Linkable assets, also called “link magnets” are a crucial part of any SEO strategy.
Not only do they make for valuable content on your website, they make other sites link to you as well.
Sweet deal, right?
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- What are linkable assets and how exactly they impact your SEO
- 7 types of linkable assets
- How to create linkable assets in 4 steps
Let’s get into it.
Link building cheat sheet
What Are Linkable Assets?
Linkable assets are pieces of quality content that are link-worthy.
This can be a unique research study, an infographic, a video, or literally anything super-valuable to the reader.
Linkable assets are also often referred to as link magnets – which is a fitting description.
They attract backlinks which are one of the most important ranking factors to this date.
A high quality dofollow link passes on link equity, which is a ranking signal in Google.
In Layman’s terms, more high quality backlinks = higher rankings (although it’s a little more complicated than that).
If you’d like to learn more about into how exactly building links helps you rank higher on Google, watch this video:
Types of Linkable Assets
There is no single “best” format for a linkable asset.
It can be literally anything that’s worth sharing.
However, the following are the 7 most commonly used types of linkable assets.
Industry Studies & Research
By “industry studies” I don’t mean your company case studies – those are surprisingly hard to get links to.
I mean articles that took actual, real-world research to write – beyond keyword research.
Like this study of about 14 billion pages by Ahrefs:
Of course, not every company keeps an index of (conveniently) about 14 billion pages.
Which makes this article truly unique – and an amazing linkable asset.
At the point of writing this article, the page has over 6K backlinks, which is more than some sites have in their entire backlink profile.
Just one page!
Now, of course, not every industry study will see the same level of success (especially in smaller niches), but the point still stands.
Any study that shows real data not available with a simple Google search is instantly infinitely more valuable than an ordinary blog post.
Ultimate Guides
Speaking of blog posts, they make for strong linkable assets too – especially ultimate guides.
Even if they don’t entail hours upon hours of research.
An ultimate guide that covers a topic from start to finish makes for a great linkable asset.
Take, for example, Moz’s Beginner Guide to SEO.
It’s a stellar resource that covers every aspect of search engine optimization from A to Z, it’s broken down into smaller, more easily digestible articles.
It is also broken down into chapters, making it easier to digest:
Besides making it more reader-friendly, each page is also an opportunity to rank for a set of related keywords.
So, instead of one page ranking for a dozen keywords, Moz’s guide has 8 chapters and a glossary ranking for over 100.
This is also known as a pillar page, which is amazing for SEO.
Videos
Videos are another excellent format for linkable assets.
They can be anything from explainer videos and tutorials to interviews and documentaries.
Demonstrating a complex step-by-step tutorial in a simple way can be incredibly valuable.
Like our link building video course that breaks down 15 link building strategies into easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials.
Similarly, an interview with a thought leader in your industry can attract attention and backlinks.
Just like other linkable assets, videos should be high-quality, well-produced, and optimized for search engines.
Embedding them on your website is a must, but also consider sharing them on relevant video platforms like YouTube and Vimeo to maximize their reach and potential for attracting high quality links back to your site.
Listicles and Resource Pages
Listicles, also known as “top 10” articles, make for solid linkable assets and the same applies to resource pages.
For example, if you have an article like our Top 10 Free Link Building Tools, you can reach out to every tool you mentioned and let them know they were included.
Chances are, besides a simple “thank you”, each one would be open to mentioning you on their blog in return.
All you have to do is reach out and let them know.
Infographics
A well-designed infographic can condense a large amount of information into a single, compelling image, making it much more engaging than a wall of text.
Because of this, they are often listed as the #1 linkable asset type.
Don’t get me wrong – a well-design infographic is 100% a linkable asset.
However, in our experience, they’re not quite as good at attracting links as an industry study or even a listicle.
Nowadays, design tools like Visme are readily available, so anyone can make their own infographics, even without previous web design experience.
Templates
For us specifically, this entry means email templates since our target audience is link builders and website owners looking to improve their online visibility through link building outreach.
For a digital marketing company, this could mean a website audit template, or a backlink analysis template.
Either way, regardless of your exact niche, people love freebies and step-by-step tutorials – and templates for doing literally anything perform crazy well in search.
Tools Pages
Speaking of freebies, tools pages are another type of link assets that perform especially well.
Especially if your tool is otherwise paid to use.
If we once again look at Ahrefs’ best by links pages, you’ll see that right after their homepage, the two best pages are their free backlink checker and keyword explorer.
Which are two of the biggest applications for the software.
While this tip is only really useful to SaaS businesses, its importance can not be overstated.
For example, since we released our own backlink checker, it has amassed 109 unique referring domains.
Given that we only have around 3K total referring domains, getting over 100 from a single page is no small feat.
And we’re not even a backlink checking tool like Ahrefs!
How to Create Linkable Assets
Audience Research
Of course, by now, you know your target audience pretty well.
Or so you thought.
Beyond your buyer persona, you should know:
- What kind of information are they looking for?
- What formats do they prefer (videos, infographics, text, etc.)?
- Are they just looking for tips, or do they have work to do?
Before we tell you to just “Use surveys to directly ask your audience what they want”, we encourage you to do some competitive analysis.
What works well for your competitors?
For example, we share an audience with Hunter: an email and email outreach tool.
After checking their top pages by links, we can see that tools pages and ultimate guides work pretty well, attracting hundreds of unique domains.
This means that a substantial part of our readers benefit from finding one or two emails, which is made possible by our own freebie email finder developed in response to Hunter’s (and other competitors’) performance.
In your niche, the best-performing pages might be listicles or videos, and so on.
Content Research
Now that you know what works well, you need to understand WHY it works well.
For example, Moz’s SEO guide works because it’s complete.
And it’s not just a buzzword – they literally walk you through every imaginable SEO topic.
If you’re familiar with the skyscraper technique concept, apply it here.
Make something bigger and badder.
And if it’s an interactive tool page or something that’s not as easily quantifiable as a blog post, make it more available if possible.
Meaning more searches or better data.
Publish
Whether it’s an industry study, an ultimate guide, a video, or an infographic, ensure it’s well-researched, accurate, and engaging.
Pay attention to design and user experience, making sure your content asset is easy to read, navigate, and share.
Once your asset is ready, publish it on your website in a prominent location – like your header or footer.
Optimize it for search engines with relevant keywords and meta descriptions.
You’d think publishing would be the end of it and the asset will do the rest, but it’s not so simple.
Syndicate, Interlink & Promote
Just getting a quality linkable asset published is half the job.
The other is to get it in front of the right people.
You can do it by syndicating, and of course, promotion.
Syndication simply means publishing your asset in other format.
So, for example, you could syndicate a blog post into a podcast, or even create a full-blown online course based on the topics you cover.
Consider guest posting on other blogs and including a link back to your content.
You can also submit your infographic to infographic directories or create a press release to announce your industry study.
The key is to actively promote your content piece and make it easy for others to discover and link to it.
Link building cheat sheet
Now Over to You
In conclusion, creating linkable assets should be a long-term goal for your SEO strategy as a whole.
They attract organic backlinks passively, and things like an inclusion in your listicle can serve as a strong incentive for them to link back.
Need help getting more quality backlinks?
Don’t hesitate to start your 14-day free trial with Respona to see how we can help.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What exactly is a linkable asset?
An effective linkable asset is any piece of linkable content on your website that is valuable and compelling enough for other relevant websites to link to.
These assets act as a link magnet, attracting backlinks which improve your search engine rankings.
Why are linkable assets important for SEO?
Linkable assets are crucial for SEO because a quality backlink profile is a major ranking factor in search engine algorithms.
High-quality backlinks signal to search engines that your website is a trusted and authoritative source of information, boosting your visibility in search results.
What are some examples of linkable assets?
Common examples include original research studies, comprehensive guides, engaging videos, visually appealing infographics, useful templates, and interactive tools.
The key is to create something unique, valuable, and shareable within your niche.
How do I promote my linkable assets?
Promoting linkable assets involves sharing them on a social media platform, relevant online communities, and industry forums.
Reach out to influencers and other website owners in your niche, guest posting, and submitting to directories are also effective strategies.
How do I measure the success of my linkable assets?
The success of a good linkable asset is primarily measured by the number and quality of backlinks it generates.
You can use SEO tools to track backlinks, referring domains, and the overall impact on your website’s search engine rankings.
