Build Linkworthy Content and They Will Come
If your blog isn’t linkworthy, it’s not going to get very far in the blogosphere. Indeed, links are the currency of the Web, at least as far as search engines are concerned. No links = no rankings, and lousy links = lousy rankings.
One might even go so far as to valuate a business blog on its links (at least in part). For fun you might try out the free tool at the Business Opportunities Weblog and see how much your blog is worth. The computation is based on the link-to-dollar ratio of the AOL-Weblogs Inc deal. According to the tool, this blog is worth $200,000. Anyone want to buy it from Rick? 😉
So how do you make linkworthy posts? In The Art of Linkbaiting, Nick Wilson and commenters offer some great suggestions:
- Offer a niche-specific blogroll, tool, How-To, or compilation of news stories.
- Post a scoop.
- Expose a story as flawed or a fraud
- Be a contrarian about a story, product, or prominent blogger’s opinion.
- Be humorous. Good topics include a bizzare pic of your subject, “10 things I hate about…”, and “You know you’re a
when…” - Publish or commission some original research
- Creative-Commons-license photos you made of an event you’re blogging about
- Make available for free a theme, plugin or piece of software
- Start a meme that others can replicate and that links back to you (e.g. buttons/stickers/tools for bloggers/webmasters to post on their sites, contests, quizzes, surveys, etc.)
Building links is both art and science. It requires a great toolkit as well as loads of creative ideas.
MarketingProfs is holding a webinar on Feb. 16 on the topic: “Inside Secrets to Building Links for Online Publicity, Buzz and Search Engine Optimization”. The undisputed link guru Eric Ward and I (Stephan Spencer) are both presenting. Sign up here.
Comments
Chapter 7:
Content Marketing
From the fundamentals of link building to the nuances of natural linking patterns, virality, and authority.
Related Posts
Your Ultimate Guide to Google Penalties
When your website’s traffic suddenly takes a tumble and you don’t know why, it can be maddening. Why is this happening? It’s possible you’ve been hit with a Google penalty, or have come up against one of Google’s algorithm updates. If you’re wondering how Google penalties work and what you should do to avoid them, […]
Read More
Using Psychology to Boost Your Conversion Rate Optimization
Can a better understanding of the human brain help you get more conversions? Absolutely! Let’s look at how to incorporate some psychological concepts into your conversion rate strategy, along with some examples. Behavioral economics: humans are irrational What is behavioral economics and what does it have to do with conversion rates? Traditionally, economists believed that […]
Read More
How to Master Social Selling on LinkedIn
Social selling could be your key to securing new prospects and boosting your bottom line. When not done properly, however, social selling can also ruin your online presence and repel potential customers. So what is social selling, and why does your brand need it? More importantly, how do you master social selling? Let’s look at […]
Read More
