We're all back and recovered from SES New York and, thus, so are Whiteboard Fridays. This week Rand responds to Jen Slegg's post about the impending death of linkbait by explaining how linkbait can and should be considered a natural component of a mainstream organic marketing campaign.
There's bound to be some debate around this topic, so weigh in and let us know what you think. Is linkbaiting on its last legs as an SEO technique? Is it a stunt that Google will eventually work to counteract? Or is it linkbait just good, linkable, valuable content strategically marketed to have high short-term visibility?
PS - Stay tuned after the credits for a stupid out-take.
The problem is that the term linkbait itself just conjours up negative imagery.
The bad branding has totally worked against this process (and manipulators haven't helped)
Linkbait created as you described it will alway be beneficial. Creating new and interesting or useful content that earns links will never be discounted because that's exactly what we're looking for on the internet. Links to the information we are wanting to find.
Go out and create the information your market is looing to find!
That's the key point, the fact that too many of these efforts, which are extremely different in intent and execution, have been lumped under a single term.
Yep, I must agree. The term linkbait just sounds dirty and bad. I think the tactics described are just one niche of online marketing similar to public relations that deserves a better name that "linkbaiting".
Agreed. I think people spend too much time focusing on the negative connotation of the word bait and not enough on what the whole idea really means.
In time people will stop linking to the articles that are there as bait only, but they will always link to good content. They were doing it long before it had a name and they will be doing it for a long time to come.
If you listen closely you can hear my ukulele performance in the end. My one, beautiful note that won the hearts and minds of music-goers all across the intertubes.
Edit: beaten by Andrew.
Summary version: bait = negative connotations.
It implies we trick users into linking, which is not the case at all.
PS. Why did the link brokers all have blackhats -_-;
And of course, this video itself could be considered link bait ;)
Nice way of visually explaining.
IMHO, I think linkbait will always be around in some form or another. The name might change, the search engines may look for it, but the ideals behind why and how it's done seem like natural processes and should stick around quite a while longer.
Wow, great video! you couldn't make the Google spider look any friendlyier could you? like add some bunny ears to it!? :)
Maybe next Easter ;)
I like what you said about adding value to your site which in turn will bring in more links due to an increase in worthiness. Of couse, time also helps. I don't think this stuff is all that difficult. I'm going slow and adding about three pages a week to my site.
Really Really cool videoI VOTE FOR A WEEKLY UPDATE WITH VIDEOS :)
No guys serious i love this, it would be awsome if we get update weekly with this kind of movies. many thanks!!
Glad you like the videos.
We've been doing Whiteboard Fridays every week for about a month now (one exception being last week when we were in New York). So, a few twists and turns aside, we intend to keep 'em coming as a regular feature.
i'm sorry i didnt see it. im only active here for 2 weeks now so maybe thats why ;) keep em comming!!
Weeeeell, yes and no, Rand...
The key to all techniques is to implement them with intelligence. And I think what Jennifer and others were reacting to was the general lack of intelligence and level of laziness that we see in our industry, but in this case applied to link-baiting.
Sure, bluecoffee (if they weren't a web company, lol) could use ideas such as you mention and implement them intelligently. Or they could, as most link-bait appears to be trending, go the way of the laziness that assumes that appropriate link-bait for a funeral home is writing an article titled "Five Ways To Bury An Apple Mac With Your Grandmother".
BTW, hats off to the producer again for the choice of music!
stever you're right that any technique can be misused and manipulated. But that's why I don't thin it's fair to blame the technique. No matter how whitehat a technique is someone will find a way to manipulate. It's just the nature of things.
I do agree with you, but Jen's argument seems to be that Google might start filtering out links that come into a deep page in a short amount of time. I'm not sure how reasonable that is given that many pages will naturally get a lot of links quickly if they are that good or that newsworthy.
I think Rand's point is that content has to be good in order for it to get all those links regardless of how quickly or slowly they accrue. I know sites can get a large influx of links through artificial means, but I think those that get them by being linkbait are generally high quality content.
I wasn't damning "linkbait" as a technique (although the phrase appears to be taking a facet of what people have always done to generate inbound links and applying it to social media) and I appreciate that you, Rand and others here are generally talking about quality content.
However, I do take issue with the belief expressed above that successful linkbait is automatically of high quality and therefore deserves appreciation from search engines.
I can take a photo up Paris Hilton's skirt in a taxi - or I can catch the moment the fire falls on Half Dome. I can attack a political candidate for his close relationship with farmyard animals, or I can produce a report about how his voting record doesn't tally with his stated position on state rights. I can shout fire in a crowded theater or I can debate the issue of free speech.
In short, I can be the National Enquirer or I can be the Boston Globe. And because it is easier to write about aliens landing in the Puget Sound most people will head in that direction, because most people are lazy.
And essentially, although this is heading so far off topic that we are in a different galaxy, this is a potentially fatal flaw in a link-based algorithm that confuses academic citation with the lowest common denominator.
Very good explanation.
Going to go make a few notes on this.
Love your Whiteboard Fridays!
Thanks Rand!
Thanks for the info. Makes total sense to make your site worthy of earning links instead of counting on what you can get from begging or buying. I'm a self-employed artist who has just started a blog, the things I have learned from your whiteboard Fridays are an excellent education!
Rand have you considered putting electronic versions of the whiteboard (images) online somewhere so we can review them after the video further?
OK, I'm not going to say anything against the term "linkbait" for once, but I do think there's one step that's being left out of the explanation: when you seed the clouds at the social media and bookmarking sites, it's almost obligatory that you have a network in place -- people who look for your posts (or the posts of someone you've got to submit your material). Even the greatest content, even if it has a great title, is going to have a hard time rising to the top without getting a bit of a boost at the start.
In that sense, the social aspect of social media is even more important. You need to build a network of friends, fans and allies or you'll be all alone out there.
If a client of mine needed this sort of marketing, I'd probably have to bring someone else into the project, not to do the actual work of creating the content, but to get the process of spreading it started.
I also think it's important to note that Wall of Voodoo did a better cover of Ring of Fire. Somebody posted something like 25 covers of the song a couple of weeks ago, but I just grabbed that one that I used to play on my college radio show.
but still...
movie inside the movie has to talk about how to get to homepage o digg and reddit...
would love find out more on how to find linkerati? and what do they want?
and... are there any niche linkerati? where are they?
robert - we wrote about linkerati here.
Linkbait is and should be a natural progression of developing a website. If you aren’t building your site wider and deeper it is dead and static. As you develop width and depth to your site you are naturally developing linkbait.
Rand I think you hit the nail on the head. I really appreciate your WhiteBoard Fridays. Keep up the good work.
Eternity is a very long time, but should we be around till then, then linkbait will still be there. It may not be called that but it will still be important.
I think that the level of linkbait will increase in the future as communities and social networks grow and expand.
It sure is beneficial to have links to your good content, but you have to continue creating more content. More relative good content means more value means more links. Creating a cycle that repeats...
Funny stuff!
But what's really hilarious, from my point of view is that in the US link baitining is old news, and here in Europe, Portugal in particular, link baiting is still a very rare activity...
Love the spider interlude. Hit us with the music update again Scott...
:)
Main and Closing Title music this week is "Ring of Fire" by This Kid Named Miles. Googlespider Interlude features "Extra Kings" by The Avalanches.
This is a great defense of ethical linkbait. However when you have 2000 SEO's trying to bait Digg, you can see how they get a bit miffed.
great video guys. The out-take really made me laugh. How does it feel being in showbiz Rand =)
With regards to link baiting, I don't think it has the negative association here in the UK as it has in the US. Although as mentioned by a few others before me, it's still a rare occurence over the pond. I just had a 3 hour meeting with a client last week, simply explaining what it means and why they should do it =)
And here we have it. A mention of earning links from way back in 2007. I would have to say this video is ahead of its time because I remember 5 years ago people were really into link farms, submission, and the idea of posting links all over the web as the best means to get a high ranking.
It has been a busy time and I've really gotten behind on my posts, but I'm really glad I worked my way back to this one.
This is definitely one of the more important WBF videos. I think this does a great job of trying to reiterate that SEO/SEM is primarily a specialized area of marketing with a foundation on identifying positive, sustainable methods rather than short term manipulation.
I really can't see the possibility of link baiting being counter-acted by Google. As rjonesx said, it's white hat. I understand actions being taken against bombing, but link bait is legit. Good White Board Friday!
heey, really nice video. allready found u on youtube :D
Fantastic video... Worthy of getting linked to!
BTW... https://www.bluecoffee.com/
I love these Friday whiteboards...
> BTW... https://www.bluecoffee.com/
Looks like someone is going to have an increase in traffic today
A company that does SEO. Way to randomly choose a domain name, Rand. Bet they wish it was a transcript + link rather than a video...
I think it's much more fun like that, no link. It will take them time to figure out what happened... Loss of productivity in their office today: a lot! Cheers to our UK friends.
Too funny that they just so happen to be a web marketing firm. Seriously folks, this really was an accident. And to the fine folks at bluecoffee.com, you're welcome. :)
Next time, you guys can use seodisco.com as your example. I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist.
Ok I'm fired up, I just learned some thing new great great video.
Nice! This is best on the web content that every webmaster should watch several times.
Great description of one of the often misunderstood concept of if your site has value people will link to it.
I would highlight the oppisite. If your site sucks, people won't link to it and those who do link to it are paid or are links of little value. The quickest, simplist way to judge if you want a link on a certain page or directory is to visit the other sites that page is linking to. If the sites suck, then you probably do not want a link to your site from that page.
Well done, I am new to SEOmoz and very impressed by what I see, thanks.
The process you described is just really good marketing. You provide the content/value on the site that people want and then promote it in a way that will allow them to find the site more quickly. Worded correctly, the article/blog can generate a big traffic bump, but if the site is worthy, the people will be back for more and the process will generate sustained traffic and links will spread.
Link-'baiting' has the connotation of using whatever happens to be a 'hot' topic or something sensational and relating it to a site in whatever way possible to draw people to click out of curiosity. It seems to me that this will generate a big traffic bump, but the responders won't stay long and they won't be back unless the 'bait' is set again.
Good marketing of a worthy site will always be recognized.
Great post!
Nice White Board Action!!
It's all about relevant/good content in my opinion. I think the term "bait" can leave a negative impression on people. I think most forms of linkbait are good. Not just good for the site that is trying to gain links but can also be valuable to a specific industry.
It's all about the content.
ScottiSearch Media
HOWWWZEEEE!
Great video guys and girls!
Howzee, indeed. ;)
Great Summary Rand
I think I've said this before on a different post, but IMO 'linkbait' is simply writing good content and then using what promotional avenues are available (e.g., social media) to put that content in front of those who can and will link to it. -> LINKERATI
From now until Eternity!
If there is any off-site SEO strategy that I believe will last in the long run, it is "link bait".
It is white hat, it is always new and interesting, and it attract links. It is exactly what search engines want, content that people like to link to.