How To Write Link Bait

The Internet is a very big place and it can sometimes feel like your writing gets lost, even when you're trying to write successful link bait. For any link baiters trying to gain some attention, here are a few tips to help you.

1. Choose a good topic. Write about something that people are interested in! If you're writing about something mundane, don't make it sound mundane! That leads us to the next point.
2. Have a good title or headline. Just like any other article, link bait is first judged by its title. A catchy headline is what can make the difference in getting people to pause and read the article. Sensational titles get attention, as do questions, exclamation marks, relevant keywords, and phrases like "in-depth" and "essential." However, don't overdo it - if it sounds too contrived, you might turn people away. Try to show by your title that this article contains vital information for the reader - essential and interesting!
3. Have a hook. The "hook" grabs the reader's attention and keeps whatever promise you made in the title. There are many different types of hooks, which make excellent link bait. News hooks are news stories that you are the first to carry, dragging people in because it is new. A resource hook is a helpful article or post that people will want to bookmark or forward. A humor hook entertains people, an award hook can be awards that you create, and a contrary hook is when you take the minority position on a controversial issue. Each of these hooks can bring readers in!
4. Write an excellent opening paragraph. Readers usually scan the very beginning of an article, so use your opening paragraph to get their attention and show why they should read the entire article. The opening paragraph can double as the article description on Digg or similar sites.
5. Write for Internet users. When people are reading articles online, they like short paragraphs, bolded bullet points, italicized emphasis, and numbered lists.
6. Use images! When writing good link bait, add pictures! Pictures can draw people into the article or story in a different way than text. Just be sure that you have permission to use the images.
7. Submit your article. Digg is the most popular site for this type of thing, but others include del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, and reddit. These sites can help your article gain popularity and readers.
8. Gain credibility on Digg. If you know someone with a power account, get them to submit your link bait articles. If not, try to build up a good reputation on Digg (or any other site). Show that you're not just their for your link bait, but to read other people's articles, comment, and submit other work.
9. Comment on the subject. If you've just written a piece of link bait about dog grooming, find every piece possible on the Internet about dog grooming - articles, blogs, whatever - and comment on them. Include the link to your piece, but make it relevant so that it doesn't appear to be spam. Comment on something you thought was really helpful, and then add "this is also a good resource" along with your link.

Writing link bait can be tricky, and if all else fails, there are plenty of professional link bait services around to help you out!