20 Proven Link-Bait Examples You Can Try Today

Link-bait is a piece of content that’s precisely formulated to entice backlinks for your site. These links come from various relevant third-party websites, blogs, forums, social media, etc. Since Google loves natural link profiles, link-baits are super helpful at capturing organic links.  

A typical link-bait is:

• engaging,
• informative,
• statistical,
• and visually appealing.

The basic idea is to make the content irresistible for the audience to share with others. It’s a common misconception that only funny or sensational content can attract an insane amount of shares and links. In reality, if your content is super informative and answers the questions and confusions of your target audience about a specific topic with concrete proofs, it will attract thousands of eyeballs and hundreds of links. 

Publishing link-bait on your website has many other benefits besides attracting backlinks. 

• They help establish your authority in your niche.
• They bring in hefty referral traffic. 
• They attract valuable collaboration opportunities. 
• They reinforce the brand image through their shareability.

Here are a few fail-proof link-baits that you can easily create and distribute. They are sure to attract a lot of links for you.

1. Infographics 

You might be thinking; infographics link-building is dead. It no longer produces results as it used to do. 

In part, you’re right. Infographic link-building isn’t what it used to be. It’s very much alive and kicking as studies confirm that infographics can increase website traffic up to 12%. According to HubSpot, infographics are the fourth most used content type.

However, if you wish to use infographics as link magnets, make sure they are fully optimized for link-building and include actionable information backed by research and statistics. Interactive infographics are a great hit nowadays. For example, this infographic from Information is Beautiful has received 16.7K backlinks from 864 referring domains.

2. Interactive Maps

Interactive maps are an incredible way to present data and information related to different geographical locations visually on a map. They remove distractions and allow users to interact with the information related to the site of their interest only. 

For example, a real estate agent can add an interactive map to his website that shows his listings or open houses in different areas he caters to. Look at this interactive map that uses Street View to plot dangerous roads around the world to prevent road accidents. 

3. Tools

Tools are a helpful utility that can attract users and links to your website. Many people use calculators, converters, or analyzers on their websites to get their audience’s attention. For example, if you’re a finance company, you can add a user-friendly tax calculator to your website.

Similarly, a real estate agency, bank, or financial advisor can add a commission calculator or mortgage calculator on their website. Convertors are also popular link-grabbing tools. You don’t need to have the expertise to create these tools yourself. You can outsource the development process. 

Once you’ve created a link-worthy tool, share it on social media platforms and pitch it to industry influencers who might find it helpful. If your tool fills a gap or solves your audience’s pain point, it’s bound to create waves and get due attention.

4. Quizzes

Quizzes are underutilized even though they are fun to interact with the audience and provide them with helpful information. They are challenging to make and may require some research with a dash of creativity to create a quiz that makes a buzz in the industry. 

Generate quizzes around topics that arouse curiosity in your audience. For example, the Sephora Skincare quiz has 161 backlinks so far, whereas Allure’s quiz has earned 226 backlinks for the site so far.

5. Games

Games are fun, engaging, and highly interactive. Of course, they are challenging to create and require an incredible amount of work. But once you’ve made a game that gets popular with your audience, you can get an insane number of links through it. 

From raffle draws and prize wheels to VR and technology games, brands use them to draw links and eyeballs to their websites. Additionally, you can use games to drive up social engagement, capture emails, or other conversions that make sense for your business. 

6. Interesting Surveys

Conducting surveys can be an interesting way of inviting links. You can run a survey about a trending or controversial topic related to your industry. Use shock value or piggyback on viral news with your surveys, and many websites and news agencies will link to it. 

Publishing survey results can also drive a good number of links to your website. Choose a question that can get you exciting results and use Google Surveys to conduct it. Interesting results can be shocking, gross, controversial, or opposite to the popular opinion about the subject. 

Chances of getting news-worthy results are high for sustainable and eco-friendly businesses. Once you get the results, extract a story angle supported by all the data, publish the results, and pitch it to niche influencers and news sites.

7. Statistics Posts

Statistics make any information concrete and credible. That’s what makes them such strong link magnets. You can run surveys to collect stats about a specific topic in your niche and publish them on your website, along with interesting stats from various third-party sources like Outbrain did here for native advertising stats. 

When other bloggers quote those stats, there’s a great chance they will link to your page instead of the original source. For example, in this blog, I mentioned stats to strengthen my argument and make it concrete. 

8. Graphs and Charts

Graphs and charts are a great way to take survey results and statistics to a whole new level. These data visualizations help the audience understand complex information through tables, grids, and diagrams.

Research proves that attractive charts and graphs can lead to 2x to 3x more backlinks. People will not only link to your blog but will also add your visuals to their blogs and share them on social media. Make sure to optimize the graphs and charts for image search to get maximum visibility.

Even if you can’t collect your own data, you can convert data from other sources into your visualizations. Don’t forget to give credit where it’s due and reach out to the data owners. Typically they’ll use your visualizations to improve their page presentation and give you credit and link. You wouldn’t even need to ask!

9. Case studies

Case studies are a link magnet because they take up real-life challenges, discuss practical ways to overcome them, and showcase realistic results you can expect. More or less, they are qualitative research that provides actionable steps for solving a similar problem or achieving identical results. 

Create a compelling case study on a topic relevant to your audience, and you’ll increase your chances of capturing links exponentially. 

Siegemedia published this case study in November 2020, and it already has 243 backlinks and counting!

10. Videos

About 54% of the consumers love to watch video content from brands they support. It’s predicted that by 2022, 82% of the global internet traffic will come from videos.

Videos are viral in nature, and if they are successful in holding audience attention, they have higher chances of acquiring quality backlinks. You will need to create original content around your brand, its services, and its message keeping your target audience at the front and center of your efforts.

11. Photography

A picture is worth a thousand words, but a well-captured photograph can attract thousands of links as well. Well-executed photos of your products, employees, workspace, and clients can attract visitors and links alike. 

Take original photos and hire a photographer if necessary. Optimize your photos for image search by adding relevant titles, captions, and alt-texts. You can also provide an embed code for getting easy linkbacks.

12. Memes and GIFs

GIFs and memes are not a fad. They are still relevant, and people love to share them on social media and add them to their blogs. 

Memes are witty illustrations that convey your message while amusing the audience. The same goes for GIFs! These 2 or 3-second clips are enough to capture the viewers’ interests and bring more visitors to your website. Both memes and GIFs possess immense shareability and linking potential. 

Top brands like Gucci and Denny Diners use memes to attract customers and visitors to their website and increase the probability of getting links.

Image source

13. Illustrations and Flow-Charts

Illustrations and flow charts are a great way to break down complex information and present it in an easily understandable way. If your illustrations and flowcharts tackle challenging concepts in your industry, chances are many people will want to use them in their content. People will share them, and influencers will refer them to their audience. 

As a result, your original illustrations and flowcharts can earn you backlinks from various organic sources. Brainstorm with your content team to choose topics of audience interest and work with a capable designer to create helpful and easy-to-understand graphics.

14. Long-Form Evergreen Content

The long-form evergreen or pillar content works as a long-term link magnet. It acquires you thousands of links over the years as it never gets old or out of context. Evergreen content serves as a valuable resource with information that’s valid for years.

These blogs and articles are essentially a guide on a fundamental topic in your niche. For example, we have created a guide on starting a small business that will stay relevant for a long time. Once you’ve created such a resource, you can update it quickly as industry shifts and new ideas come up.

Ensure your pillar content serves as an authentic source of information for bloggers, researchers, and influencers in your industry. Only then will it be able to attract links to your website. 

15. Tutorials

Tutorials can be in the written or video form. We’re already aware that link-baits need supreme quality content. Tutorials are actionable information that your audience can follow to solve their problem. That’s why they are a popular link-building asset.

Experts in every industry are using tutorials to explain complex processes or help their audience do stuff themselves. Clear and concise tutorials that are easy-to-follow attract many eyeballs and links. As long as your tutorials address the audience’s pain points in a way that helps them resolve them, they’ll be received well. 

For example, this tutorial from Architectural Digest is quite popular and has earned 743 backlinks for the website to date. 

 

16. Expert Roundups 

Content curators use expert roundups to:

• Get backlinks for their sites.
• Build relationships with industry influencers.
• Broaden their reach.

Expert roundups are a great way to get quality backlinks from influencers and experts in your industry. Since you pool advice from the great minds in your niche, you also get to reach their audience when they share your roundup. 

Make sure to inform the experts when you publish the roundup so they can share it with their audience. Also, reach out to other bloggers, influencers, and news websites interested in the resource. 

17. Content Around Trending Topics

It’s a quick way to get insane links, provided you’re able to successfully newsjack a trending topic. Creating a link-bait through newsjacking requires little effort and resources, but timing and execution are crucial. 

The idea is to take a trending topic and piggyback it creatively to get attention. Use Google Alerts or Google Trends to line up trendy topics, create clever content quickly, and share the hell out of it. Once your content goes viral, it’ll collect an insane number of links within hours. 

18. Expert Interviews

If an industry influencer shares your content and mentions your brand, it can open up a world of opportunities for you. That’s why building relationships with industry-leading experts should be a priority for you. You can get them interested in your content and entice them to share it by requesting an interview. 

Publish the interview, and they’ll feel compelled to share it with their audience and link it on their website. It will also bring in plenty of referral traffic and other bloggers who will share and link to the published interview. 

19. Podcasts

Did you know 42% of Americans listen to podcasts every week? People love to listen to them as they drive the car, commute to work, or run around doing other chores. That’s why it’s a wonderful tool to grab audience attention in your niche. 

Many experts and influencers have regular podcasts, which are quite famous and attract good quality backlinks. For example, Convince And Convert’s social podcast page has 422.4K backlinks. That’s an insane number!

You can run podcasts as an expert yourself or conduct a series of interviews with influencers and experts in your niche. You can transcribe them and publish them in the written form to grab even more links due to their accessibility.

20. Courses 

Primarily used in the service industry and by the influencers, courses can be an excellent opportunity to win links, capture emails and contact information, and attract a new customer base. You can offer a one-off free course as a link-bait in the area of your expertise, create several gated or free resources or create an entire academy like Moz. 

You can advertise your course or any link-bait to get maximum exposure for your content. If your content is relevant and of high quality, it will do the rest itself. Google loves natural link profiles with diverse types of organic links. The key to capturing natural links is to create valuable, informational, and actionable content that helps your target audience. 

This way, your content will receive tons of backlinks and reach far and wide, inviting referral traffic and even more linking opportunities.