Rather than another piece of promotional content, a linkable asset is educational and informational in nature. They are deeply relevant, value-driven, and top-quality content pieces that are infinitely sharable.
They serve as core resources that the target market references over a long period of time. As it spreads around the internet, brand awareness and engagement also increase.
They work in conjunction with backlink strategies to create a strong support network for SEO efforts. It works like a digital network or connection with other reputable online sources and serves to increase online credibility. Depending on the niche or industry one is in, this may be easier said than done.
Brands should prioritize establishing authentic relationships with industry partners and leaders in adjacent industries to create a strong linking structure. The best scenario for this relationship is to develop a give-and-take partnership. Similar to standard link-sharing efforts, each party must be offering something the target market will find valuable in order for this to work.
In terms of SEO and search engine results page rankings, once these backlinks are in place, they show the algorithm that this website is trustworthy and contains credible information. It’s social proof that the content has been validated and helpful to humans, not just discovered by bots.
How Linkable Assets Help Your SEO
In an SEO survey that was recently conducted, over 1,500 SEO professionals reported that the second most important factor for better Rankings on search engine results pages was the quality of linking sites and pages. How the quality and relevance of the on-page content took first place in this study.[1]
So what does that tell us? Links and backlinks are incredibly valuable and important elements of any SEO strategy. The more links one has pointed to and from a linkable asset or website, the more credible and trustworthy the brand appears, both to searchers as well as search engine bots.
A successful linkable will become the tool that everyone uses or the study that everyone references in their data. It could be a detailed tutorial that everyone shares across teams to make education easier.
It could be the viral infographic that breaks down complex information into bite-size visual pieces. It’s the relevant and well-produced video that reaches much farther into the digital world than a short blog article ever could.
A likable asset is one of the most effective ways to drive organic, intention-based searches to an offer, sales, page, or website. It creates additional brand exposure and increases authority for online businesses.
Once the asset begins amassing links from industry partner websites, the target market, and adjacent industry leaders, the more comprehensively the brand and website are digitally indoors. It sends the message to search engine bots that this site and this content are reliable, valued, and the brand is legitimate.
What Qualifies As A Linkable Asset?
An asset is something that provides the user or consumer a return. Whether that’s a financial return, time savings, or simply the return of knowledge, something must be gained by consuming or leveraging the asset. Otherwise, it is either a liability or simply neutral.
If the intention behind creating the resource is to garner attention for the website and brand or boost search engine result page rankings, the resource must serve the right purpose. Memes and Tik-Tok dances are shareable and engaging, but they don’t necessarily build authority.
A strategic linkable asset should provide a targeted solution for a well-known and market-specific problem. It should present a unique perspective or offer a new medium or format.
It should bolster any existing resources or supplement helpful frameworks. It should present detailed and complex information in a format that is easily digestible and memorable.
What About Conversions From A Linkable Asset?
It’s important to remember that a linkable asset is not a promotional piece. However, it can be used to direct traffic to offers on the website or a sales page. When formulating the intent of a linkable asset, consider how it could positively affect other products and services.
Typically, a linkable asset is directed at cold or lukewarm prospects floating at the top of the sales funnel. Content resources that tend to be the most successful are made up of evergreen information that is always relevant and can be easily updated as needed.
When brands invest the time and resources into creating a sharable and effective asset and strategically deploy it online in as many places as possible, a linkable asset has the potential to become a cornerstone of their market.
What A Linkable Asset Is NOT
As we’ve mentioned already, a linkable asset is not promotional content. It is not selling anything, and it does not require any action from the viewer. It is a resource created to progress the reader into a place of better understanding of a uniquely relevant topic.
It also means that it’s not baseline content full of theoretical data that has been gated in order to build an email list as with a lead magnet. It must solve a problem in and of itself. It must impart information, provide education, or inspire action now that the viewer has reached a new level of understanding.
A linkable asset also has nothing to do with product information. I cannot be an asset designed solely to highlight the features of the product. It must be relevant outside of something the brand cells. Of course, it should be relevant to the industry and the brand but should stand on its own.
How To Create A Successful Linkable Asset
Linkable assets can take many forms. If the brand is not clear on what format is best suited to the audience, it’s best to conduct a survey of existing clients within the target market or the team members that work with them. Start from a place of informed knowledge and build out what they request.
An advanced element of creating successful linkable assets is to duplicate the resources in multiple formats. For example, one could create a detailed long-form step-by-step tutorial in a blog article. That data could also be re-formatted and presented as a video posted to the company’s website or YouTube.
This is a way to cater to more than one segment of the target market with different formats as well as being available in multiple places. The YouTube video could reference the article if the viewer prefers that format. Likewise, the article could reference each video or embed the video in the content so that both formats are available.
Whatever format (or formats) you choose, here are a few ideas to get you started.
A Long-Form Tutorial
Consider the obstacles or challenges that face a prospect at the top of the sales funnel. As much as possible, don’t choose the obvious solution. Write a long-form blog or newsletter article that expounds on all the minutia related to the chosen problem and reveals the step-by-step solution.
When a topic is chosen, dig deep. What are the adjacent challenges that may crop up along the way? What happens after that challenge is solved? What are the next steps required to move the needle for the viewer?
Another approach is to determine a highly-specific skill that the prospects don’t possess but desperately need. Break down the skill into manageable, bite-sized pieces and educate the audience on acquiring the skill or getting better at it.
Charts and Infographics
Visual tools are highly effective across multiple industries and markets. From maps-o-graphics to recipes to data-driven tables and market study statistics, these are an easy way to communicate detailed information in a visual format.
Team members or designers can use Canva or InDesign to turn existing information into a visual representation. Break down complex or detailed industry-related information and make it accessible to anyone at the top of the sales funnel.
Long-Form Video Tutorials
In a recent marketing study, it was revealed that 36% of marketers believe the greatest benefit of video content is that it gets more engagement than other types of marketing content.[2] Over 81% of marketers in 2022 say they have a budget dedicated strictly to video marketing.[3]
This data implies that video content is highly effective in the realm of education and marketing. Film a video presentation outlining complicated strategies or tools and break them down into meaningful steps that are manageable and actionable.
Develop an over-the-shoulder screen recording with video software such as Loom. This is an easy way to walk the audience through a complex process and help them overcome a common roadblock in real-time.
Think outside the box when it comes to video content. Film the taping of a breakout podcast episode. Film the most popular session at an upcoming conference. Film an online webinar presentation that shares valuable insights into issues the target market faces.
While incredibly popular, short-form videos such as Instagram Reels and TikTok videos do not qualify as a true linkable asset. It could be used to divert traffic to the linkable asset but, in and of itself, is too brief to be of lasting value.
Create An Online Tool, Calculator, or Template
The strategy would require more planning and possible development in order to execute properly. Brands should look into developing custom and interactive tools that solve the problem for the target market. From budget calculators and content planners to content creators and automation tools, this tool should provide quick wins.
Conduct A Relevant Study
Develop a survey or study related to the target market. What data would be relevant to the industry in question? Reach out to team members and industry contacts for resources. Turn this into a highly relevant market study and present the findings in a meaningful format.
Another way to accomplish this task is to reverse engineer an existing study that is outdated. Chase down original sources or find newer ones to update the old study and bring it into the new age.
How To Share Your Linkable Asset
Now it’s time to put the new link a blast at work. In order for it to be found everywhere online, it needs to be shared everywhere online. Put dedicated marketing dollars behind promoting the linkable asset.
Reach out once again to industry partners and share what has been in the works. Develop new content around promoting the shareable, linkable asset. Upload it to the website and get the link ready for rapid, expansive deployment.
Leverage Social Media
Post details about the new asset across all social media accounts. Create a series of social media posts that break down the asset into smaller pieces and direct traffic to the full content.
Check the rules of social media groups before posting the linkable asset within. While it’s designed to be data-driven and valuable, ensure it falls within any content parameters.
Tap into existing social media contacts and collaborate on a live event with industry partners. Get the word out in front of new followers and increase awareness about the new linkable asset.
Pitching
Research information-driven websites and platforms that may be a good fit for content related to the target market. Don’t share the link just to share the link. If the brand is a B2B SEO company, a pet marketplace will not be a good fit.
Opportunities abound with content hubs, news outlets, and digital PR platforms to disperse the asset. If that’s not an existing area of expertise, recruit a firm to do this strategically and effectively. Ensure the pitch expounds on the benefits of the asset and exactly what makes it a valuable resource.
Paid Ads
The fastest and most guaranteed way to get the most eyes on any piece of content is to pay for exposure. Brands can run ads on nearly any platform, including Google, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube. These platforms are happy to charge a fee in exchange for promoting the linkable asset.
Deploy A Linkable Asset and Drive Traffic
A linkable asset is part of a long-term off-page SEO strategy that will continue to enhance brand authority and online credibility with humans as well as search engines.
Sources:
[1]https://sparktoro.com/blog/google-ranking-factors-2019/
[2]https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-marketing-statistics
[3]https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-marketing-statistics
Author Bio Below
Jason started freelancing in SEO back in college, sold his first agency, and now is founder of Zupo, which is an Orange County based SEO consulting agency helping construct powerful long term SEO strategies for our clients. Jason also enjoys multiple cups of tea a day, hiding away on weekends, catching up on reading, and rewatching The Simpsons for the 20th time.
