It’s the oldest media trick in the book. Newspaper headlines with not so clever puns and sensationalist wording always sell copies. Radio talk shows aimed at passionate sports fans, where the presenters make sweeping statements and then announce premium rate phone numbers for irate callers to get in touch and argue their case, always prompt a flurry of calls! Daytime TV talk shows with outrageous show titles like ‘I married my daughter’s husband’s sheepdog’ always attract viewers, and the Internet we all know and love is no different. A controversial blog headline/title always draws in readers and the more inflammatory the better when it comes to blog posts trying for their 15 minutes of fame.

The problem with linkbait is that bait is exactly what it often is. Once the fish is hooked, there is no nice juicy worm for them as a reward, just a pain in the mouth! Blogs which rely on the headline alone for readers simply have nothing to back it up with. That’s not to say you shouldn’t think about your blog titles before posting, but the whole point of creating a blog post is surely because you have something to say – and a blog that peaks at the title is writing cheques that its body can’t cash. Every reader will be disappointed as the blog won’t be delivering on its promises and providing them with anything worth their time reading. Titles aside, blogs which are purely controversial for the sake of it are also usually disappointing because although they may evoke a response from readers, the writer often has no true strength of conviction and backs down when challenged. They didn’t really mean it after all!

So Are Linkbaiting & Good SEO Incompatible?

Any search engine optimisation professional or hobbyist knows that SEO is all about relevance and ensuring that your website’s optimisation efforts are an accurate representation of your site, backed up with useful content which is of value to users. A blog post on an SEO company’s site which claims to reveal ‘The 5 Secrets to Guaranteed Page 1 Search Engine Results’ and yet actually just tells readers a few basic SEO tips which everyone already knows, may get initial traffic, but it certainly won’t help their online reputation or standing within the industry. Readers will leave disappointed and probably think twice before clicking on a link or search result for the same site next time – I know I would. As with all poor or unethical SEO methods, the long term benefits simply don’t exist.

Linkbait as a word has negative connotations, which I have done nothing to dispel so far, although I think there is definitely a place for creative titles and clever wording in search engine optimization and blogging. The crux of the matter is that there needs to be more to your blog posts than a witty headline in order for it to add value to your SEO efforts and your online profile.

If you do have something worthwhile to say and it happens to be on a controversial or very current and newsworthy subject, then go for it. A blog where every post is an obviously crafted sensationalist’s dream is probably not a great idea because it doesn’t do a lot for your ongoing credibility, but by all means share your opinion on relevant topics and industry news.

Linkbaiting usually attracts those with an opposing point of view as well as those who may agree with you. This can be a good way to start a debate going in your blog’s comments section, but be careful in your moderation and ensure that you don’t just delete the comments of everyone who voices their disagreement – that pretty much defeats the purpose and won’t help endear you to your readers. Everyone likes a good and balanced debate.

Linkbait blogs can indeed have a seat at the SEO table, or at least a high chair. If your entire online marketing strategy hinges on getting your controversial blogs ranked then you’re probably not onto a winner long term, but when combined with plenty of other SEO principles and some excellent website content, the inbound links that decent blog posts can generate can have some SEO value. Just make sure that your focus is on producing a website and blog which backs up any hype and you have more chance of that linkbait-induced traffic resulting in backlinks or even conversions. As with all search engine optimisation, your blogs need to be for the user primarily rather than any search engines, or it is only a matter of time before you get found out by both.

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