Link Bait

Link bait is any piece of content created for the purpose of gaining links from other sites. This content is usually link-worthy and targeted to bloggers & webmasters or stirs up enough controversy to gain a lot of links. Simply put, link bait is an interesting or extraordinary piece of content that people naturally want to share with others. For more information on the topic, read SEOmoz’s guide on the two types of link bait and how to actually get links from your link bait. Below are some ideas to get you started.

1. Make a fun quiz that tests knowledge relevant to your niche (e.g. SEOmoz Expert Quiz).
2. Provide widgets that display user’ scores and ranks
3. Create a Flash game related to your topic (e.g. Search Engine Smackdown).
4. Aggregate stories that made it to the front page of a social bookmarkeing site.
5. Make people laugh. Hire a comedian from GIGMasters or Entertainment Unlimited to create a viral YouTube video for you (e.g. Search Engine Rap Battle).
6. Profile your readers and write short bios of noteworthy people (e.g. SEO Scoop’s Search Blogger of the Day series).
7. Write a timeless authority article that can be used as the guide to your industry.
8. Use numbers in your titles and creates lists. People love to read them and they always perfrom well on social media sites.
9. Put together a huge comprehensive list of something(kind of like this Internet marketing checklist.)
10. Say nice things about people who tend to link out others. Of course you should mean it when you say it but you can never suck up enough.
11. Make up your own word of idea and spread it around
12. Offer valuable resources for free. Everyone likes and links to free stuff.
13. Link to others and they’ll link back.
14. Design an award-worthy blog,website, or logo. Then show it off for everyone to admire.
15. Say something controversial that will stir up heated debate in an industry (e.g. Jason Calacanis says SEO is BS).
16. Write a how-to guild or tutorial for something complicated. Make it easy to understand.
17. Praise experts who have blogs. Stroking people’s ego works like a charm.
18. Be the first to break a story. Just check to see hat you’re actually the first by looking at original sources (e.g. Andy Beard took this approach to uncover PageRank penalties to popular blogs).
19. Support a cause for charity (e.g. John Chow feeds the hungry on Thanksgiving).
20. Telling an unbelievable story that strikes a chord with your audience (e.g. I quit my job to become a full-time blogger).
21. Do something useful for the linkebait(e.g. a list of Digg/reddit users who blog)
22. Create something that appeals to all people(e.g. cute cats)
23. Perform studies that make people feel important. If you boost other people’s egos, they will help do your marketing for you for free(e.g. Dads are undeappreciated)
24. Create a list of “10 easy tips to help­ articles”. They’re helpful, interesting, and easy to link to.
25. Create a list  of the top myths for a specific topic.
26. Create a list of gurus/experts. Most of the people included will link bank and tell others about the accomplishment (e.g. Top Online Marketers of 2008).
27. Release a case study or article that unveils unique research results (e.g. 2,500 digg/reddits Reveals Patterns and Trends).
28. Do something remarkable(e.g. run a marathon or lose a lot of weight).
29. Tie in popular media with your brand in funny ways (e.g. Shoemoney’s Mclovin ID cards).
30. Start a green initiative related to your niche. They seem to be super popular these days and you can be featured on environmental sites.