Linkbaiting is important to us SEOs. But it depends solely on other people's desire to take the bait. So, I'd like to ask you all: what do you think makes people link? Casual bloggers and Tumblrs to online journalists. What are the types of people we can get links from and why would they link to anything?
Why people get linked? I think this is too broad of a question but probably because their sites are interesting and encourage others to share it or they are a useful resource. I know that's a very vague answer too but it really depends.
Nope. Sorry, that wasn't the question. Why do people link? Not why do people get linked. So what if you have interesting content. Why would anyone link to it? What's the psychology behind someone putting a link up to your interesting crap?
If I see something UNIQUE, something APPEALING, something new or even interesting then I would sure link it and share it among my friends circle. Also if you make it easy for people to share your articles (by using scripts like ShareThis) then even some of the lazier folks would be able to click a button to do it.
I generally only link to sites that I see as high-quality. Things that make me want to link: Good writing style An about us page that clearly identifies ownership of the site, and articles that identify authorship A unique resource. Sites that link liberally to other high-quality sites. Things that make me not want to link: Any sign of spammy techniques or black-hat SEO. A site that doesn't identify any business or individuals behind the site. Poor writing style. A site that relies on link exchanges or that overtly advertises "Link to us and we'll link to you." Sites that are stingy on the outgoing links, and have little or no outgoing links, or only outgoing links to domains owned by the same entity. I rarely if ever link to flash-only sites, or to sites with popup ads or other obnoxious advertisements. When considering linking, I look at the whole site. No matter how good a resource there is on an individual page, if I get a bad vibe from the site as a whole, I won't link to it. In some cases, I've refrained from linking to otherwise high-quality sites because I know those sites have used other people's copyrighted material without their permission, and I don't want to lend them credibility by linking to them. These guidelines are the same whether I'm considering linking from one of my major, interactive websites, or from a personal blog.
What about not us? Of course we all might look at quality, SEO techniques, linking, etc. But normal people out there with Tumblrs and blogs....what makes them go, "Oh, I'm going to link to this" instead of only sharing it via Twitter or Facebook?
Make sure you read what cazort wrote. There are a lot of smaller niche site owners, frequently running blogs that are dominant in their niche, that have the same mindset as he does. An unselfish webmaster that strives to provide quality content and a high level of service to their traffic typically are behind a hefty site in terms of Google weight. Site owners that have gotten past the fear of having outgoing links, and realized that Google actually awards your site for having relevant outgoing links, actually search for closely related content elsewhere on the web that they can link to, both to better serve their own users and to get some love from Google. Even some who haven't figured out that outgoing links to highly relevant content can get them a SERP boost will do it because they appreciate the content and know their visitors will get some use from it. Google thinks the way that these good webmasters do and rewards them for it. For anyone reading this who still is afraid of putting up outgoing links, thinking that it hurts a site, please do some searching for information on the value you get from it and how not having outgoing links can actually hurt your SERP. By linking to highly relevant content from your site, Google sees that you know your subject and are trying to provide more value to your site's visitors by helping them find more about the subject that they are interested in. Webmasters "in the know" are eager to find sites that really offer something good for visitors that is highly relevant to their own site because they better serve their own visitors and Google gives them some love for doing it. You don't want to overdo it with outgoing links, but every site should be striving to provide a small selection of good external resources for their visitors for the extra boost it can bring in SERP.
Is this question not a bit stupid? I mean, just ask yourself, what would YOU link to. You're a human too you know.. Just come up with some unique and great content and you will get links. However, you need to get people to come to your site in the first place by doing SEO or other things.
Well put Wulkanen (except the stupid part ). Visitors to a site are looking for something. If you deliver in a way that they will appreciate, your visitors will be happy. Many of those visitors are just normal traffic, but some will be site owners in a similar or the same niche and may decide to link to your site from their own. Getting that traffic with good SEO is part of being a good webmaster. The information you post to your site, no matter how awesome it may be if read, is worthless if no one shows up. I always like comparing this idea to the philosophical riddle "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?" Google is continuously adjusting their algorithm. I see too many webmasters making posts on forums like DP that are looking for tricks to place well. The real "trick" is to realize that a big part of Google's continuously changing algorithm is focused on thinking like the people that use Google. When you search for something, what do you want to find? Google wants to give the results that searchers are looking for. This means sites that deliver what visitors want to see will continue to gain more and more traction, over the sites that knock out poor content and try to sneak into rankings with tricks, as Google keeps getting better and better at thinking like its users aka the traffic you want for your site.
@Wulkanen: I'm not normal. I'm more interested in why the Internet masses link to things. I'm biased, since I know what I'm doing when I link to anything.
I'd say linking happens when: - content is unique - content is worth sharing - content is not worth re-writing/copying - content is going to get the linker respect/recognition
Ummm, laziness?! When I want to update my Tumblr and my brain hurts from writing content for my clients, it's sooo nice and easy to surf & share good content that other people created. That's one of the best things about Tumblr: helping other's ideas go viral is a core part of the experience.
Well, what makes you send out a link to your friends? Its the same thing for linkbait - people link to things that they like, and want their users to know.
Well, what makes you send out a link to your friends? Its the same thing for linkbait - people link to things that they like, and want their users to know.
@ForgottenCreature: Problem there is that isn't linking. That's sharing. Big difference, and it's cutting into linking.