Linkbaiting Can Help You Reel In Any Potential Customers (Part 2)
Research
It’s also about identifying those who link, what kind of content do they link to. The market defines the content. You may think you have the idea, but the truth is that your readers will decide what you will publish and your idea will come from researching the space. If you haven’t taken the time to research your market, then the liklihood is you will fail miserably.
Distribution
You then need to show the content to as many potential linkers as possible, the viral nature of social media can help out and a powerful online network is essential. To those who have no access this is like 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 works usually has an element of simplicity that makes creation seem easy. But the reality is that creating something which appears simple is actually quite a complicated process.
To create linkbait, this three step process should be followed
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. Therefore we must not treat linking any differently, it has to serve the purpose of reaching the linker and in turn activate the right emotional triggers.
If you have defined your online marketing problem as too few links then employing linkbait as an element of your whole strategy may be the solution to your problem. 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 vital that it should in no way be detrimental to your branding plan of action. Naturally the whole tone of your linkbait should never be detrimental in any way to how your brand is perceived. Imagine if you are a bank and you have come up with a piece entitled “Great Gadgets Bankers Buy with their Bonus”, then you may want to reconsider your plan. Probably not a good idea right now. Although I am sure it will get the banks links, linkbait should not be about links at any cost.