Ego bait
Ego-Bait is a content marketing or SEO tactic that involves featuring prominent individuals, industry experts, influencers, or notable brands within your content in such a way that it “strokes their ego,” encouraging them (or their communities) to share or link back to that content.
Examples of Ego-Bait
Ranked List Articles
Example: “10 Marketers to Watch in 2023”
By highlighting each marketer in detail, you encourage them to share on social media or in a blog post.
Expert or Celebrity Interviews
Example: Interview with top industry experts or famous bloggers, then publish their answers as an article.
People who are featured often share content that spotlights them.
User Voting or Awards
Example: “People’s Choice Awards for the Most Popular ___” and then announce the nominees and results.
Companies or individuals on the shortlist are likely to promote the nomination on their social channels or websites.
Top ___ Lists (Curated Articles)
Example: “20 Travel Bloggers You Need to Follow”
These featured bloggers and their followers often share the article, leading to more links.
Benefits of Ego-Bait
Increased Backlinks
When the featured parties share the article or link to it, you can build valuable backlinks—an important factor for SEO and improving search rankings.
Social Media Amplification
Influencers, experts, or well-known figures who have large followings can exponentially increase your content’s visibility when they share it.
This, in turn, can drive significant new user traffic to your site.
Relationship Building & Higher Visibility
Mentioning industry leaders or big brands can boost your site’s credibility and visibility by association.
It can also open doors to future collaborations and partnerships.
Diversifying and Adding Value to Your Content
Incorporating multiple viewpoints—beyond your own—can make the content more beneficial and appealing to readers.
High-value content has the potential to generate long-term traffic and shares.
Best Practices and Considerations
Maintain Credibility and Quality
Don’t merely flatter; provide genuinely useful, accurate, or well-researched information to earn the trust of your readers.
Avoid Overly Promotional Content
Overly biased or self-serving content can alienate readers and damage your brand image.
Keep the tone fair and the approach transparent to steer clear of stealth marketing allegations.
Respect Permissions and Privacy
Check copyrights, image rights, and get approval if necessary.
Ensure you accurately represent brands or individuals, and avoid misleading details.
Set Goals and Measure Results
Before launching an ego-bait initiative, define objectives (e.g., number of backlinks, social shares, traffic increases).
After publication, track performance through analytics tools to evaluate success and refine strategies.
Conclusion
Ego-bait is a content marketing strategy where you highlight other individuals or organizations in a way that appeals to their “ego,” encouraging them to share or link to your piece. By:
Featuring them in rankings or interviews
Leveraging influencers or industry experts
Strengthening SEO with more links and gaining social media attention
You can potentially boost traffic, brand recognition, and networking opportunities. However, it’s crucial to focus on quality, fairness, and transparency to avoid crossing ethical boundaries or damaging your reputation.