Comprehensive Guide to Creating a Link Bait Post

What is a Link Bait Post?

A link bait post is a foundational piece of content designed to attract backlinks and serve as a pillar for your blog’s content strategy. It’s typically a long-form, listical-style article that covers multiple subtopics within your niche.

Why is a Link Bait Post Important?

1. Builds a strong foundation for your blog
2. Passes “link juice” to your future content
3. Helps map out your subtopics
4. Easiest content piece to attract backlinks

Characteristics of a Good Link Bait Post

1. Long list format (e.g., 75 best ideas, 50 top resources)
2. Better quality than competitors’ similar posts
3. Regularly updated and improved
4. Contains internal links to other relevant posts
5. Formatted as ideas, resources, trends, or statistics

Types of Link Bait Posts

1. Ideas list (e.g., “75 Best Personal Finance Tips”)
2. Trends (e.g., “Top AI Trends in 2023”)
3. Resources (e.g., “50 Essential Tools for Bloggers”)
4. Statistics (e.g., “51 Machine Learning Statistics to Know”)

How to Create Your First Link Bait Post

1. Choose your topic and format (ideas, trends, resources, or statistics)
2. Perform keyword research for related ideas
3. Create an outline using the provided template
4. Write a compelling introduction using the AIDA framework (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action)
5. Develop your list items, keeping each to 75-125 words
6. Include personal experiences, research, and engaging stories
7. Add FAQ sections based on Google’s featured snippets or tools like AnswerThePublic
8. Write a conclusion
9. Publish using the Minimum Viable Post (MVP) approach
10. Continuously update and improve the post over time

Link Bait Post Structure

1. H1: Your main title (e.g., “75 [Keyword] Ideas in 2023”)
2. Introduction
3. H2: “What are the best [keyword] ideas?”
4. H3s: Your ordered list items
5. FAQs
6. Conclusion

Tips for Success

1. Start with a shorter list (e.g., 35 items) and expand over time
2. Use tools like Google’s featured snippets, AnswerThePublic, or SEO software for FAQ ideas
3. Create internal links to your transactional and informational content
4. Source statistics and data properly
5. Use visuals like graphs or images to break up text
6. Optimize for readability with short paragraphs and clear headings

Examples of Successful Link Bait Posts

1. “51 Machine Learning Statistics To Get You Thinking” (g2.com)
2. “73 Best Side Hustles to Start in 2023”
3. “28 Ways to Get Out of Debt”
4. “50 Ways to Make the Best Coffee of Your Life”
5. “Fun Ways to Exercise: 23 Unconventional Workout Ideas”
6. “Credit Score Statistics”

Remember, your link bait post is the foundation of your content strategy. Take the time to create a high-quality, comprehensive piece that you can build upon and improve over time. This will set the stage for your blog’s success and make future content creation and link-building efforts more effective.