Linkbaiting

What is it?

SEO services are very slow moving. Considering how many firms still offer “meta tag optimization” in 2006, it may be 2013 before these same firms offer any effective form of link building, let alone link baiting. Too bad for their clients! But I do think a lot of independent consultants and the nimbler, smaller SEO firms will get into offering this service shortly, if they aren’t already. -Andy Hagans

As of now, a good AJAX programmer, a clever idea and a talented PR person are all that’s required to make a piece of content that can draw thousands of links and visitors. Although linkbait isn’t one of those SEO trends/trcks like directories, blog comment links or PageRank manipulation that the search engines will eventually catch up to and discount, as a service, it has a limited lifespan of effectiveness (at the current cost/labor efforts). -Rand Fishkin SEOMoz

In order to bait a link, you need a hook. Hooks come in variety of flavors, some of the more popular would include:

• News hook
• Contrary Hook
• Attack Hook
• Resource Hook
• Humour Hook

-Nick Wilson - Performancing

Now, it doesn’t matter if you like the term “link baiting” or not. It’s the process that one goes through to attract links that matters, not whether you prefer to think of your content as bait for links. I like to think that creating content that increases web traffic and builds links simply falls under the general social media optimization marketing buzz phrase that is gaining in popularity. -Brian Clark - Copyblogger

On a meta-level, I think of “linkbait” as something interesting enough to catch people’s attention, and that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. There are a lot of ways to do that, including putting in sweat-of-the-brow work to generate data or insights, or it can be as simple as being creative. You can also say something controversial to generate discussion (this last one gets tired if you overuse it, though). Sometimes even a little bit of work can generate a reason for people to link to you.

-Matt Cutts

What is link bait? I would consider it nothing more than viral marketing. Something clever or fun can work very well to attract links. Think subservient chicken. Controversy works in moderation and useful tools are what I like best. Lee Odden - TopRankBlog

Linkbaiting is all about emotional reaction or being memorable…that is what leads to comments and citations.

So how else do you make your story comment worthy or citation worthy? You build up a following over time. Those who read your site may Digg, Netscape, or Del.icio.us your posts.

How else do you do it? Have an instant messenger list a mile long, and email. Beg your friends. Time your post, bookmark your site, and then light up contacts via email and instant messenger.

-Aaron Wall - Seobook