Give Your Site Visitors Something to Talk About - More Link-Inspiring Ideas
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Most industries have trade shows, conferences, speeches, or seminars associated with them. If you make it to one of those and craft a well-written review, you’ll get plenty of links and lots of gratitude from folks who couldn’t make it. Write professionally, and go ahead and namedrop (make sure you use full names). Link out to the folks you mention; they’ll probably drop by to check it out.
Since these kinds of events are also great places to rub shoulders with industry insiders or other names in the field, you might think about setting up an interview. It could even be something as simple as getting permission to email them a few questions, which they will answer and then let you use on your website. (Hint: when you do send the email, remind them of the discussion and give them a reasonable deadline). Remember, these experts are likely to consent because it gives them press as well.
You can even use experts in a group. If you’re writing an article that offers advice on a particular subject, you can poll several experts in the field and ask them to offer their advice. You’re likely to get links from the experts themselves, as well as from your readers. And if they disagree (as experts often do), so much the better. For instance, one of the most popular features in a quarterly magazine aimed at science fiction and fantasy writers (the SFWA Bulletin) is a dialogue between two luminaries in the field, one an optimist, the other a pessimist.
How about holding a contest or a competition? Prizes and public awards generate interest, even if the award is only a small graphic the winner gets to place on their website. Along the same lines, giving away prizes could encourage links (everyone likes to get something for nothing).
These are just a few ideas you can use; with some thought about what is likely to attract attention from people in your field, I’m sure you can come up with many more ideas. Think like an industry reporter, trying to cover what is hot, unique, and exciting in your field. Is your content likely to make that reporter want to grab a keyboard and start typing? If so, you’re well on your way to building a site worth talking about…and linking to.
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