There is nothing easier than having a blog these days. Everyone and their dog is blogging. But that doesn’t mean that every blog is worth reading. As a matter of fact, most blogs suck and they suck for a reason. Most blogs are “me too!” blogs.
By reading this blog you already proved that you don’t belong to the “me too!” crowd.
Creating link-worthy blog content
Creating link-worthy content should be your main concern because everything else will follow.
Referring traffic, traffic from organic search and, in the end, direct traffic directly depend on how link worthy your content is. It’s that simple.
Just to make things clear, link worthy content is something people can’t help but link to. Even when they don’t know you, and in some cases don’t even like you.
Emotional reaction is the key
Just look at the story about a boy who stole his dad’s credit cards and hired prostitutes to play HALO and eat junk food. The story was fake, but genius. (Thanks, Lyndon!)
Its appeal came from a place where emotions and imagination live. The story received thousands upon thousands of links.
This example is perhaps a bit too strong, but the underlying principle is something every blogger can learn from.
But what can a common blogger do to create link magnets every day? Just keep on readin’.
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Create a resourceful post (every once in a while)
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Make people laugh
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Start a conversation or become a part of one
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Be the first to break the news
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Attack a product, service, person or an industry
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Eye Candy
Don’t you just love it when someone spends a month collecting, testing and reviewing Wordpress plugins just to bring you the best ones for a certain function? They even make sure to include installation instructions.
This kind of content gets linked because it saves people time and effort. In this case, people link to share the resource, or to reward the effort if it’s very extensive. Links to resourceful posts or pages accumulate slowly.
This one works every time. OK, almost every time. You can make fun of the authorities in your industry or take the industry as a whole and make fun of it. Matt McGee created what is probably the best piece of humor about SEO to this day.
Someone criticized something in your industry. You probably have an opinion. Share it! If you disagree, go ahead and write a post about it. A unique point of view and strong arguments will help make your post interesting and linkable.
Being the first to break the news about something works like a charm. The downside is – you actually have to be the first and that is by no means an easy task.
This is one of the most POWERFUL ways to get links, but at the same time, it’s the most dangerous one. Recently, Derek Powazek attacked the SEO industry with a pretty aggressive and insulting rant – “Spammers, Evildoers, And Opportunists“. The end result is a surprisingly large number of links. But beware – don’t pick your targets randomly. Make sure that your community doesn’t like the target of your rant. Just like Derek did.
How many times did you see different images, designs, or just pictures of people or places on the front pages of Digg.com or Reddit.com? These pictures, websites and images can sometimes be enough to cause a linking frenzy. It can be done in virtually every industry as long as the imagery is captivating.
To increase the number of links your posts gets, try to combine these 6 ways. A resourceful post with stunning pictures sounds great, doesn’t it?
Or you can think about it like this – would you get all excited about the post you just finished if it wasn’t yours ?
A guest post by Vedran, aka SEO Rabbit, a Connecticut based SEO guy. If you want to guest post on HowToMakeMyBlog, please check out more info here.
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{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Your last question is the best part of this whole post! I am going to start asking myself if I would get excited if this was someone else’s article. That is perfect! Thanks again
I agree with Dave; it is the best part because you get to step outside yourself and get critical, the only way to go. I’d normally be doing one and three but considering ‘eye candy’ now that you’ve mentioned it. It might also serve as something funny that will generate comments and hopefully, more links. Thanks for the info Vedran
These are great content hooking techniques! Another type of posts that really work well are Problem Solving Posts. For example “How to design a web 2.0 logo”.
Excellent guest post and wonderful ideas for blogging at your best. Thanks for the great stories and links too!
All great advice Marko.
As always it comes back to creating great content, and providing value.
I hadn’t even considered the eye candy aspect.
But seeing how photography is something I am keen, to take up as a hobby.
I will try this strategy, in the very near future.
Cheers Adam Bean
That emotional reaction is the key. If the post makes a visitor go “Wow”, it’s much more likely she’ll share / link the post. And people likely fun and cool things, great resources and something they can bookmark for future reference, so these tips will take you closer to making such a post.
The “linkbait” posts can be a bit different depending on the niche, so taking a look at Digg and Delicious, searching for posts and articles related to your blogs topic and taking notes on the posts that “made it” will help you understand what made those posts to go viral. Other way is to take a look at popular articles in general, e.g. Digg front page, and apply the principles to your own style and topic.
in copyblogger there is one post talk about be a cool guy, where we not write something new, but we write it differently and people gonna love it.
to always buzz new thing it not easy, but to make something better it much more easier..
Those are great tips that I’d most likely follow. thanks!
Great Post.
I have written a few linkable posts recently, still not getting as many links as I would like though!
I agree and I can testify with it. Anyway I would like to ask you how often do you think I should do these “magnet posts”. I mean Im pretty sure it should never be done always as it can overwhelm the blog readers but how about you, what’s the ratio of these types of posts from the normal posts?
Thanks for the very good advice. And I agree with Adam that content is key when blogging. Sure it’s important to have the right keywords for search, but most of my comments show up when my content is conversation-inspiring. Thanks for the tips to keep in mind and I’ll be sure to pass along to my small business audience.
John Sternal
@sternalpr
@understndnmrktg
The observation eye always needed, I saw same article was covered in many site but I like 1 or 2 because the way they present it. Article writing style always matter, you have to give complete resource and make your article the final one on that topic. A new blogger should not go for breaking news or news related site unless he have a team. It’s hard to maintain a news related site consistently without help from others.
@Dave Braden
. Being excited means sharing like a maniac and that is hard to get.
It is not that easy when you put it that way
@Techthinker
“How to stuff” rules. If it is well done
@Melvin
IMHO, you can’t overwhelm web content consumers with exciting stuff. Publishing remarkable content can only get you more recognition and traffic. If you do it routinely and in continuity with a right branding strategy you are all set
Vedran
Solid post, hard to argue with your points. What are your tips on being the first to break news? That’s tough. You’re right about attacking a person, product or whatever, while it will bring links and traffic, the question is whether one wants all attacks that may come flying right back at ya? Thanks for sharing! Cheers,
-Mig
hmm I’ve never tried to “attack” anyone… maybe I should, just so I can collect all the data and publish a new case study for other bloggers to learn from hehehe…
Vedran, great post – offers a lot of thinking material!
Nowadays, it’s not enough to just create “unique content”, you have to offer something in return to the readers and engage them in the conversation.
@Migs: Whether the traffic and links are worth the potential attacks, it’s up to the blogger to decide. In the end, bloggers share their opinion – if that opinion happens to contradict someone else’s in the industry, so what? Stand behind everything you say/write, back it up and you’ll be fine.
@ Migs
IMHO, there are 2 ways to be the first who breaks the news.
One is to be there when it is happening (whatever is happening). Doesn’t happen very often, or should I say it never happened to me.
The other thing is play a role of a investigative journalist with an eye for detail:)
Marko
Attack FTC
You gave me a new idea. I love to read blogs that share valuable info like yours including blogs that makes me laugh but at the same time make sense. Thanks.
If you want a reaction from your posts, go around on SEO blogs, comment on them and then make an angry post about how EVERY SEO is a rippoff. I forget who did that but they certainly succeeded in frustrating everyone.
“Or you can think about it like this – would you get all excited about the post you just finished if it wasn’t yours ?” That is seriously one of the best quotes ever. I’m sure other people have said the same thing, but it rings incredibly true when it comes to being a link magnet.
I find that short useful list posts seem to get some attention, but massive lists seem to get more attention (perhaps because they are “more useful”).
I also had never really thought about eyecandy. After reading about Probloggers 250,000 pageview day on his photo site, it should have clicked… As I’m sure you already know, Awesome tip!
I enjoy being useful (making resourceful posts) and making people laugh. That’s one of the biggest satisfactions I get from blogging and operating my tutorial website. Emotional reaction and connecting with your readers is also very important to me because everyone knows blogs should be a one-on-one conversation with your readers in a simple and easily understandable language. Thanks for the post Marko!
I have a few post that I just knew folks were going to link to a plenty. Nope not the case. Back to the drawing board.
Some good points but I don’t agree with #5.
Even though attacking a product or service can get you links on a short-term basis, it can also quickly destroy your reputation on the web. If you have to do this, make sure you have solid arguments to support your claims.
I would put it another way: Write content with an edge. Don’t be politically correct. Shake things up.
It’s always good to stir things up but make sure to back those points up. If you look at guys like Tim Ferris (www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/) author of the Four Hour Work Week, it becomes evident that much of his fame and marketing was a result of his ability to challenge the norm but back up his points at the same time. The tile of his book is a true testament to this.
As Phil has mentioned it is important to measure and back up your research statistically. The problem with doing this is that it takes time. Try and record data on a day to day basis about things you are interested in. As this becomes habit you will start to realize that many of the things that people truly believe aren’t really how things are. Write an article about it and use the data that you’ve collected. Make sure to come up with a catchy title that will catch everybody’s eye.
Good Post. I will definitely take some of these and try and implement them to get my blog going.
Make people laugh – This is one of the most difficult thing to do. But once you know how to do it, then it become viral.
Cheers,
Santosh Puthran
I like what Phil B says above about writing with an edge — stirring things up. Good advice.