People talk about “quality” all the time. Quality links, quality content etc., without really defining what they actually mean when they talk about quality content.
Mostly it’s just blather.
My definition of quality content, is that it contains the specific elements which together, creates something that is magnetic to a viewers attention. It’s not about how the piece looks, it’s about the positive reaction of the viewer.
I’ve seen companies stacked to the rafters with seemingly intelligent people spend over £10k for a piece of content that is nice and shiny, only to attract 15 people. The content usually put together by a trendy young thing from Hoxton who rides a single geared bike and spends over £50 a month on hair products.
The rules of great content is still old school, human interest does not change because it lives online. The primal brain still sits in the driving seat.
So if you sell plumbing supplies online and get into content marketing, you become a publisher. You need to think like a publisher, you cannot think like someone who sells plumbing supplies.
It’s the main thrust of what I teach over at Linkbait Coaching, the trick is mostly about getting the mind set. Some are already in the mode, others have the claw their way to it. But it can be taught.
Everyone can learn how to linkbait.
Look at this great piece of content, David Cameron with Pasties. The idea is simple, the execution without fuss and yet it’s pulled in some great links with very little input. This is because the creator gets it, and I have to say that they are indeed a member of Linkbait Coaching and killing it.
It may seem simple to come up with these ideas, but only if you are in the right frame of mind And I have to say that being in the right frame of mind means you sometimes have to act in a counter intuitive way when it comes to e-commerce.
You can have commercial messages to be alongside a piece of linkbait but it does not help and often hinders the progress of a piece of content.
It’s not just about publishing something shocking or scandalous, it must be carefully crafted and go through a set of processes that lead you to linkbaiting success.
Topical, news focussed content can get a lot of links relative to the amount of effort. Right now we are going deep with the Olympics and ramping up the US Election, which looks to be a good one linkbaiting wise. If only Michelle Bachmann becomes Mitts’ running mate. Heaven!
If you can’t afford the huge fees of Linkbait Coaching membership, follow the Twitter feed, usually one or two ideas are published each day.
May your links be many and aged.