Link baiting I would have to say is a important factor in seo, incase you don't know what link baiting is its the process of a topic you bring up on your website that will create a virual market in the web world.
Virual Marketing is known has something like word of mouth, but way stronger, its where you links will get flooded, and one way to find out what topics are really interresting is to go around, and read certain things, look around in forums, and if you happen to know someone asking a lot of questions about the same thing, and see the topic is very popular, read up on it, and write about it.
I'm sure if you do this several times, sooner or later your going to hit link baits, and catch plenty of fish hehe
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One thing I have learned was by hanging out in forums, and I notice when i post a certain topic it stays on top, and therefore if it stays on top, I will get detailed information about that certain topic because I notice its getting the most views, and replys, then write about it on my website.
the "topic" was eye catching so therefore every one was bound to see it, but remember make your writing about that topic very interesting, so your viewers don't x you out, the idea is to get them to link you, and bookmark you site.