When it comes to building backlinks, there are endless options available to the average blogger. Those that choose to build their own generally focus on guest posts, blog commenting and article directories. And there are certainly no shortage of options when it comes to outsourcing the task to both SEO companies and clever pieces of software.

But what about good old-fashioned natural backlinks?

Many bloggers seem to have forgotten that it is possible to get yourself some very fancy backlinks simply by posting some very fancy content. Link bait refers to such content and is simply a clever term for describing content that is designed to make people want to link to it. Linkbait content frequently appears in the form of lists and tutorials, but even regular posts with a bit of spark can easily play the part. If you’re considering investing more time into your content and less into building artificial backlinks, read on as I outline the primary benefits of doing so.

Less Effort

backling building is harder than creating good content

Most bloggers, at least the good ones, like to spend their time creating killer content not manipulating the search engines with hours spent building backlinks.

There’s something slightly tedious about commenting on blogs and posting on forums solely for the purpose of increasing your SERP.

Getting your blog readers to build your backlinks for you can therefore save you not only a lot of time, but also a lot of frustration.

Completely Free

elephant made from a dollar note - big impact low cost

While many argue that high quality backlinks cannot be purchased, I personally disagree with this fact.

High quality backlinks can indeed be purchased, they’re just not cheap and they certainly don’t come in packs of one thousand.

Backlinks that arise from link bait content however don’t cost you a penny. In fact, a perfect illustration of the value of link bait content can be witnessed in how much backlinks of a comparative nature would cost to purchase.

More Natural

good content builds links naturally

As you are likely aware, Google doesn’t just want backlinks, Google wants natural backlinks or at least those that appear to be natural.

Link bait content attracts backlinks that are the real deal. Backlinks that are not poorly disguised attempts at SERP manipulation, but real backlinks from real people.

 

 

 

 

Higher Quality

good content brings higher quality links

Regardless of whether you build backlinks yourself or you outsource/automate the task, there are always going to be limits when it comes to the quality of the backlinks that you can acquire.

Link bait content can go a long way towards breaking through those limits, allowing your blog to benefit from the sort of backlinks that you could never have built yourself.

Validation

natural links make you feel good about yourself

A question that just about every blogger has asked themselves at one time or another is whether or not their writing is actually any good.

Maybe it’s the insecurity that naturally comes with any sort of creative output but most bloggers really appreciate a little bit of validation every now and then.

And what could be more validating than people you don’t know, that you aren’t paying, sharing your content with their friends and/or readers?

Ethical SEO?

content brings ethical links

Finally, there is the small matter of ethics. Few bloggers care about where their backlinks come from and I therefore left this point until last.

If you consider a lot of SEO techniques to be a little bit on the evil side, you are likely to enjoy the fact that posting link bait content to your blog is one of the few ways that you can get a boost in SERP with a completely clean conscience.

Link bait content leads to you showing up on the first page in Google for no other reason than that you deserve it.

 

 

Tom Koh is an SEO and link building expert and believes in using a backlinks strategy that gets you natural links from other bloggers.

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