Ego bait is content created to capture the attention of a certain group of people. It is basically producing something so that the ego of the person, group or company, in particular, is boosted.

Each individual has an ego, even industry influencers. And so if you process your ego bait posts in a manner that is subtle, you will not be recognized as a flatterer but instead gain a lot of exposure, traffic, and links. If the work you do is good, even after realizing that you are trying to stroke your ego, people will tend to help you out.

Ego bait posts are not widely used and therefore, most individuals still struggle to understand how they can be created. They cross over in various areas of content. Here’s a guide to different types of ego bait posts that can be created.

1. Play the curators role

Organize a talk-show on your website and be the host. Ask experts and industry leaders to share their knowledge with you. Curate these comments, reap out maximum value and promote it in collaboration with the influencers.

2. Prepare a top list

A top list instantly attracts the attention of the target audience. In fact, it is one of the most successful forms of ego bait posts. If a list is prepared correctly, it is cost-effective and helps to generate links. Some of the examples of a top list are as follows:

• Top 10 blogs on electronic music in 2017
• Most shared SEO content in 2017
• Top 10 tricks for lead generation

3. Produce a badge

One of the most popularly used forms of ego baiting is badge baiting. However, successful execution of the same is only possible when you have a reputed and established brand presence. If that is the case, badges help in enhancing your brand visibility and massively boosting your link profile.

4. Regular ego bait

A mention of any individual or company can change the way your regular blog post interacts with the target audience. A lot of SEO blog posts have an individual or a tool mentioned and suddenly those mentioned want the piece of content to be read by as many as possible. This is why you must never say ‘an expert’ in the field of marketing, and use the actual name of the individual instead.

5. Laser Targeted Egobait

While badge baiting helps you reach a larger target audience, laser targeted ego bait posts are more crisp and precise. Suppose you interview an industry veteran, it is only one individual and his or her viewpoints have been covered. This is not a bad thing since you are guaranteeing to get at least that one link from the individual, which is good enough for stroking egos.

How to Get Ego Baits Right?

Knowing the different type of ego baits does not mean that you will be able to get them right instantly. Read on to understand how you can optimize the results of your efforts to the fullest:

1. Ensure that the Website is Maintaining Standards

Just like any other form of decent link building, you will require a basic presence or reputation if you want to be successful in your efforts of promoting ego bait posts. The chances of an individual helping a completely unknown brand are low.

If the current condition of your website is not satisfactory, getting interviews can be tough. Not just that, a lot of people would not even want your badge and you will not be able to curate the inputs of influencers in your industry.

2. Get in Touch With Them

There are a lot of people who create fantastic content, mention the right individuals in the industry but do not inform the featured individuals about it. They hope that the individuals would notice on their own and this is one of the worst mistakes to make.

You must subtly inform the thought-leaders of your industry about your efforts it can completely change the output of your ego bait post.

3. Do not be a Sycophant

While it is good to respect the influencers and give them a high pedestal, do remember to maintain your self-respect. Be polite and let them know that you understand their value but don’t become a bootlicker because they also need to buy into you.

If you treat influencers as someone above you, they will always perceive you like that. Your goal in the future is to be an influencer yourself and you must behave at par with them.

4. Don’t forget the Call-To-Action

Brands, sometimes, send an email with all the information about the piece but without a direct call-to-action. This does not result in any kind of association.

The influencer you are trying to reach out to is in all likelihood busy and does not have the time to find what he is supposed to do. For instance, if you want the influencer to tweet some information, put in a direct link that takes him or her to the option of retweeting that information. A call-to-action tends to give in more benefit than an email with lots of information and no such action-based communication.

To conclude, always remember to be subtle in your communication. Asking for a direct link is not recommended since the influencer could feel that you are using their popularity for your own benefit. If you really want to do the same, make sure you know what you are asking for and where you want it to be placed.