How To Create Linkable Content In 2021

When I was first getting into SEO I used to think there were only two types of content; content that would be helpful to my readers and content that wouldn’t.

The kind of article you read on the subway, which you enjoy but don’t feel like sharing. Or the stuff that feels like hard work to write; great articles that people want to link back to because they’re useful.

A few years later, an aspect of content creation has popped up that I have yet to see explained in enough detail: how do you make your articles linkable?

And by this, I mean the type of article where anyone reading it says “of course you should share this!” or “this is the best blog post I’ve read in ages”.

Most content that business owners create is designed with one goal in mind, converting that reader into a customer. This is understandable. After all, why spend time writing content for free? But without some attention to how it will be shared, chances are you’ll never make the impact you want with your target market.

Of course, the first step is knowing who your target market is and what they like. Once you know, here’s how you can make sure people are shouting about your articles on social media.

Create Linkable Content in 2021

You need to step away from trying to create sales pitches disguised as useful articles. This type of content is not useful or linkable. You need to think about the people you want to read your blog posts, and what they’ll be sharing with their friends.

For example, if you sell guitars made out of panda fur it might make sense for you to create an article explaining why pandas are cute. However, it will never be linkable because no one else actually cares about pandas enough to link back to that article. Hell, I’ve written over 100 blog posts on my own site and I can’t recall a single person linking back just because I mentioned pandas somewhere in the post!

On the other hand, say you had an article on your site about ‘How To Choose an Acoustic Guitar.’ Most people who play guitar or know someone that does will link to that. Why? Because it’s useful to them!

So if you’re just starting with your blog, how can you create this type of content?

Focus On the Reader

For starters, step away from the keywords and focus on the reader. Create step-by-step guides on how to do something. People may not buy what you’re selling straight away but they’ll remember you when they do need your product or service. And they’ll be sure to sing your praises when they share those articles too!

If an article isn’t immediately applicable – say if I’m writing about pandas and I want you to subscribe to my email list, I write about the panda having a nice time in the forest. Subtlety is key here. Then when they read me talking about the wonders of pandas in another article it will be natural for them to connect the dots and sign up.

This approach works so well that many bloggers swear by it. Entrepreneur James Clear writes a lot on his blog about habits and productivity – but he only gets a couple of hundred readers per post. That’s because most people don’t have an interest in these topics right now, even though they may have later down the line!

So instead of writing article after article on these topics, he’ll create content that has a tangible relationship to what he wants you to do – but is actually interesting to read. He gets tens of thousands of readers per article and so many email subscribers it’s crazy!

So think about your intended reader and ask yourself: is this something they will be willing to share with their friends? If so, you’ve done the right thing.

Anticipation Is Key

In closing, how can you create linkable content? By anticipating what people will want to share with others.

This is about writing good content for your readers and not just for search engines. You’ll quickly find that the most loyal readers are also the ones that help you get your content out there to more people. By providing relevant and useful information that they’ll want to share with their friends, you’ll be creating a valuable asset – one that other blogs will want to link back to.