If you know a thing or two about search engine optimization then you are likely aware of how important creating link worthy content is (and probably know how hard creating it can be as well). Recently our founder, Arnie Kuenn, came to the Vertical Measures team with an idea: lets do a series of video interviews with experts in our field. We’re in Phoenix, many Internet experts are here in Phoenix, why not? Within two weeks the concept, "2010 Predictions from 10 Internet Experts", was developed, experts were contacted, the recording took place at GreenScreenFX, videos were edited, and promotion had started.
Was it successful? For us, yes: we’re an Internet marketing company and appreciate the power of a link. For a relatively small investment (time to shoot videos/promote/organize, and money it cost to film/produce/edit) we accumulated MANY backlinks from different domains (325 links according to Site Explorer). Not to mention the publicity we received from our post: Business Journal picked it up, many bloggers did as well, and we were featured in Search Engine Lands Search Cap on January 15th. In addition:
2000+ page views, 120+ retweets, 3800+ results on Google, 49 Sphinns, top 5 Google ranking for term "internet experts", and 150+ views on Stumbleupon.
We are extremely thankful for the Internet experts who agreed to the interviews, as well as our staff for putting the time and effort into this project. You too can create your own successful link worthy content piece with the below tips for creation and promotion:
A Few Link Worthy Content Ideas
Interviews: Just as we’ve done, take an interview (or interview series) and turn it into something applicable for your business. Instead of just interviewing over the phone or via e-mail, why not video the interview or interview in a non-traditional setting, like on Twitter (as Jay Baer does: The Twitter 20)? Ask interviewees for their predictions, tips, tools, secrets, their take on controversial topics, etc.
Whitepapers: An expert in your field? Write about it in an informative and interesting whitepaper. Give away a few of your trade secrets, and don’t be afraid to give truly valuable information!
Lists/Tips: It may sound like old news, but creating lists and top tip type posts or articles are highly linkable…if done well. Make sure your blog post or article is extremely helpful, interesting, and not just a reiteration of old news.
Promoting Link Worthy Content
Ask connections: Don’t be afraid to ask your friends, family, and professional connections to help get the word out about your link worthy content. They might just be the spark that ignites the conversation and buzz about your content.
Press Release: Distribute an online press release about your new content. Many online press release distribution sites will get the word out, links back to your website, and traffic to your site as well.
Social Media: Send out tweets, post on your Facebook fan page, submit your content to bookmarking sites like Stumbleupon, Digg, Reddit, and others, and don’t forget about LinkedIn. If your link worthy content is centered around expert feedback or insider information, LinkedIn will prove essential: other professionals in your industry will want to get the insider scoop.
Creating link worthy content and promoting it, is probably the very best strategy for obtaining those highly valued "editorial" links. If people voluntarily discuss your content and link to it, those links often provide the very best link juice for your website. Feel free to list some other link worthy content ideas in the comments below.
Tags: 2010 predictions from 10 internet experts, internet experts, link worthy content, promote link worthy content, Social Media
This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 6:00 am and is filed under Link Building. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
January 26th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Wow Arnie that turned out pretty well – congrats on the great idea and successful execution!
January 26th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Wow Arnie that turned out pretty well – congrats on the great idea and successful execution!
January 26th, 2010 at 9:32 am
Thanks Joe, we are quite please with the results. Glad you found this post to, was just about to email all the interviewees with this link so they could see the results.
January 26th, 2010 at 11:40 pm
Arnie-
I really love the approach and have been trying to encourage my own clients to start thinking about building links through content versus begging webmasters to link to their site. It’s more efficient and you’re killing multiple birds with one stone, adding pages to your website, building links, building buzz. . . .
Considering how quick and easy it is to create video now, there is really no reason why sites shouldn’t be producing more content like your interview series.
The power of the screencast is also highly underestimated too.
January 26th, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Arnie-
I really love the approach and have been trying to encourage my own clients to start thinking about building links through content versus begging webmasters to link to their site. It’s more efficient and you’re killing multiple birds with one stone, adding pages to your website, building links, building buzz. . . .
Considering how quick and easy it is to create video now, there is really no reason why sites shouldn’t be producing more content like your interview series.
The power of the screencast is also highly underestimated too.
January 27th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Another way to generate more links to an article is to write it specifically for one platform and promote it in the right places. I find some of my best traffic comes from posts on Twitter, especially if I push it in networks and on blogs enabling CommentLuv that have Twitter friendly communities.
January 26th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Another way to generate more links to an article is to write it specifically for one platform and promote it in the right places. I find some of my best traffic comes from posts on Twitter, especially if I push it in networks and on blogs enabling CommentLuv that have Twitter friendly communities.
January 27th, 2010 at 8:27 am
Congratulations Guys! That was a very great idea. Ever since the first interview, the level of expertise and expressed opinions was really high. Very interesting to hear all those different opinions from such acclaimed thought leaders in our field. You certainly deserve all those mentions and links.
January 27th, 2010 at 1:27 am
Congratulations Guys! That was a very great idea. Ever since the first interview, the level of expertise and expressed opinions was really high. Very interesting to hear all those different opinions from such acclaimed thought leaders in our field. You certainly deserve all those mentions and links.
January 27th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
Thanks Double Vee! We had so much fun filming and promoting!
January 27th, 2010 at 8:44 pm
So true, writing for a specific platform (whether its tools, lists, insider info, etc…) and then promoting on that platform can generate a lot of traffic and links. Thanks Kikolani!
January 27th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Thanks Double Vee! We had so much fun filming and promoting!
January 27th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
So true, writing for a specific platform (whether its tools, lists, insider info, etc…) and then promoting on that platform can generate a lot of traffic and links. Thanks Kikolani!
January 29th, 2010 at 11:59 pm
Very uplifting, thanks. I always was thinking that spending more time to write unique and relevant to our customers content will benefit site in long term but was unsure if this way can be achieved link building. Your expertize in the field is unquestionable and we will try to incorporate some of your tips.
January 29th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Very uplifting, thanks. I always was thinking that spending more time to write unique and relevant to our customers content will benefit site in long term but was unsure if this way can be achieved link building. Your expertize in the field is unquestionable and we will try to incorporate some of your tips.
February 1st, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Link building is very important for search engine optimization. You give me the best information. Thanks Kaila.
February 2nd, 2010 at 3:02 am
Link building is very important for search engine optimization. You give me the best information. Thanks Kaila.
December 13th, 2010 at 2:55 am
Thank you information. Thanks Kaila