

I did a submit to digg and twitter and then someone else naturally submitted to Stumbleupon and Reddit.

It get a little action on twitter, relatively nothing on digg, well it wasn’t an infographic so… Twitter was actually quite nice to it and got a few retweets nauturally, from users with large number of followers who fit the profile of people who would like this kind of content.

The retweets have been constant, which is interesting as most of the campaigns I do tend to have a big uptick and then go fallow. But, I think because the content I created is actually quite useful for people and serves a need, it has an evergreen and not just-for-the-moment attraction.

But shouldn’t all content be like that? No, you need to mix it up, there is no guarantee that any content will definately work at the level you hope it will and so you create various content types in a variety of styles. This also helps the creative process which is vital and must be nourished and protected.

Lets talk stats.

The site was created on July the 10th
As of now Yahoo is reporting 225 links

Two PR 7 (both are Japenese sites)
4 PR 6′s (there are more but I stopped counting)
I will publish a full list in a month when the links have settled.

Half the sites seem to be foriegn and of Asian origin, this is proably because the content did not rely on text but a visual image and sound.

Total Visits to date, half of these are from Stumbleupon.
52,765
Pages/Visit
1.18
Avg. Time on Site
00:00:25
% New Visits
93.15%
Bounce Rate
83.75%

I will upload more info as we go along, it seems to one of those bits of web content that keeps on gathering links. I really didn’t think it would be this successful.

Although it’s not ranking for a money keyword and is not useful for much, it is useful as a demonstration of what linkbait can do. I’m just glad it worked as it was a live case study.

Linkbait Coaching 2.0 opening 1st July

Linkbait Coaching will shortly be accepting a limited amount of members to its linkbaiting and social media training program.

Linkbait Coaching is a subscription based web forum offering solutions to those wanting to develop effective linkbait and also develop cutting edge social media techniques.

My name is Lyndon Antcliff and if you are here you probably know what I do. For those who don’t know me, and wonder why the hell you should listen to me:

I’ve spent several years advising and implementing social media marketing for clients.

I’ve built thousands of links for clients and myself from authority sites such as Time.com, BBC.co.uk, Wallstreetjournal.com etc using content based techniques such as linkbaiting.

I regularly speak at online marketing conferences on the subject of link building and social media marketing.

I advise the leading SEO and PR agencies on cutting edge social media techniques.

If you need to learn and develop linkbaiting skills, plus also other link building techniques and the latest social media marketing tactics this service may be for you.

Linkbait coaching will include:

• A ton of real life link building examples left over from the frist time it was open.
• One on one tuition helping you create killer linkbait.
• Cutting edge link building ideas.
• Social media submissions for quality content (this is worth the fee alone)

Advice from someone who has been doing social media and linkbait for years, whose client have included, Tesco, AMD, 888.com, HSBC, Sony etc. blah blah blah, yada yada yada.

Linkbait coaching opened two years ago and ran for 9 months. I then closed the door to concentrate on other projects, but the time has come to open the doors again.

Previously the cost was $400 per month, high enough to keep the numpty brigade out but low enough to meet your ROI. This time the cost will be £200 per month. Which means if buying in dollars it’s a price drop.

If you think this price is too much, please do not join, I charge £750 a day for my time so the price represents high value.

As this is not scalable, I have to limit the numbers to no more than 30 people and it will be first come first serve.

Who should join?

SEO and PR agencies who wish to create linkbaiting services in house to sell to clients.

• Freelance content creators who wish to delvelop skills to market to clients.
• Owners of Income earning websites who wish to learn how to boost their link building capacity.
• Social media specialists who want to learn how to integrate content based marketing into their skill set.
• Other Linkbaiters who want to steal clients in the forums

Marketers who want to connect with social networking power users

It will take place on a subscription based forum where you can either lurk and learn or get specific answers to your questions.

Doors will open on Thursday, July 1st, High Noon

I will be adding more reasons for you to join after I have finished this nice cup of tea.