4 Characteristics of a Useful Link Post
I made a point the other day that linking to other blogs is an integral part of being useful to your readers. Specifically, I mentioned this in the context of the link post, and how we tend to put up link posts on low-traffic days. While this isn’t true for everyone (John at PoeWar has link posts every day, for example) many of us follow that convention.
At any rate, an interesting discussion broke out in the comments of that post. Here are a couple of the reactions:
I link out a lot - just about every post I think, but I don’t write that many “links posts”, mainly because I find them dull as a reader.
I often skip over them unless they’re well written (tempting me to explore) Anything with more than 5 links makes me think there’s no way I’ve got time to explore them. So I skip to something else. - Joanna Young
I love to link to other bloggers simply because I LOVE a good blog. I get almost as excited about finding a great new (to me) blog, as I do about a really good book, and I just can’t resist the desire to share it. - Lisa Wilder
Now, I think the value in linking to other bloggers within the text of a regular article is without dispute. Linking to another blog and then adding your own thoughts and commentary helps to carry on the big conversation. But, what about Link posts?
There are several characteristics that can make link posts useful:
Useful link posts provide context.
Link posts are most useful when there is some context to those articles. Offering your reader a link with a headline probably gives them little more than what they already have from their feed reader. If the headline wasn’t interesting enough when they scanned their feeds, odds are it isn’t going to be interesting enough in your links post. By providing context, even if that’s just a few sentences, you describe the value the reader gets from clicking the link.
Useful link posts have useful links.
It’s not enough to describe what’s on the other end of the link. You’ve got to make sure that the page you’re describing is indeed interesting and useful to your reader. This means that, no matter how close you and I might be as colleagues or friends, if I don’t write anything decent in a given week you need to leave me out of your link post. Obligation links don’t serve anyone. If you link to a weak post of mine, the odds that the reader will click through next week decrease.
Useful link posts center around a theme.
In many cases, simply keeping the links related to your niche is enough. However, the most useful links posts will hit on several articles that touch a related topic or question. This puts the meta-talk in context and allows your reader to get the big picture and carry on the conversation. In some cases, a themed link post may become the new hub of discussion for the particular topic.
Useful link posts consider length.
A useful link post might be as small as four or five links, or it may contain several hundred. Each of those two extremes has its place. A post with four links and a paragraph or two about each is not that different from a regular blog article. This sort of link post relies on you to add value to the links, giving them context and telling the reader what you think about the links in depth. Short link posts are likely to create more conversation.
On the other hand, you might create a master link list of every post you can on blog traffic or grammar rules. Those link posts become enduring posts, rarely read in their entirety but often referenced. In some cases a post like my 178 Ways to Improve Your Internet Writing, while not intended as a links post, can fall into this category as well.
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Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting that other forms of link posts or that link posts that don’t follow these rules can’t work. What I am saying is this: making your link posts more useful increases your value to your readers. It also increases the likelihood that more readers will click through those links, positioning you as a potentially significant source of traffic to the blogs you’re linking.
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17 Responses to “4 Characteristics of a Useful Link Post”
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Good one Bob. I needed this now. I’m planning on doing a weekly Sunday link love post on my About.com blog, but I don’t like seeing just a list of links—what you said about adding context to the links was dead-on.
Colleen Vanderlindens last blog post..Wordless Wednesday: Ants on Peonies
Thanks for the mention Bob. I include writing links because I do consider my site to be a “Writer’s Resource Center” which means that I not only want to give them good information, I want to point them to good information. Its the same reason I post jobs, because I like my site to be an all-around resource, and there are a lot of writers out there looking for work.
John Hewitts last blog post..05/29/2008 Writing Jobs and Links
I agree. I rarely link but when I do link it’s because I know that my readers will find my link useful.
Chriss last blog post..7 Things That I Should Have Done Before Becoming A Father
Thanks for the follow up Bob. You’ve identified the characteristics that I’d call ‘useful’ too.
I tend not to go beyond 5 in a list… unless it’s a post you’d expect someone to bookmark for future reference.
Joanna
Joanna Youngs last blog post..70 Million Definitions of "Blog" And Counting
Great post! I do a links post every week and I find the points you make about what makes a good post to be valid. I coalesce my links around my blog’s topic (creativity and the creative process) and that seems to work for me. I don’t always have time to comment on other blogs, so the link posts also serve double duty as a nice way to reach out to other bloggers in my general topic area.
Liz @ Creative Libertys last blog post..Surf’s up: Creativity links for May 28, 2008
I’ve done both kinds of link posts. The long lists usually happen when I’ve collected a lot of links and haven’t posted in a while. However, I prefer the link posts where I can provide a context, and those are also the posts I prefer to read. If you’re going to suggest that I read something, then you should tell me why you think it’s important for me to do so.
Great info, Bob. Thanks. As a relatively new blogger, I appreciate your advice and perspective.
I think link posts will be ideal when there is a short summary underneath each link;Instead of me having to rely on trial and error. The title may not be enough for me to really gauge if it’s worth my time clicking. We can’t expect what we write to be all encompassing. There are going to be other minds out there who touch on things we never would have. In that case, what could be more useful than relevant and useful links for the reader of ones blog?
Bamboo Forests last blog post..I Survived Abercrombie & Fitch
Remind me to be more careful when I post a comment.
@ Colleen - cool! I’m glad it was useful.
@ John - you’re welcome. I love the job links at your site, especially. I like the others, too - always sends plenty of traffic my way
@ Chris - I think it’s important to be liberal with the links, but also keep them useful. It can be hard to do, to be sure.
@ Joanna - I figured we were on the same page, or at least within a few pages
@ Liz - I hadn’t thought about it in that context: link posts instead of commenting. I guess it really is, like I mentioned in the article, about continuing the conversation, no?
@ Sharon - I agree. Context is key.
@ Rebecca - You’re quite welcome.
@ Bamboo - I agree. I can get headlines anywhere.
[…] 4 Characteristics of a Useful Link Post: This is the reason why I added some context today. […]
I really enjoy your insightful view of writing ideas for an online audience. I have your blog feed on my blog for my readers to see your posts.
I try to put links within the context of my blog posts, such as:
“See what people on StumbleUpon have to say about Trellian” (StumbleUpon is the link)
I generally try to keep the link text down to 3 words or less, unless the meaning is lost.
@ David - Thanks for stopping in! I can see what you’re saying about the link text within the a post. More than that isn’t especially pleasing to the eye.
I’m really glad you followed up on this topic. Since Carolyn Bahm’s ‘Once Upon a Bloggy Night’ link meme nearly 2 weeks ago, I’ve been tempted to do a link post for the 1st time. Not that I’m a fiction writer mind you — that’s Rhodester’s department ~_^ — but I enjoyed discovering which blogs she reads regularly. The reason I’d never considered a strictly link-lovin’ post is that I do include links to other blogs whenever their content inspires me or what I’m writing reminds me of something I’ve read.
As I read your tho’ts & the feedback, I’m now envisioning a place for a pop of link love each week amidst the persistent lovin’. ^_^ I’d already been working on a link post this week so will proceed, keeping all this good advice in mind but maintaining my unique take on it as I can’t help but do w/everything. Thanx to each of you who’ve taken part in this conversation & you, Bob, for your tho’tfulness & timeliness in hosting it. <3
(|_|*cheers*|_|)
“[Link] love is the condition in which the happiness of another [blogger] is essential to your [post].” — Robert Heinlein [w/a twist he’d appreciate]
Dorian aka coffeesister |_|)s last blog post..CHOOSE choice
@Dorian - I’m so glad it hit home. I really enjoyed your take on the link post, by the way.
[…] link meme through Harry’s excellent response to Bob’s thoughtful consideration of how best to do link posts. From the standpoint that there can never be enough love, I’m continuing the trend. This here […]
Thanks for a great post. It helps us all to be a resource for our readers. We need to include our thoughts about the links and not just have a list.
I like to see the link love posts. I find lots of interesting blogs and people that way.