Link bait is a powerful content marketing technique that involves creating compelling, shareable content designed to attract inbound links rather than having to actively build or request them. But not all link bait is created equal. For it to work effectively and provide true value, link bait content should aim to inform, educate, entertain and inspire your audience.
What is Link Bait and Why Does it Work?
Link bait is content that is so useful, interesting or irresistible that other sites are naturally inclined to link to it. It "baits" sites to link to your content.
There are a few key reasons why quality link bait content can be so effective for link building:
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It provides unique value for readers. Link bait content fills a need or answers questions your audience has. It gives readers something they can‘t find elsewhere, which makes them more likely to share and link to it.
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It gets exposure through shares and links. By creating content designed to get shares and links rather than having to request them, you can expand your reach exponentially.
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Search engines take notice. Google and other search engines pay attention to pages gaining popularity through legitimate links and shares, sending more ranking signals and traffic to that content over time.
According to one study by Buzzstream, link bait content attracts over 70% more links on average compared to other types of content. And another study found that pages with more backlinks tend to have higher search rankings.
So when created thoughtfully, link bait can become a valuable asset, continuing to drive referral traffic, links and exposure long after publication.
Types of Link Bait Content That Work
Not all content makes effective link bait. The most link-worthy content tends to fall into a few key categories:
1. Comprehensive Guides
In-depth, well-researched guides on popular topics related to your industry make for great link bait since they provide immense value for your audience.
For example, this complete guide to Facebook advertising by Hubspot has attracted over 3,400 backlinks, establishing themselves as a trusted resource.
2. List Posts
List posts that compile hard-to-find information into one place can gain a lot of traction. These may include listicles of statistics, top products/services, case studies, examples, tips, etc.
Coschedule‘s post on “The 20 Best Instagram Analytics Tools” demonstrates a successful list post with over 1,700 backlinks.
3. Research and Data Studies
Original research you conduct and data you compile yourself tends to get widely cited by others who don‘t have access to that proprietary information.
For instance, Backlinko gained 12,000+ backlinks to their original search engine traffic study.
4. Opinions on Trending Debates
Thought leadership content where you weigh in with an insightful perspective on a controversial industry topic can also perform well, though it carries more risk of deterring some audiences.
This Search Engine Land article question whether Google‘s helpful content update penalizes AI content, driving nearly 3,000 backlinks through the debate it provoked.
5. Tools and Calculators
Tools that solve relevant problems for your target audience also tend to go viral provided they work as promised, like this Ubersuggest keyword research tool by Neil Patel with over 180,000 backlinks and counting.
6. Visual Content
Creative visual content can also perform well when amplified through social media and other channels. Though text-based content attracts more organic search traffic, visual formats help drive more initial shares and links.
For example, Unbounce’s collection of landing page templates has generated thousands of cumulative backlinks.
Link Bait Best Practices
When developing your link bait content, keep these best practices in mind:
Make it practical and useful. Link bait should actually help your audience in a tangible way rather than existing solely to bait links. Solve relevant problems and empower readers.
Conduct original research. Share little-known insights, statistics and perspectives that your audience won’t find elsewhere to pique interest.
Incorporate visuals. Images, video, charts and other visual formats can help significantly amplify link bait reach and engagement.
Format it for scannability. Break content down into easy-to-digest sections with headers, subheaders bullet points and bold text to facilitate shares and links.
Most importantly, ensure your link bait puts the user‘s needs first rather than aggressively optimizing for links. Search engines can penalize sites using manipulative bait tactics. Focus on providing genuine value, and the links will follow.
Tracking Link Bait Performance
Once your link bait content has been published and circulated, you‘ll want to track how well it’s performing using analytics.
Here are a few key metrics to monitor:
- Total referral traffic driven by the content to gauge organic reach
- Backlinks gained from referral sources sending authority
- Social shares and embeds for additional exposure
- Conversions from leads/sales generated from traffic
- Search rankings for targeted keywords improved by links
Based on these metrics over time, you can determine your top evergreen link bait pieces and try optimizing future content accordingly.
The Future of Link Building is Value-Focused
In an era of increasing content saturation, creating link bait enables you to rise above the noise and demonstrate thought leadership. But the key is crafting high-quality, genuinely useful content as opposed to manipulative "marketing" bait.
When your link building focuses on value rather than vanity metrics, you build goodwill and trust as your reach expands. This compounds over time for sustainable growth rooted in audience-first principles.
