One day, the owner of a fishing e-commerce store website contacted me on my Threads profile and expressed interest in my SEO Services so he could grow and get some leads or sales.
And then, I started working for him.
Fast forward, now I’m getting from 0 to 40+/day visitors for him.
And this happened for a small Search Engine Optimization tactic that I call the HOOK strategy. If you provide client services or want to improve your website, you can use this trick.
By the way, let’s get started.
What Is the HOOK Strategy?
Glad you asked, my curious reader-friend.
The HOOK strategy is basically the art of giving people a reason to link to your content. Because let’s face it, in the world of SEO, backlinks are still the cool kids at the Google lunch table.
According to a massive study, pages with more backlinks dominate the top spots on Google. That means, backlinks are still strongly correlated with first-page Google rankings.
So, if you want to rank, you need backlinks.
And if you want backlinks, you need a HOOK.
Simple, right?
Now, let me show you how I used this idea to go from digital tumbleweed to 40 clicks per day. As a result, the client is getting 5-10 sales per day for his fishing store.
How I Discovered the HOOK Strategy
Let’s look at a real-life example,
I was doing what every good content marketer does, such as creeping on my competitors. I noticed something weird. A lot of blog posts about voice search were getting tons of backlinks.
I dove in and asked myself the golden HOOK question:
Why are people linking to this?
The answer: Stats.
Everyone was quoting the same “62% of people use voice search in the bathroom” stat. If people are linking, maybe I should make content that’s just packed with juicy, irresistible data nuggets.
So, I did.
I created some blog posts with statistics.
The Results?
- 5+ Backlinks
- 1,900+ Visitors
- 10+ Site Authority
Here’s the data from the Google Search Console:
That’s pretty.
Types of HOOKs You Can Use
There isn’t just one HOOK. That’d be boring.
There are several, and they all work like a charm if used the right way.
Here are some of the most powerful ones:
1/ Data and Stats
You already saw this in action.
People love citing data to back up their claims. Be the source, and they’ll link back to you.
Pro Tip: Use original research, surveys, or just aggregate existing data in a useful way.
2/ Ultimate Guides
You know those giant posts that feel like the encyclopedia of a topic?
Yeah, that’s a HOOK.
People see them as the go-to resource, so they link to them like crazy.
3/ Infographics
Visual people need love, too.
Infographics or visual content are still HOT because they’re easy to embed and share. If you pair one with good data (see what I did there?), you’ve got a double HOOK combo.
Even, image backlinks trick generated 51+ links for me.
4/ Controversial Takes
Say something spicy (but true).
When you take a bold stance in your niche, people either link to argue with you, or to back you up.
Either way, links are incoming.
5/ Case Studies and Real-Life Results
People love proof.
Show how your strategy or things worked (like I’m doing now, and previously I did it with the iGrowthful Shop so that people can trust), and others will link to your story as an example.
Bonus: You build trust while getting backlinks.
What If I Told You… I Used 7 More Strategies, Too?
Yep, I didn’t stop at HOOKs.
I secretly borrowed about 7 other SEO tactics from the iGrowthful Strategies Bundle database. These extra secret strategies helped me amplify the traffic I was already getting.
Think of it like giving your SEO efforts a double shot of espresso.
And that, my friend, is the real power of knowing why people link to content and giving them exactly what they want.
Wanna Steal My Process?
Here’s how to use the HOOK strategy today:
1. Spy on top-ranking posts in your niche.
Use Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, or just plain ol’ Google.
2. Analyze why people are linking to those posts.
Is it stats? A quote? A killer graphic?
3. Create something better with that same HOOK.
Go bigger, bolder, and more useful.
4. Promote it.
You don’t need to go full hustle mode. Just tweet it, email it, maybe DM it to your cat.
5. Sit back and let the backlinks trickle in.
Okay, sometimes you’ll need to give it a push, but the HOOK does most of the heavy lifting.
Final Thoughts
SEO in 2025, 2026, or 2027 isn’t just about cranking out content and hoping someone stumbles on it. If you want links, authority, and traffic, you need to earn it with a HOOK formula.
Whether it’s through stats, guides, opinions, or a meme-filled case study, just give people a reason to link to you. Maybe your Google Analytics will finally stop looking like a deserted wasteland.
So, use the HOOK strategy.
And your future self will send you a digital high-five.
More Strategies:
- 49,000+ Website Visitors By Using People Also Ask
- Build Free Tools Using ChatGPT To Get 400K+/m Traffic
- I Built 536 Backlinks Using Outdated Resources