Thread: Linkbait Genius?

What is the most effective linkbait strategy you've used to date?

What was the result?

I have always been a linkbaiting loser, because my sites are almost all reference sites. It's difficult to do linkbaiting in my boring reference niches.

But... I have done well a few times with some super focused linkbaiting. A few times I have found high-PR pages that link out to other good pages -- and then I have created pages for the sole purpose of collecting those links. It can be a great way to get a high-PR link from an authoritative domain at a very low cost -- and one that will easily pass a manual review by Google.

I am bad with link baits too... It looks only I sit on other peoples link baits and spread their link across the internet

Originally Posted by Will.Spencer

But... I have done well a few times with some super focused linkbaiting. A few times I have found high-PR pages that link out to other good pages -- and then I have created pages for the sole purpose of collecting those links. It can be a great way to get a high-PR link from an authoritative domain at a very low cost -- and one that will easily pass a manual review by Google.

Will, can you elaborate a bit here please? How do you go about "collecting" some links from (presumably other people's) high-PR sites?

Or is it a trade secret?

Originally Posted by Dr. Stavros

Will, can you elaborate a bit here please? How do you go about "collecting" some links from (presumably other people's) high-PR sites?

When I find a high-PR page that links to other pages, I create a page of the type that the page links to and then I write the webmaster and ask for my page to be added to the list.

If I find a page that lists the best tutorials on making paper airplanes, I create a page about making paper airplanes.

Ha, now that is power-linkbaiting! Writing with your intended linker already in mind, and then contacting said linker directly. Go super focus!

Originally Posted by Will.Spencer

When I find a high-PR page that links to other pages, I create a page of the type that the page links to and then I write the webmaster and ask for my page to be added to the list.

This has worked for me in the past. But now people don't link that easily even if your page if of super quality. I guess most of them now know they can get paid for the link

Originally Posted by Will.Spencer

When I find a high-PR page that links to other pages, I create a page of the type that the page links to and then I write the webmaster and ask for my page to be added to the list.

If I find a page that lists the best tutorials on making paper airplanes, I create a page about making paper airplanes.

Now there is a trick I must remember... it never even occured to me

Originally Posted by Will.Spencer

I have always been a linkbaiting loser, because my sites are almost all reference sites. It's difficult to do linkbaiting in my boring reference niches.

I can understand the frustration with linkbait, but I've had some of the best campaigns with reference threads.
What you have to do is make some great content that isn't posted anywhere else, or take several sources, sort out the best info and consulate it in a nice clean format.
I've found that top X list are great for linkbait, especially with the help of Twitter. For some reason people like to RT (retweet) and link back to list.
One article that I can think of off hand that's done well is "Tips on Writing Effective Newsletters"

I submitted this article, or a version of it, to several article directories when I posted it, I also bookmarked it with every social bookmarking account that I had at the time. I've had a number of links back to it from other webmaster sites and blogs. I think it's all about quality content that isn't available anywhere else.

You have some great points there. "Tips for Writing Effective Newsletters" is certainly better linkbait than stuff like What is ERP? or How to Bake Chicken.

But also it seems that an element of timeliness helps. I've been focusing my pages towards being timeless, but people like to link to "new" content. So, I may need to come up with a way to make content "new" and then "timeless".

Plus, of course, that initial promotion of each new page is critical. But again, that's a lot more useful for exciting topics like "Tips on Writing Effective Newsletters," Few people retweet articles on baking chicken.