There are a lot of “social media experts” out there screaming that “YOU HAVE TO USE LINKBAIT!!! YOU HAVE TO SUBMIT TO SOCIAL MEDIA SITES!!!” Sure there are definite advantages to doing these things… quick traffic, a few new links, etc but… do you really have to?
I am going to have to say that no, no you do not. I hate to say it, but the overused cliche really does apply: “If you build it (great), they will come.” By this, I mean if you really want a large audience of viewers that read, talk about, share with friends and really LOVE your work – you only need to write great content. Great content will be found (and linked to) no matter how you promote it.
Case in point: I was honored to discover last week that this blog has been included in the SEO category of “Alltop” – Guy Kawasaki’s new site. I hadn’t sought this out, submitted by blog to be included; it happened by itself.
This is easier said than done of course; you actually have to know what you are talking about and, as I have said before, you should have a passion for your writing! That is what makes people read your blog day in and day out. Striving to write better, more informative posts is what will make your blog a success. It’s not the one-time traffic surge of StumbleUpon or Digg; it’s the writers who day in and day out produce great content that is helpful for their readers.
Here are just a few great blogs where the authors really get that content is what it’s all about: SEOMoz, ProBlogger, DoshDosh, WolfHowl. (I subscribe to hundreds of great blogs in my news reader; I wish I could list them all here!)
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You make it sound like getting links is a bad thing 😉
Stephan, I don’t know you, but I know now that you have the heart at the right place. Last time I commented at your post about the interview with Matt Cutts at Pubcon, because it is the best interview with him ever. And this time you hit the right words again: “passion for your writing” – If you have it, you’re right, you will be successful and nobody will stop you.
I got a lot of experience in Social networks and I am tired of it. People will push you to the top, but later they will not read your post, they only vote for your post, because you vote for their posts. That’s not real.
In the long tail they will lose. You cannot make friends with a click: “Be my friend” – You can only make friends if you take care of their needs. But you know all of this.
Take care.