This document discusses using linkbait tactics to get authoritative mentions and links to websites. It provides examples from 2007-2008 where a company used optimized press releases about survey results on relationships to generate over 200 inbound links. Similar tactics were used in 2008 with new surveys on behaviors of New York women. These linkbait releases ranked #1 on Google News and Yahoo! News and generated coverage on blogs and news sites. The document suggests linkbait can be effective if it provides quality, interesting content and discusses using new tactics in 2009 and beyond to engage communities online.

1. Beyond Linkbait: Getting
Authoritative Mentions Online
Greg Jarboe
SEO-PR
Feb. 19, 2009

2. Can linkbait tactics that worked last
year be as effective this year?
• They can if you focus on
the underlying quality as
well as ingenuity needed
to get other websites to
link to you early and often
• So, how should you
approach journalists,
bloggers and other
authoritative sources to
enhance your company’s
online reputation, whether
or not you get links?

3. We used old fashioned news hook
with new fangled linkbait in 2007
• We used optimized
press release and
blog outreach about
survey results which
found 55% of
American men and
41% of American
women had said “I
love you” in hopes it
would lead to sex

4. “Looks like the optimized release
got some great pick up!”
• Optimized press
release: 1
• News stories: 11
• Influential bloggers: 80
• Blog posts: 190
• Inbound links: 202
• Ranking in Google for
romance report: #2 & #3
• Mention in Jay Leno’s
monologue: Priceless
Source: Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC, May 16, 2007

5. We used a similar news hook as
well as fresh linkbait ideas in 2008
• 65% of New York women
have told a lie to get out of
a bad date vs. 53% of
American women
• 62% of New York women
have had a one night
stand vs. 51% of American
women
• 59% of New York women
have taken office supplies
home from work vs. 49%
of American women

6. Optimized press release ranked #1
in Google News for New Yorkers
Source: Google News, May 15, 2008

7. Optimized release ranked #1 in
Yahoo! News for lie cheat and steal
Source: Yahoo! News, May 15, 2008

8. Reuters story (without links) picked
up by 10 news sources worldwide
Source: Reuters, May 16, 2008

9. News hook generated buzz in
blogger community (and links)
Source: Burnettiquette, May 22, 2008

10. 368 inlinks to Harlequin report from
authoritative sources in two weeks
Source: Yahoo! Site Explorer, May 29, 2008

11. Harlequin ranked #1 & #2 in Google
for romance report in two weeks
Source: Google, May 29, 2008

12. “Content can be both white-hat and
yet still be wonderful ‘bait’ for links”
• “On a meta-level, I think
of ‘linkbait’ as something
interesting enough to
catch people’s attention,
and that doesn’t have to
be a bad thing. There are
a lot of ways to do that,
including putting in sweat-
of-the-brow work to
generate data or insights,
or it can be as simple as
being creative.”
Source: Matt Cutts: Gadgets, Google and SEO, Jan. 24, 2006

13. Can linkbait tactics that worked in
2007-2008 be as effective in 2009?
• Tell us your favorite
thing about your
partner/past
partner/current crush
• If you could change
something about them,
what would it be? And
why?
• Tell us about your best
and worst dating
experiences

14. Harlequin experimenting with other
tactics called “Bodice Ripping 2.0”
• Web 2.0 tactics
include book readings in
Second Life, MySpace
pages and Paranormal
Romance Blog
• Some engage its
community of 50 million
readers and others are
“bait” for links
Source: Fast Company, February 2008