‘Link bait‘ is such a funny term. It’s the perfect description for the pieces of content that are designed to attract links. At the same time, it conveys an image of an underhanded piece of content that lures innocent internet users to their doom. It also easily confuses the kind of content that provides value to users and the kinds of content that are the internet equivalent of junk food.
There is a fair amount of debate about link bait in SEO and marketing circles. Some argue that link baiting is unethical, an utterly cynical way of manipulating the net. Others argue that link bait is simply a name for what every good website does, namely, attracting links from other sites. Both sides are right, and the main problem with the term ‘link bait’ comes from the lack of clear definition between the two terms.
There really needs to be a discussion about ‘good link bait’ versus ‘bad link bait’, because that’s what the debate really is.
Good link bait – adding value to the net
When most search engine optimization experts talk about using link bait, they are really talking about creating good link bait. This is the kind of link bait that aims to get tagged in Digg or other bookmarking circles, or aims to be recommended by users because they think it will be helpful to others. Usually, this kind of link bait is viewed as a resource by internet users, such as a ‘how to’ article, list, reference guide or similar content.
Creating good link bait is about creating a piece of content that attracts users because it is of a high value. This can be because of the information it contains, because of the quality of the work contained in it, or because it provides a service that others would charge for. Talk to us at SEO Consult Australia about attractive content.
Bad link bait – the net’s obesity problem
Bad link bait is really just junk. Essentially, the bad kind of link bait aims to attract attention through any means possible, sometimes even through offending the reader. This has obviously limited value for a site. Worse still, it really has a very short shelf life, meaning that the links you attract could well disappear within a short period of time.
This kind of link bait is part of the reason link bait is so frowned upon, although the term itself has also played a major part. In designing content that attracts users no matter what the cost, sites are actually bringing down the tone of the net. This is part of what most commentators object to.
Regardless of what it’s called, link baiting is something that every smart site owner does. Failing to put attractive content on your pages is just plain bad SEO practice. Every site owner must judge for themselves whether the content they are putting on their site is worth the attention it gains. Ultimately, bad forms of link bait have a limited shelf life. It is much better in the long term to concentrate on quality.
