Most people get stuck on the same question. We know we should create something link worthy, but what? The good news is that coming up with ideas isn’t guesswork. It follows a formula.
Format times modifier
A linkable asset is a proven format combined with a specific modifier. The format is what makes it linkable, like a calculator, an original study, or the most useful guide on a topic. The modifier makes it relevant and gives it built in search demand, like a niche, a use case, an audience, a place, a year, or an authority.
Put them together and you get ideas that almost write themselves:
- Calculator times a niche becomes a boat loan calculator.
- Best X for Y becomes the best credit card for travel.
- Top N plus an authority becomes the top 100 celebrity favorite Italian recipes.
The narrower the intersection, the more likely you’re the best or only resource for it, which is exactly when links come. When a niche is competitive, stack two modifiers, like a loan calculator for boats, by state.
Then validate before you build
An idea is only worth building if it passes a few checks. Is there real search demand for the intersection? Can you credibly produce it from data, expertise, or research? Would a journalist or blogger actually cite it? Does it map to your business so the traffic converts? If it passes, build it. If not, keep the modifier and pick a different format.
We walk through the full framework, the format library, and the validation checklist in the linkable asset formula. For inspiration, our list of 50 linkable asset examples shows the formats in action.
Not sure which one fits your business? Get in touch and we’ll run your niche through the formula for you.