Do you want to know how to create SEO-Friendly WordPress blog URLs? The setup is pretty simple, and can be done right out of the WP-Admin Section! 

Step 1.

Goto “Customize Permalink Structure” under the Options tab in your Wordpress Admin.

Step 2. 

Select the “Custom Structure” bullet. Now this is where things get tricky. How you want the URL structure to be laid out is up to you. If you would like your URLs to display like ours, you would use the following structure:

 /%category%/%postname%/You can find a complete list of customization options available at Wordpress.org - Using PermalinksAfter you have selected what URL structure best fits your WordPress Blog, proceed to click “Update Permalink Structure”. In most cases, this should lead to the page refreshing; with WordPress letting you know that it worked.

 Step 3.

After you have updated the permalinks on your blog, you should make sure that everything is right. You can do so by clicking “View Site”

  to get to the main page of your blog. Once the page has loaded, click one of the blog titles and check to see if the URLs have structured the way you wanted them to.

If they haven’

 t, the most likely scenario is that the permissions were set too strict for the htaccess file when you updated your blog.  Troubleshooting PermalinksStep 1.

Using an FTP program of your choice, connect to the server where your blog is currently being hosted. After you have connected, then proceed to locate the .htaccess file on your server. Right click this file, then select “properties”

 (or ctrl + o for CHMOD options on popular ftp clients like FlashFXP).  We are trying to make this file writeable. Change the permissions from 644 to 666, then press OK.  (Keep the ftp program open)  Step 2.

Now go back to your WP-Admin panel, and proceed to options > Permalinks. Copy and paste the URL structure that you have selected into the custom structure textbox. Once you have done that, please continue to click on “Update Permalink Structure”

Step 3.Now you can verify to make sure everything is in place, by going back to your site and clicking on a blog post. Once you have confirmed that the link structure is work, go back to your FTP program and change the permissions back from 666 to 664. Click on OK, and you’re finished!

What  is “Link Baiting”?

            Link baiting is simply getting the viewers to place your link on other websites. This type of marketing would be considered “viral”, as the users would be spreading your link out all over to their friends.  There are several types of “hooks” used when link baiting. I have provided all hooks below, with a detailed description of each hook.

Types of Link Bait Hooks:

 News hook: If you can disprove an article, or be the first to find a news article relative to your niche, then that would be considered a “News Hook” type of link bait

Attack Hook(use at own risk!): The Attack Hook is used when attacking another blogger/story/product in your specific niche. This method is not recommended unless you can really justify with what you’re attacking.(Don’t go overboard!) If done right, you can gain instant credibility and reputation within your niche. But be careful, you don’t want to brew up angry bloggers that link back to negative posts! 

Resource Hook: The Resource Hook is a resource that users within your niche deem useful. Maybe it’s a tool you created, or a list that you gathered of useful information. If users find it helpfup, they will link back to it. Have to give, to receive!

Contrary Hook: Expose an article or disagree strongly with what another blog author has written. If you can disprove a major story in your niche, that could win you some extra coverage.  Be controversial!

Humor Hook: Can you come up with something funny relative to your niche? Maybe a video or a picture you found off of google, anything that you might think people would find funny enough to link back to.

Link baiting is most successful on social networking sites, blogs, forums, places where users are having discussions / debates relative to your niche. You should now be able to link bait on successfully. If you are new kid on the block, using the attack hook or contrary hook, might not be the best way to gain a reputation. Do your homework, and be creative, if you want attention you have to earn it!