Linkable Assets: Create Content People Want to Link To

Most business content doesn't earn links, because there's nothing unique to reference. Linkable assets are different: they're the resources people cite, bookmark and share. Build a few great ones, promote them well, and they can earn links for years.

This guide is part of our authority link building series.

Types of linkable assets

Asset	Example	Why it earns links
Original research	"Small business advertising trends in Alberta" survey	Journalists and bloggers cite data (original research)
Free tools and calculators	Billboard ROI calculator, ad budget calculator	Useful, bookmarkable (interactive content)
Definitive guides	Complete guide to measuring offline ads	The best answer on a topic (long-form content)
Templates and checklists	Press release template, billboard design checklist	Practical and shareable
Glossaries	Marketing and advertising terms explained	Reference resource
Visual assets	Charts, maps, infographics	Easy to embed with credit
Industry directories or lists	Local media contacts by category, where appropriate	Useful reference

Many posts on this blog already contain templates and checklists that could become standalone assets, such as the press release template or the billboard ROI worked example.

Step 1: Find gaps

• What questions in your industry lack a good answer?
• What do people ask you repeatedly?
• What data does your business have that others don't?
• What tool would save your audience time?

Step 2: Build it better than anything else

• More useful, accurate and current than alternatives
• Easy to use on mobile
• Clearly branded, with author credentials
• Updated regularly

Step 3: Make it easy to reference

• Clear title and summary
• Charts and images with embed or credit instructions
• Citable facts and figures, with sources and methods
• A clean, permanent URL

Step 4: Promote it

• Outreach to journalists, bloggers and newsletters (outreach templates)
• Share with partners and associations (partner links)
• Post on LinkedIn and relevant communities
• Mention it on podcasts and in talks (podcast backlinks)
• Pitch it as a story (digital PR)

Step 5: Connect it to your site

Link from your asset to related guides and service pages, and link to the asset from relevant pages across your site. See internal linking.

Measure

Referring domains, links over time, referral traffic, sign-ups and leads influenced. See link building metrics.

Asset ideas for a marketing and PR business (illustrative)

• An annual survey of local small-business advertising habits
• A free press release template and checklist
• A billboard and radio budget calculator
• A glossary of advertising and PR terms
• A directory of media measurement bodies and resources in Canada

Keep it alive

Update data annually, refresh screenshots and examples, and re-promote. An asset updated every year can keep earning links long after launch.