Content & Writing Tycoon

**$5 Submissions** · 08-19-2006, 08:02 PM

Anyone here do this? We've started doing this the past 2 months and it's crazy. Just goes to show you.... People LOVE drama. They eat that stuff up. Good thing there's more ways to attract links than DRAMA. Drama gets old... quick.

**imported_dvduval** · 08-20-2006, 12:07 AM

I'm not sure I completely understand.
What is "link bait writing"?

**Possibility** · 08-20-2006, 02:27 PM

It's writing content that people will be more inclined to link to, post on forums, on their blog, etc..

webmasterlabor: what type of article are you writing? pop culture gossip?

**The Fat Boy** · 08-20-2006, 03:19 PM

for instance...

10 Reasons why I hate Oklahoma

and then send it to every Texas based website and news source (and MySpace user) about 4 weeks before Texas-OU weekend.

and do the opposite as well!

Watch the traffic explode!

**imported_dvduval** · 08-20-2006, 03:45 PM

Sounds like an interesting idea so long as you have a good list of people to send it to that will actually publish it.

**$5 Submissions** · 08-20-2006, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Possibility

It's writing content that people will be more inclined to link to, post on forums, on their blog, etc..

webmasterlabor: what type of article are you writing? pop culture gossip?

That's just one type of linkbaiting. Even boring topics like mortgage financing have dramatic angles :thumbup:

**handsome rob** · 08-21-2006, 03:39 PM

When I used to run a tech blog, I was the first to report on people getting robbed for their xbox 360s on the launch day. Engadget picked it up and my traffic went through the roof. Taught me a lesson. Later I blogged about people on craigslist offering sexual favors for XBox 360s (no, I'm not making this up). Now THAT was link bait

**BIZ-GIANT** · 08-22-2006, 05:35 PM

hello...

Im not sure i understand....

Malcolm

**marketjunction** · 08-23-2006, 03:49 PM

It's basically what every article (at least in Journalism) is supposed to be. You should always look for unique angles for your articles. Sometimes that's easier said than done.

**Bookworm-SEO** · 08-28-2006, 05:22 PM

Sensationalism will get some links ... but good, useful writing will hit the long tail and garner you a constant stream of traffic.

**slava75** · 08-30-2006, 01:55 AM

I try to experiment with link baiting, but not much success to brag about - no digg home page stories so far.

But link baiting is great for:

- traffic
- link popularity
- branding

They work great in combination with social websites:

dropshiparea.com/wordpress/2006/08/22/349.html

**Dactyl** · 08-30-2006, 04:21 AM

You need a very good writer and good topic to write about, has anyone thought of politics?

**handsome rob** · 08-30-2006, 12:28 PM

Free Tip: Never overlook the power of poll results as link bait. If you have enough traffic to run a decent poll and know enough about marketing or sociological research to present your findings about your core demographic in a useful way.... BINGO! Link bait.

**Ivan Brezak Brkan** · 08-30-2006, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm-SEO

Sensationalism will get some links ... but good, useful writing will hit the long tail and garner you a constant stream of traffic.

Yup, but unfortunately 90% of people like reading sensationalist content... That's the reason that so many tabloids exist for example. But again, sites that focus on that kind of content burn up pretty fast, so that angle could be considered a strategy to get people to your site, but you should have some interesting "timeless" content to keep people coming back.

It's a matter of brand loyalty. Do you want people to come because you wrote something shocking or do you want people to come because you wrote something shocking. You should strive for the second emphasis....

**feedbuzzard** · 08-30-2006, 10:02 PM

Rumors work well too.

On my product centric sites I like to speculate about the next up and coming this or that...

works great!