Many SEO experts use link-bait to attract the traffic. I have often observed that it is used in the links bookmarked on Digg? Do you feel, its ethical? How would you categorized it? Black hat, White hat or Grey hat? I feel it involves a bit of disguise, in a way that you are trying to attract for something which isn’t there really? Don’t you feel, it would increase the bounce rate from your webpage?
Understanding link bait - link bait refers to content or any feature in a website that is useful or interesting enough to attract lot of links and traffic. It can be anything like written content, image , video , software etc. Link bait can be powerful as it is viral in nature. It is completely ethical if you offer something useful and interesting for the users/readers.
Linkbait imo got its own appeal. Its a marketing technique, thats all it is. I dont see anything unethical with it.
If it is unethical so would be godaddy commercials on tv these days.
If you are using any kind of disguise then it’s unethical, and it is likely to backfire if people land on your site and find that what they were looking for isn’t there…
Sample of link bait create a video on youtube is also a good tactic of linkbait. But the must be funny and can attract viewers to watch your video.
Link bait is generally a piece of content, such as an article, video or podcast that is placed on the Web that results in others wanting to link to that content. Essentially the content acts as “bait” for others to link in to the information. Unpaid incoming links to a website are highly valued by search engines. Link baiting is a legal method.
It all depends on your basic goal. If you just want some increase in traffic then linkbaiting can work, that too if done properly. But, ultimately the goal of any site should be revenue. So, why not optimize for some income?..
I guess, its clear now that linkbaiting is a legal if it would be used ethically. Now my question is, is it being used ethically? What do you observe around? What are your views about it?
The problem is that it’s difficult to define exactly what is link baiting and what isn’t. I try to get lots of great content on my website … doesn’t everyone? And yes, I hope that one of the benefits I’ll get from having great content is that I’ll get more organic links and better search visibility.
The point about link bait, as opposed to a lot of other dodgier SEO techniques, is that you do actually have something worthwhile at the end of it. It isn’t about spamming or cloaking, to fool people into linking to your site for something that isn’t really there, it’s about giving them a good reason to link to your site because you have got something worth linking to.
I don’t see it as being unethical. If people deem the content interesting enough to link to, then they will do so. If they don’t, they won’t.
if the link is annoying would it become unethical?
I was also going to say: it depends what you call link baiting.
If using Digg to share your content in a legitimate way (calling it what it is) in order to try and get links is perfectly legit and could be pretty useful.
If you use Digg or something with a link called “Free Puppies” and it’s about car engines… that’s another story. Not necessarily black hat, but it’s going to backfire on you in other (more damaging) ways.
in my opinion link bait is not unethical…
The point is that other people are giving you the links. If it’s that annoying, they won’t do it.
Its is ethical and i feel that when you submit an article on different bookmarking websites they best you can do is come up with some intriguing topic that make users to read it and websites like reddit asks you to write very descriptive title. I consider it a good practice