Linkbait
Content created specifically to attract links and shares naturally, such as original research, free tools, strong opinions, or visualizations that other sites want to cite.
Linkbait (sometimes called link-worthy or linkable assets) is the supply side of earning links: instead of asking for links one by one, you publish something compelling enough that people link to it on their own. Classic formats include original studies and surveys, statistics roundups, interactive calculators, definitive guides, and contrarian or expert takes that journalists and bloggers reference.
The strongest linkbait gives others a reason to cite you in their own work. Original data is especially durable because a single statistic can be referenced for years, compounding links long after publication. This is also what makes assets like these the backbone of digital PR and the skyscraper approach.
Despite the name, effective linkbait is not clickbait. Misleading or shallow hooks may earn a spike of attention but rarely sustained editorial links. Invest in genuine value and a clear, quotable takeaway, then amplify it with outreach so the right people discover it.