Link Bait 101

Every now and then, a new trend hits the world of online marketing and those in the loop will quickly pickup the new buzz word of the day. SEO (search engine marketing) is a good example as well as blogging, lenses and (props to our stomping grounds) hubs.

The latest buzz word flying around the net seems to have created quite a stir. People are excited about it. People are confused about it. But there's one thing for certain - everyone's talking about it.

What's the big buzz word I'm talking about? Link baiting. And here's what you need to know.

Link baiting is actually just what it sounds like: baiting your link so that your readers click through.

The buzz isn't actually about the idea itself - we all want our readers to click and have since we submitted our first post. Its the technique that's catching all the attention and bloggers are coming from far and wide to figure out what makes people "click".

The truth is, every reader is different so what appeals to one may be quickly passed over by another.

There are however, a few tricks of the trade that can help you increase your clicks and boost your blog's traffic:

• Use action words - Words that convey a sense of urgency are more likely to be clicked than those that don't. For example, "How To Start Your Own Business" will pull more clicks than "A Day in the Life of an Entrepreneur".
• Tell A Secret - If you really want clicks, give your reader something they can't live without. "The Secret to Internet Success" will likely get clicked more often than "Making A Living on the Net".
• Be Truthful - However badly you might want those extra clicks, promising something you can't deliver will come back to bite you everytime. If your post doesn't truly reveal the secret conspiracy of our government to cause our country to fall into ruins, then you can't create a title that implies that it does. That was just an example by the way... right off the top of my head...not that I'm suggesting any real conspiracy... :)

Having told you a little about the "how", its now time to discuss the "why". Linkbaiting (done properly) can drastically increase your readership, improve your sales and turn your blog into an overall success.

Bloggers that link bait well are widely known and enjoy the main perk of consistent link baiting: clicks without baiting at all. You read that right... develop your readership, build a brand that says your the expert in town and you'll find that your readers click even when you haven't thrown them any well-planned bait.

See? Now you know the reason behind the buzz.

Happy baiting!