NickLarson.com | Success online through internet marketing and web development!

Getting people to read your blog i.e. Linkbait

Linkbait something that I’m either not good at, or I just don’t really try/care enough about. The fact that I don’t think about it much while trying to come up with something to post about is a shame. It really seems like it has to be one of the most powerful ways of getting people to come visit your website. It’s amazing how many links a crazy, informative, or original blog post can get you to your website.

The KEY WORDS there are ones like “crazy”, “informative”, and “original”. People just don’t link back to crappy unoriginal posts that it seems like everybody else under the sun writes about. That is unless you are already a well known blogger, with some sort of charisma. You really need to focus on creating original, interesting, and one of a kind content (see, more key words ;)) if you want people to post a link on their site to yours. You have to make the user feel like they got something out of your post and that they need to share it with the rest of the world.

Now if I was going to write such a post, I would definitely try to picture myself in other people’s shoes and get an idea of what everybody is interested in and wants to read. It might help by going to your favorite blogs and noticing some of the things that make you interested in a post. What certain things stand out in your eyes that make you want to post a link to it?

For me, one of the main things I look for is knowledge/expertise on a certain subject. I keep coming back to a site and possibly linking to it if I am getting something out of it intellectually. Notice some of the other posts I have made… even the last post from ted.com. I made that post because I found that video helpful to me and I just had to share it with the readers on my blog in hopes that you would get something out of it as well! Also note my blogroll. I never have met or talked to 90% of the people who own the sites listed. I just chose to post the links because I have found them to be either helpful or entertaining to me in some way or another.

Another big thing that gets me “sharing away” is when something is outrageously funny or just plain stupid. I enjoy reading/watching stuff like that and more often then not I also like to share that kind of stuff.

Now that I think of it, another thing to keep in mind is the audience you are trying to reach… well I’m sure most of you are here to learn about stuff like this or making money online so while you might enjoy the occasional “outrageous” post, you probably wouldn’t want to see them over and over again. I’m sure you have other sites you go to for stuff like that. However, I could be totally wrong so just let me know if I’m digging myself a hole. If it’s more funny random stuff you want I can definitely do that!

Well that’s pretty much all I have for you today. Those were just my random thoughts that I pulled out of my ass about 30 seconds before this post, not to mention the stuff I thought of while writing the post. Which was most likely a lot more thoughts then what I had before I started writing. Anyway, hope you at least got something out of it.

I think as a general piece of information or tip, always try to put yourself in your visitors shoes and figure out what they want. No matter how many people tell you they don’t care about what others think online, they really do. I mean after all, what’s the main reason for making a website in the first place?

Talk to you guys later,
Nick

P.S. Don’t forget to subscribe if you haven’t already, and if you want you can link back to me if you let me know i’ll do the same. Comments are also always very appreciated (to make me feel good about myself for knowing there are actually people who read my blog).

P.P.S. Now after reviewing this post, I realize that link-baiting is something I need to work on a lot more. So should you!