logo
logo
Sign in

How to Use HARO to Build Backlinks from Reputable Websites

avatar
Market Media Connect Inc.
How to Use HARO to Build Backlinks from Reputable Websites

What Is HARO?

HARO is an acronym for Help Out A Reporter. HARO is a free service that journalists use to connect with industry experts to get a quote on the subject matter. HARO is owned by media company Cision, which is a global leader in PR and Marketing. HARO service helps thousands of journalists to improve their content by getting advice or tips from industry experts. HARO has currently 75,000 journalists and bloggers who reach out to sources based upon the subject matter or niche. 

 

How to use HARO effectively?

 

Step #1: Setup a HARO account as Source: 

Register your account at https://www.helpareporter.com as a source. 


Step #2: Choose HARO Preferences

Choose HARO Preference as per your expertise in the industry. HARO has around 12 categories that you can choose from. Select those niches on which you have a good knowledge grip. 

  1. Master HARO 
  2. Business and Finance
  3. High Tech 
  4. Biotech and Healthcare 
  5. Energy and Green Tech 
  6. Lifestyle and Fitness Sports  
  7. Entertainment and Media 
  8. Public Policy and Government 
  9. Education  
  10. General 
  11. Giftbag 
  12. Travel 
  13. UK

As you can see above that I have selected 4-5 Categories related to business and High Tech on which I help journalists in the best possible way.

 

Step #3: Qualify Queries:

Set preferences and finish setting your account then you will receive HARO quires twice based on your time zone. You will receive these queries directly in your inbox. 


Step 4: Responding to journalist query:

Once you receive HARO requests there will several queries regarding each niche. Below screenshot attached shows High Tech queries that I received on 9 November 2021. Below you can see 10+ requests from different media outlets that need expert insight on various topics. 


All you have to do is to click on the query and I will scroll down to the details of that particular request. For example, in the above screenshot If I try to click on the second query related to Content Management Trends in 2022, It will scroll down to the details of that request. In these details you will be able to see the following information:

  1. Summary: Brief Summary of Request
  2. Name of Blogger/Journalist: Name of the journalist who is looking for resources to respond to a query
  3. Media Outlet: Media outlet where the story will be published
  4. Category: Category of request
  5. Email: Unique email assigned across this query
  6. Deadline of request: Time frame to respond to query before it expires


Step #5: Writing Effective Pitch: Now you know the details and requirements of the journalist/blogger. It’s time to write and hyper-personalized email to get the attention of the journalist. 

Few things to consider while writing HARO Pitch:

  1. Only respond to relevant queries
  2. Follow the pitch instructions 
  3. Do not attach anything to your pitch
  4. Keep it simple
  5. Be Precise
  6. Add value by sharing your best knowledge to that request
  7. Share any briefcase study if HARO request is regarding it 
  8. Review all the HARO rules before pitching
  9. Don’t forget to add your Name, Designation, Company name, and Link to your website

 

Step #6: Follow up on the HARO

Now you have submitted a HARO request, it’s important to keep an eye on the outlet and author when that content piece will be published on that outlet that was mentioned in the HARO request.

One way you can keep things updated is to set up Google Alerts for the Author Name of the Media outlet. This will help you keep updated and once that alert is triggered you will get an email that this author has published something on the internet


Wait for the Results

HARO takes time and you have to wait for the results, as journalists and bloggers are busy people. So, they take time in publishing the content which they asked for expert reviews. But once they have gotten the time and finalize your pitch they will reach out to you to inform you that your submission has been accepted and you will be featured in that article. Below is the screenshot of one of the HARO pitch I submitted last month and a few days back they have sent an Email to me that my submission has been accepted.

Once the post will be published I will get a brand mention in it. 



Why Is HARO A Valuable Tool for Startups and Small Businesses?


Small businesses can benefit from HARO to earn quality brand mentions from high authority websites for FREE. HARO doesn’t require as many resources to earn quality backlinks. All you have to do is to share a brief pitch regarding the journalist's request and if the journalist likes the piece of content then you will earn a brand mention. 


How does HARO benefit small businesses?


HARO is best for all those businesses that need market exposure, brand mentions on reputable blogs or magazines in the niche and last but not least referral traffic which will help your gain new customers.


  1. Exposure: Simply getting your business and what you do out in front of more eyeballs.
  2. Link building: Backlinks to your website from related to improve ranking the website.
  3. Referral traffic: Once the Post is live you might get referral traffic as well.

 

The Bottom line


Earning links and getting brand exposure can be a rewarding experience for small businesses that are looking to gain visibility in search engines. It is a little time-consuming process while researching facts and writing pitches to the journalist twice a day but if you consider the potential reach and exposure if getting a mention is massive and rewarding. From Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Perspective HARO can beneficial to diverse the link building profile and gain the brand mention from top-tier blogs in the niche.

To sum up, my advice to startups and small businesses is to use HARO to gain exposure and brand mention from reputable blogs and magazines. This will not only help you in reaching a larger audience but also benefit your business.

 



collect
0
avatar
Market Media Connect Inc.
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more