Today's BallHype Top Stories, Examined

Posted 4/10/08 - Kellex

Here is a look at the top stories currently on BallHype and what you can take from them to help you build a better post and hopefully generate some much needed traffic.

1. 2008 NBA Blogger Season Awards: 42 Hypes, 16 linkbacks

2. South Park Crushes Bill Belichick: 33 Hypes, 14 linkbacks

3. Video - How do I reach these kids?: 17 Hypes, 13 linkbacks

4. The State of the West via Comic: 19 Hypes, 4 linkbacks

5. Video - Amare = Weak or Bowen = Dirty?: 21 Hypes, 8 linkbacks

(Those numbers will obviously jump now that we've linked them so by the time you read this, it may look a little off and of course others could enter those top 5 spots if they are hyped or linked.)

With just a quick glance what you can you gather from that list? Well there are 3 videos, a comic, and a blog community post.

I think it has been well documented that a great video will always get you some major traffic so I find it no surprise that 3 of the top 5 posts are videos. Ever thought about looking into the video making biz? Adding some breaking video to your site can get you instant and long term traffic as well as a ton of linkbacks. (Odenized is the best example of this to date.)

Another post is a comic strip about the NBA. This is brilliant but unless you are an artist and extremely creative this could be a little difficult. Although one thing to keep in mind is that linking to a post like this can get you a lot of exposure. You can always post this comic with a linkback to the original site followed by a post to Digg or Yardbarker. This may seem a little odd or shady, but it happens all the time. Most would just be happy that you are linking back to their work and I doubt in most cases you will get any negative feedback.

The final topic in the top 5 was a blog community awards post. This is something you should consider for your particular niche. I'm not sure how many niches out there are doing this sort of thing, but you can see the impact it can have. Not only will you get linked all over the place, but that traffic should just start flowing in.

As a new blogger, this would also be a great way to make some quick friends in your niche. Remember that building up a community should be one of your top 5 goals. What is your blog without a community to share it in?