Link baiting – A walkthrough

In the past couple of years, search engine marketing has witnessed some sweeping changes, especially in the field of search engine optimization. A lot of things got added and a similar number of factors lost ground during this period. However, link building will remain as an essential ingredient of any search engine optimization campaign for the foreseeable future. It is, after all, a determining search engine ranking factor.

Link baiting, a subset of link building, has been successfully used by search engine marketing professionals to garner links. However, it is imperative to comprehend a few facts before you embark upon it. You only have a couple of seconds to grab your reader’s attention because the human attention span on the web is short (6-7 seconds and is headed south). There is no evading the fact that unique and interesting content command the power to catch readers’ attention. Each and every piece of link bait content has to suffice this minimum criterion. It could be either be the article title, the information it provides, latest buzz or some other interesting news.

If you have tried link bait before, you are probably aware of the fact that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Some people, therefore, view it as a ‘hit and hope’ strategy. While no one, no matter how seasoned he/she is, can give you a 100% guarantee, but most link bait copywriters/professional would ensure that you stand a better chance than others. Expert marketers use their own tried and tested strategies to plan link bait campaign. They simply know the number of hooks to grab readers’ attention. You on the other hand can plan and build your very own link building strategy based on experience and knowledge.

Social media is one platform that can be leveraged for link baiting. Going ‘hot’ on any one (all of them would be great) of these high density sites could mean tons of back links in a short span of time. However not ever piece makes it to the top and someday you will find yourself in a similar situation. Don’t be dismayed if you fail to make it to the top – not all hope is lost. Apart from mainstream social media websites, there are many niche ones that you could exploit. They may not be big but you could still derive sufficient value for the content you worked hard to write. You could also use chain mails to spread the word or organize a quiz centered on the idea your content portrays. Don’t be afraid to explore new avenues; experiments are as important to link baiting as it is to any other aspect of search engine marketing.

Link baiting, if done right, can save you a lot of time and effort that you would have invested in building links the traditional way; resources that could be better invested elsewhere.

Kneoteric is a leading SEO Company India providing SEM services including Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay Per Click (PPC) and online marketing consultancy services. To know more about our services, visit Internet Marketing Services India.