The document provides guidance on creating effective linkbait content. It recommends defining the target audience, brainstorming ideas and filtering them based on criteria like simplicity and credibility. Key steps include pre-outreach to test ideas, creating the content, and promoting it through outreach to journalists and bloggers with follow up. The goal is to produce content that people want to share and link to.
9. So, before you beginâŚ
⢠Make sure that your boss (or your client)
know that there are risks
⢠Manage their expectations
⢠Set metrics ahead of time so you know what
âsuccessâ looks like
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
10. The Process
⢠Define your audience
⢠Go & find them
⢠Brainstorm Ideas
⢠Filter Ideas
⢠Pick the form for your content
⢠Pre-Outreach
⢠Create
⢠Outreach & follow up
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
11. Define your audience
⢠Think âWhoâ not âWhatâ
⢠âWhatâ you create depends on âwhoâ you want
to attract links and social shares from
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
12. Find Real-Life Examples
⢠What do these people like?
⢠What do these people hate?
⢠What do they already link to and share?
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
13. Brainstorm
⢠Brief people before the brainstorm so they
come with ideas
⢠Keep the meeting short
⢠Just capture all the ideas
⢠Donât sit and argue their merits
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
14. Filter your Ideas
Key Questions:
⢠Will this appeal to my target audience?
⢠Can I get the data I need?
⢠Do I have enough time / resource to deliver
this properly
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
15. Think about Shelf-Life â Donât get trappedâŚ
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
16. âCurrentâ v âEvergreenâ Content
⢠Something thatâs very current might do really
wellâŚ
⢠But if it doesnât, then youâre stuck
⢠Evergreen content can be outreached for
longer â probably increasing your chances of
success
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
17. Are we
done
with the filtering, now?
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
18. No
not yet ď
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
19. Filtering Checklist
Is this ideaâŚ
⢠Simple
â Is your idea easy to communicate & understand?
â Can you explain it in a tweet?
⢠Unexpected
⢠Concrete
â Real, definite rather than abstract
⢠Emotional
â Will anyone care?
⢠Credible
â Is your data good enough?
http://www.distilled.net/blog/seo/link-building-seo/how-to-make-sticky-content/
Inspired by âMade to Stickâ by Chip & Dan Heath
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
21. Trusted Data
⢠If data is central to your story & want to get
links from news outlets make sure you use a
trusted data source e.g.
â http://www.spaghettiopendata.org/dati
â http://www.linkedopendata.it/
â http://www.dati.gov.it/ricerca_dataset
Thanks for these links Gianluca Fiorelli - @gfiorelli1!
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
22. Surveys Donât Always Cut It
⢠Need at least 1000 respondents
⢠Data isnât robust / representative
⢠Lots of people wonât cover stories based on
survey data
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
23. So weâve picked out an ideaâŚ
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
24. Now pick the format
⢠Whatâs the best way of telling this story?
⢠What does your audience like?
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
25. Yay!
Now weâve got our idea & we know what
weâre going to createâŚ
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
27. Pre-Outreach
⢠Reach out to a few contacts and see if they
like the sound of your idea
⢠If they donât respond positively â do
something else
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
28. But if they
*like*
itâŚ
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
29. Now you can Create it!
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
30. Weâve just made something beautiful.
We can sit back & relax now, right?
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
32. Promote your Linkbait
⢠Outreach to journalists / bloggers etc
⢠Syndicate a press release
⢠Guest post
⢠Seed to influential social contacts
⢠Follow up with those who havenât linked to
you as the source
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
33. Now you can relax
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
34. Key Takeaways
Donât forget the processâŚ
⢠Figure out what success looks like
⢠Set targets
⢠Define your audience
⢠Go & find them
⢠Brainstorm Ideas
⢠Filter Ideas
⢠Pick the form for your content
⢠Pre-Outreach
⢠Create
⢠Outreach & follow up
⢠Relax (!)
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net
35. Key Takeaways
Check that your idea isâŚ
⢠Simple
⢠Unexpected
⢠Concrete
⢠Credible
⢠Emotional
@hannah_bo_banna
hannah.smith@distilled.net