How to get links on popular sites (hoax or real)

[BlackhatSEO]

How to get links on popular sites (hoax or real)

To date, I have gotten one story on the front page of Slashdot, one on Fark, and a few on other big sites. Its not a big deal, but considering that I have attempted less than 5 story submissions to each site in my lifetime I think it is a fair score for now.

I really haven't messed around with Digg or any of the other Web 2.0 stuff because nearly all my projects no longer require aggressive backlink building.

Last year Quadzilla did the hoax marketing test here and incidentally the only place that got linked to from was Fark as well.

Excluding Digg, here are a few observations I've made:

1) Headline is critical -- if it is a news submission or email to the sites owner. The headline has to be relevent to the site. In Farks case, that means ironic humor. Digg is very gamable so all kinds of crap gets through. A top 10 list really isn't going to cut it for most Web 1.0 stuff.

2) Be very, very timely. With Slashdot we had a review for a piece of software that was still in beta. I absolutely did not expect this one to make it to the front page but it did. Thinking back, if it was the full version it would not have had a chance.

A specific technique we used was writing reviews for video games in less than under 24 hours of release. Sure you could get the DOWNLOAD and play the whole thing through but it was easier to buy it and stamp it with an A+ rating. If you can be one of the first sites to get the review out not only will the official game site give you a link, usually Planet{gamename} and every other fan site will too. This could probably apply to many other niches as well.

3) Be on topic, but with a twist. If you know a site owner likes to talk about a specific subject send him a link that is about it that he hasn't heard of before. Ideally you want to craft the content specifically for that person.

4) Details are important. If you are a good writer this will be easy along with 1,2, and 3.

5) Believability. Fake or not, it has to be believable. Use real facts to back it up. Take a look at the UFO conspiracy guys. They take a real event and then question everything that does not line up perfectly. The exact same thing has happened with September 11th (and the Oklahoma City Bombing, and TWA Flight 800, and so on..) Some people want to believe that the entire world is a vast Illuminati conspiracy. If there is no debate that the actual main event happened, perfect. I suspect tabloids and celeb blogs do the exact same thing.

Are fake stories ethical? Not really. However, I would certainly think its fair to publish one, and then a week later post a follow up exposing everyone that fell for it (also a F****** stupid thing to do if its your personal blog and your real name is attached to it; good luck getting links in the future.)