Website and blog publishers that want to boost their traffic numbers are finding there's a new buzz word going around. "Linkbaiting" is the latest craze in tactics to drive traffic to websites. Whether it's good, bad or otherwise remains a matter of debate. The reality is, however, that some of the practices involved in linkbaiting are rather effective.

Although the word linkbaiting is new, the measures it defines are not. The term is used to categorize a variety of different methods publishers employ to gain incoming links to their websites or blogs. Some of the measures are thought to be quite reputable, but some are not. Examples of methods that fall under the linkbaiting definition include generating high-quality content that gains incoming links, creating contests and awards programs, crafting tools for other websites to use that happen to link back to one's site and even writing attack posts and comments about other sites.

While the word itself is gaining a bad reputation among web publishers, it is in and of itself, not necessarily a bad thing. Most web publishers want to gain incoming links to increase their own traffic. Doing so can be incredibly helpful for revenue potential. In fact, many SEO businesses are now offering linkbaiting services to help boost their clients incoming links. The simple fact of the matter is linkbaiting on its own isn't good or bad - it's all in how the measures are used.

The reasons why linkbaiting has become rather popular, despite its reputation, are many. The biggest is the traffic gains. If traffic gains are high enough, revenue potential tends to go up along with it. Making money on the Internet requires traffic. It's that plain and simple. Linkbaiting can increase traffic, so it's practiced. A secondary and also big motivational factor for linkbaiting centers on this method's ability to help raise page ranking status. When a site has more incoming links, it tends to rank higher.

Before diving into a linkbaiting campaign, it's a good idea for publishers to understand a few things. The first is that an increase in traffic is great for a website. The second is an increase in traffic that sends people to pages that are not useful, interesting or informative is not. For linkbaiting to really pay off, new traffic needs to be encouraged to return.

There are many different techniques that fall under the linkbaiting category. Some of the most common include creating tools for other websites to use that link back to yours, crafting surveys, quizzes and tests (people love these) that are fun and interesting, offering contests, writing a very unique and in-depth piece on a specific topic, creating awards programs and even adding interesting lists or humor to your blog or website. There are many other options to increase incoming links. Many of them, as you can see, just involve creating a fun, relevant or useful site.

Some of the more questionable means for boosting links might not make a site the most popular in the long haul. They include going for the shock factor, attacking other sites in post on your own site or even theirs, stirring up controversy and so on.

Linkbaiting itself is not really a bad word. Although the term can describe some methods few enjoy using, the idea behind the concept is a good one. Those who tend to do very well when using some of the practices are publishers that happen to offer something for a visitor's trouble in stopping by.