Turn "Boring" Into Links Link Links

Link building is like anything else in life, if you approach it with blinders on you'll miss all the good stuff - and look pretty silly to boot. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box and take a risk even if you're in an industry that's not known for producing punchlines.

There isn't anything comical about stock brokers and online trading, the industry is a strong user of flashy banner ads and dancing figures that most people do their best to ignore. Trying to implement link building campaigns in this market is tough due to saturation levels, even link bait tends to provide little result.

But this company optionsXpress seems to have found xray glasses and thought beyond the lastest link bait top ten list and found the perfect promotional partner to to use to attract links. Acting like pilot fish, optionsXpress has attached itself to Wallstrip, a vlog covering the finacial markets with hilarious skits and an attractive, upbeat host named Lindsay Campbell. This definitely isn't your typical Bloomberg report.

Wallstrip is geared toward the 20/30 year old crowd that's Internet savvy but not so up on hedge funds and the stock market. Enter optionsXpress with their strong Internet presence and promise of low commissions and whoala - it appears the perfect partnership was born.

Wallstrip is getting a ton of press and as their primary sponsor, optionsXpress will benefit too. Sometimes it's smarter to jump on the bandwagon and find a way to go along for the ride than do it on your own.

Take the idea and run with it. Check out sources Mefeedia and blip.tv for vlogs like Wallstrip you can sponsor. Create a focused "link to us" campaign somewhere within the sponsorship to attract more than passive links. Do it before your competition does.

Here's a recent interview I picked up off the Wallstrip site. It's not one of their funny skits but I think some of what Wikipedia's founder has to say is pretty hilarious. If you feel like I do about Wikipedia, you'll understand why. ;)

September 3, 2007