In some dirty industries there are parallel markets/messages/ideas that have similar business models, but are loved and marketed as though they are pure and do nothing but improve the world. As long as your industry is viewed as being dirty it is hard to get much traction outside of it until your industry grows up, you get good at relating your industry to other industries, and/or wrap your brand around a market that is easier to like.

• It is far easier to get links as a person talking about search than it is a person talking about SEO. Google is always in the press and largely controls the public perception of SEO. Ride their publicity.

• It is far easier to get links as a person talking about personal finance than a person talking about payday loans. Be an expert in the broader field and then publish the offers that are profitable enough to subsidize the other content.
• It is far easier to get links as a person talking about blogging than a person talking about the news. There is a sense of empathy toward other bloggers, there are tons of people doing it, and social activity is baked into the software.

If your field is hated consider riding other trends to help gain authority and spread your ideas. It is far easier to sell people what they want than to try to change their view of an entire industry.