Note: the original post was not removed because I was feeling the heat. It was removed to increase the heat. When you create buzz you can usually create more buzz about the buzz.
Below is what I replaced the mental post with. —-
I have a new subscription forum over at Magnetic Web Content, where the heat continues. ;)
After discussing it with a number of trusted colleagues I have taken the step of putting the “Mental Linkbait” behind closed doors. I had thought discussing tactics in an open way was a good thing but it seems I am giving too much away and was attracting a crowd I really don’t have any time for.
I have little interest in discussing the ethics of linkbait, as far as I am concerned if it works and results are achieved then do it.
I am soon to launch a subscription only coaching program for linkbaiters, where tactics will be discussed and consultation given.
Sorry if you missed all the fun, but at the end of the day it did more harm than good discussing publicly such effective tactics.
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I was at first disappointed that I missed the post but then the almighty crawling entity smiled upon me. That was utterly brilliant. I too saw it at the buzz stage and sensed that something was up but still had a glimmer of hope that it was the truth. It’s amazing how far it went.
Shame you decided to remove the post. Aside from the fact that it was becoming a great piece of linkbait in itself (it went hot on sphinn and thats how I saw it – now the link is broken), the fact is that this discussion will be taking place around linkbait and you had put yourself in the centre of that discussion which was only going to raise your profile as a linkbaiter. I understand that the discussion went a bit crazy but couldn’t you just have switched off comments? IMHO taking down the post is a bit of an own goal.
Yeah the discussion was interesting and it’s not why the post went, those who know me know I will argue even if it means losing a nights sleep. But I have a business to run and must be grown up sometimes.
But, anyone wants to continue the discussion here are welcome to do so.
so you built up a crowd, then you whip the content away and then you release the course.
Just taking notes for my next project ;)
First you trick all those highly ethical journalists, now you pull a bait & switch. Have you no morals?!
;)
I am truly evil, yeah this was all a cunning plan and not my usual make it up as I go along ;)
@jammit, I didn’t pull because of the discussion, I have no problem defending my corner.
Thanks to Twitter, I had an heads up that something big was coming.
Just thought I would mention that the “missing” post has probably been one of the most interesting and useful that I have read all year.
Legendary, exactly why I’ve been subscribed to this blog whilst dropping most others…
To be honest, Lyndon, I think you did the right thing – unfortunately, one of the problems of being successful in marketing is often having to keep it to yourself – or else face unwelcome, even hostile, attention from armchair critics.
Keep up the good work, and let the chattering masses move on. :)
Thanks for all the kind words, I have had so much praise about this from respected peers that my head has gone huge.
Suffice it to say my order book is full for the next few months.
I heard it on the Howard Stern show also
Read the post via Googles’ cache – and it is brilliant! I read this story, spoke to my wife about it a few people at work even mentioned it. Just incredible! Am I upset that it was fabricated? Nope – not at all. Truly it shows the power of having something go viral.
OK I get it…the whole reason you published the story you just pulled was to get people interested in your upcoming subscription coaching service. Very smart…
You are definitely the master of the art of linkbaiting.
You are truly my new favourite person, now that I’ve seen Adam Ant cry in the video for “Wonderful.” This was absolutely brilliant sir.
ha ha exactly Lyndon. To be honest, i had questioned what good it would do long term to discuss this piece of linkbait.
PS – There’s very little ethics in linkbait in my opinion, so its a mute point, but there’s plenty of sour grapes it seems ha ha (hic)
@hobo, I agree, ethics are for philosophical discussions then last till the wee hours.
@Julie, you meant I wasn’t before? Cool, thanks, may see you at SES August if you are going.
@todd, yes I planned the whole thing, right to where Howard Stern talks about it, I am that good, lol. Sorry mate, I’m just making this up as I go along. But I do think I have a few things I can teach people.
@mo, ah the benefit of Google cache, that’s cool, people have scraped and stolen it for their websites anyway, whaddya gonna do. Not forget that’s one thing I wont be doing.
@brian, thanks, yeah they do seem to have a lot of time to chatter don’t they.
@danny, plenty more where that came from ;)
Your blog posts are interesting and very helpful. Got your blog from the search engine and totally hook on it right now..
I like Tim Nash’s comment :D.
Besides that, I’d like to know how you 301 forward a blogpost? Did you use htaccess or is there a simpler way to do it?
Also, consider this a trackback:
Email Marketing for Linkbait – It’s the Distribution Stupid although now I think the trackback may be to nothing much.
I think you did a great job.
1. you gained a lot of links for your client
2. you started good discussion
Good work sir. I thought the piece was well-written and fairly obviously not true, so I don’t see the big deal. Says more about Fox News than anything else.
If people really want to see this post, try using the cache on a SE that is slower to update than Google (*cough*Live*cough*).
@hobo: I think you mean moot point.
Great job.
Makes you wonder – I mean what kind of numpty thinks EVERYTHING they read on the Internet is true.
Wait! – is this linkbait?
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