I love linkbait. Whether you’re linking to A-list bloggers or new bloggers that fit your niche doesn’t matter. Linking to get people’s attention is a great strategy.

But don’t stop there. The people you’ve linked to might not notice the link. And that defeats much of the reason for linking in the first place. If you’re using WordPress it will send a trackback to other WordPress users: assuming they allow them, and it doesn’t get caught in their spam filter. So you shouldn’t rely on WordPress to ensure that people notice your links.

Simple answer: Click your own links.

It’s good practice to ensure all links are working anyway, but it has the added benefit of helping people notice them. Lots of people might not see a trackback, but they do check their stats religiously, and they should be checking referrers. Even if it’s only 1 visitor that came from the link (you), they should notice it.

Heck, click on the links a few times. For blogs with lots of referrers, there’s a chance yours will get buried or go unnoticed.

Ultimately, if you really want someone to notice that you’ve linked to them, contact them directly. Email them and let them know you value what they wrote and linked to it for your own audience. That’s the best way to ensure they see the link and the best way to start building a positive relationship.