I’m messing around with the new Twitter widget that allows you to embed Twitter feeds, I realise there are other ways of doing thing, but this is the official Twitter version which should make it more stable.
Linkbait
Donut addicts, learn killer content techniques in a 5 day frenzy of linkbait knowledge
It has come to my attention that some people cannot afford the £200 a month fee for linkbait coaching because of the affliction donut addiction. Being a recovering addict myself I am well aware how this evil affliction can soak up any spare cash.
Especially when you have to walk past a Krispy Kreme shop every day to get to work.
And so to help out any donut addicts, today only I am offering bitesize membership offerings to everyone.
For only £50 you can get a 5 day access pass to Linkbait Coaching.
Instead of dropping a £50 note on a bag of donuts, learn about how you can create linkalicious content.
A word of warning though. The content contained within the Linkbait Coaching forum is extremely rich and full of killer content ideas. As I write this there are 2,999 posts on the forum. It is physically possible to read all 2,999 posts within 5 days but I cannot be liable for any mental problems which may ensue if you attempt to do this.
If creating content for links is your thing, then I strongly suggest you check this out.
This offer is only available for 24 hours.
Image credit: Krispy Kreme Corporation
How to Get Creative
My job is mostly about being creative, coming up with web content ideas, creating headlines, writing copy etc. It’s usually quite easy for me to do this and I have always thought that this could be taught, which is what I do at Linkbait Coaching.
Because I feel that it’s simply about having the right mindset, being in the correct mode and not having to be some mad creative genius.
Today I came across a video that reinforced everything that I believe about being creative. The video is by John Cleese, and it is well worth watching. But if you are in a hurry I had jotted down some notes below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb5oIIPO62g
<- Notes begin "Creativity is not a talent, it is a way of operating", John Cleese Creativity is not an ability that you either have or do not have, it is absolutely unrelated to IQ as long as you are above a minimum. Creativity is not about IQ What is different about highly creative people. They have a facility to get themselves into a certain mood, a way of operating. In other words, "an ability to play", to be childlike, to be able to explore ideas and play for playing sake. Two modes, open and closed. Creativity is impossible in closed mode. Open mode is essential for the idea, for creativity. Closed mode is essential to actually implement the idea. When implementing the idea, we do not need distraction, humour, doubt. Being able to switch Conditions of getting into the open mode Space Time Time Confidence Humour Play begins, exists for a specific time and then is over. Putting the big project off It's easier to do little things we know we can accomplish than to start big things we are not so sure about completing. Creating an oasis of quiet. Take an hour and a half to calm down your brain, and an hour to create. Highly creative people tend to play with the problem longer before they try to resolve it. They are prepared to tolerate the discomfort of not having solved the problem for longer. (clients tend not to give you the time to solve the creative problems because they do not trust creative people) Taking a decision removes the discomfort. Take the time for your mind to come up with something original. You have to play, be silly, make mistakes. Drivel may lead to a breakthrough. Notes end->
I strongly suggest you watch the video if in any way you are connected to creativity. I provide the open mind, the playful creative space. If you find creativity difficult when it comes to content creation get in touch.
We are always playing and always have a free-roaming mind generating threads and threads of creative goodness on the forums.
Sometimes it simply makes sense to hire a specialist than to try and muddle through.
Linkbait headline ideas for London based events website
Parts of this blog post were previously posted on Linkbait Coaching
Creating a list of potential headlines for a specific niche is a worthwhile start to any linkbaiting work. I would suggest:
- Turn off email, twitter etc
- Turn off computer (if you can) and use paper and pen
- Allow at least two hours, the first hour is mostly about getting the brain into gear for the second hour
- Consider the wildest of headlines, let your mind roam
- It helps if the content somewhat reflects the headline, although this does not always have to be the case.
- Walk and record ideas on your iPhone, if you are worried if people think you are mad, pretend you are talking to a client.
- Test ideas of other people, but make sure they are being honest and not saying they don’t like the idea because they think you smell funny.
OK, here are a bunch of ideas I came up with for an events based website that is somewhat focussed on London. It’s an important part ofwhat we do on Linkbait Coaching all the time.
10 Concerts that rocked the captial. (Stones in the park, Live Aid etc)
10 Tips on buying scaled tickets
10 Tips on sel;ling scalped tickets
10 Reasons why you shouldn’t buy scalped tickets
Google Maps mash up to busking
10 Worst stage divers
How to get past security at a rock concert
10 Best riots at football matches
10 buy executive boxes at London Football stadia
Why it sounds weird referring to the plural of a stadium as stadia
10 Similarities of gladiators and footballers
10 Rock stars who electrocuted themselves in concerts
10 Best London concert halls/stadia for toilets
Essential tips for going to the toilet at a concert
10 reasons you are an idiot taking pictures of your Rock here on your mobile phone
10 Reasons Lady Gaga wont be attending Glynbourne
Top London football clubs owned by foreigners
Why Maddona will not be playing Lady MacBeth at the RSC
Power politics at the Covent Garden Opera house
Most haunted Theatres in London
London theatres to arm actors to make Americans more comfortable
Shakespearien actors who translate to the silver screen (Berkoff, McEwan etc.)
How to tackle noisy people at the theatre
10 Reasons why beer should be served whilst you watch the opera
10 reasons scaffolders don’t go to the opera. (if brave you could interview scaffolders about this and offer audio)
How to pick up chicks at rock concerts
10 Outrageous divas who have played Wembly
e
Obviously many of these headlines can be interchanged or mashed up with others to hit the sweet spot. I have used “rock” as an interchangable term for any kind of style. There is a lot of juice to be had out of the physical aspect of the concert venue, offering tips of the best and worst place to sit, toilet, food, exit etc.
London has a lot of history but linkalicious content tends to have a contemporary feel, comparisons with the past and the present work very well.
Would Shakespeare write different plays for the Globe if he used an iPad?
Linkbaiting with Game of Thrones
This article was previously posted on linkbaitcoaching.com
Link credit winteriscoming.net
I always say, target those who link, if you wish to get links with linkbait
Few link voraciously than fans of movies and popular TV shows.
If you create a piece of content that is based on their obsession and resonates with their fan mindset (and remember fan = fanatic) it will make them more suggestible to a link.
It’s wrong to think of this as a trick as you will only tend to get links if the content:
- Provides a solution
- Adds to the canon of content regarding the subject in a meaningful way
- Creates or continues a particular discourse.
- It respects the fan
It helps if the content creator has an understanding of the particular fan base and is not coming to the tribe cold. Interlopers are outsiders and not to be respected. A fan base should be seen as a tribe and approached accordingly.
It may be that one of the fans could be paid to create content that is linkalicious. Most fans do it for the love and would be grateful to be able to pursue their love and make a little wonga.
Also, if you commission work from a fan who has a large and vibrant fan base you have an instant traffic base, which may add any social media signals and result in helping you get more links.
This type of content may seem a bit silly if you are for example a Bristol plumber and specialise in blocked toilets. But the linkalicious content does not have to be within the normal flow of website and so people who are ankle deep in water trying to search for an available plumber don’t get confused with an article on Dragon Eggs and the most efficient hatching temperatures.
Although, well crafted content that is a little tongue in cheek can do wonders for your brand. Especially if you are in a dry sector like Bristol plumbing problems, having content that emotionally resonates with your customers will increase brand recognition.
Don’t believe me, one word.
Meerkats.
In fact, make that two words, Russian Meerkats, can you imagine how that initial idea went down at corporate HQ?
Insurance is a serious business, it’s about death, pain, loss etc.
Very few businesses are more serious than providing such a service and so back to our Bristol plumber, of course you can use content that is a little bit cheeky and a little bit silly and there is not going to be harm done to the brand.
Although I am reminded of a lot of blank, client faces that look back at me when I mention this particular way of getting links.
One of these days someone is going to say to me, “we want links, but we want them in a very boring way”.
Anyway, new series of Game of Thrones starts tonight. And if you think I wrote this to take advantage of that.
Well, duh!
p.s. also works well with the Hunger Games
Gremlins in the Machine 24 hour delay to launch Linkbait Coaching
As always with a product launch the Gremlins attack.
The launch of Linkbait Coaching 3.0 is going to have to be put back 24 hours. Membership will be available on Friday 23rd of March.
Apologies if you were itching to get cracking, but some things I can’t control.
I was asked about the price and I’m going to keep the price the same as it was two years ago. £200 a month.
But I am offering a Linkbait Coaching Plus account which will have a bunch of extras and get you a month free, more on this later.
I will be posting a full list of all the new stuff that is going to be in the latest incarnation.