In the online world, there is only one currency that is worth anything: traffic. The most successful websites are built on huge amounts of traffic, and the most profitable products sell because of the never-ending flow of traffic to their sales and merchant pages. Much like businesses pay premium rent for a high foot-traffic location, many online businesses pay a premium, both in effort and in operating costs, for an online position that helps generate extra traffic.
But there is more to traffic generation than just getting a good starting position and waiting for visitors to arrive. Generating website traffic requires ongoing attention and never-ending effort, and many marketers simply can’t afford to invest the time required to build their traffic manually. In the endless hustle to generate more traffic, some smart marketers have found optimizations, one of which is the “linkbait” article. Be sure to check out my Website SEO Services, which includes ideas for creating linkbait in your marketing campaigns.
Linkbait articles are named as they are for good reason — they attract links from almost all the major online sources. From social bookmarking websites to top social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook, linkbait articles spread like crazy and do not go down without generating hundreds of links.
If you are tired of hustling and grinding to generate links to your websites, a linkbait article could be the traffic and SEO resource that you need. For quick, marketer-friendly traffic generation, it is difficult to look past them. These four tips will help you write effective, link-generating, and traffic pushing linkbaits without ever having to think twice about them.
1) Use a “Top X†style title.
Click-through rates increase significantly when your title includes both a number and a ranking. Online readers are lazy, and for good reason. The average PC monitor zaps huge amounts of energy from readers, and titles that favor “lazy†readers – top X lists, quick reads, and light content – all end up getting more attention than reader-heavy essays. Make your articles light, simple, and reader-friendly with a “Top X†style title.
2) Write on hot topics.
Readers love current topics. Fads may die out quickly, but for short-term traffic they are completely unbeatable. Monitor Google News, Yahoo, and other top online news websites for coming trends, fads, and media events, and keep your writer’s pen ready. A single well-timed article can often be the difference between a huge traffic wave and a small trickle.
3) The “How-to†is king for long-term traffic.
There is always demand for knowledge, especially when it is presented in a fashion that is favorable for readers. While “Top X†articles and fad topics might attract instant attention, “how to†style articles draw in long-term attention and a continual flow of traffic. If your website needs a long-term traffic asset, invest in “how to†guides and enjoy steady traffic and advertising earnings.
4) Add images to your writing.
Images achieve two important traffic generation goals. Firstly, they give readers something fun to send to their friends. Secondly, they give your website an additional search engine resource, further driving long-term traffic. Whenever possible, include a relevant, linkable, and humorous image in your linkbait articles and web content.