Link bait bump
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[edit] Slashdot effect and the link bait bump
The term digg effect or slashdot effect have both arisen as the result of the explosion of traffic generated by such popular sites such as Diggand Slashdot. The term refers to the idea that large amounts of traffic are generated by being listed on such sites that the target site is likely to slow down or close. While this phenomenon is well known, there has been recent discussion of another side effect of such an influx of traffic. This phenomenon is becoming known as the link bait bump. Link bait has been defined as content that entices viewers into linking to that content from their own page or site. The link bait bump is the what happens to a website after it receives a large number of back links from link bait or from a social networking site such as Digg or Slashdot into the longterm.
[edit] Link bait bump as a long term phenomenon
It has been documented that link bait serves as an efficient means of link building, but in terms of building traffic, the link bait bump is in reference to the bump in daily traffic that results in the long term. This idea was first proposed by SEOmoz.org, a prominent search engine optimization company. SEOmoz proposed that link bait effects were felt in the long term as a shift towards higher daily traffic and brand exposure. Instead of seeing just the initial climb in traffic due to the digg effector slashdot effect, the link bait bump is the result of increased search engine rankings and an increase in steady, loyal visitors. As Rand Fishkin of SEOmoz points out,
"after a big piece of linkbait that draws thousands of visitors to your site, a small percentage of those folks will stick around and continue to visit on a semi-regular basis."
It has been proposed that this link bait bump can be used to increase the overall popularity of a website or blog by delivering especially fresh or interesting content immediately following a surge in traffic.
There are currently a number of websites that are either currently documenting the link bait bump, or who have discussed the longer term effects of the digg effect. One such website, Voltier.com discusses the short term implications of rising to the top of sites like link digg.com and reddit.com is currently chronicling the aftermath of such a situation as it happened to a local car website whose link bait article became one of the top 200 digg.com posts of all time.
The link bait bump is a new phenomenon that is a mixture of the growing field of SEO and viral marketing. More time and analytics given by sites experiencing a link bait bump will surely give us a better understanding of the overall benefit in creating link bait, or viral marketing efforts as far as increases in traffic and brand exposure are concerned.
[edit] References
1.)SEOmoz - Action Tracking by Referral Source and the Link Bait Bump 2.)Anatomy of a Super Digg
