HARO (Help a Reporter Out) link building has become one of the best link building strategies for landing free, easy backlinks from authority websites. Mashable, The New York Times, Forbes, Entrepreneur, and the Wall Street Journal are a few sites where you can acquire free, easy backlinks with HARO.
In addition, the benefits of using HARO for link building cannot be overstated
However, HARO is free, but you have to be strategic to earn the links you deserve. In this post, I have covered HARO link building tips.
Here’s the truth: You don’t have to go through the hustle-building links. You can simply contact an award winning digital marketing agency in the USA to build high authority backlinks for you to improve your search engine ranking.
Let’s get started.
What is HARO?
HARO is a platform by Cision that allows reporters to find expert advice on relevant industry topics quickly. It gives entrepreneurs, business owners, and link builders exposure as pioneers in their respective industries without spending a dime on PR.
What is a HARO Query?
A Haro query is a niche-specific topic that journalists distribute via the HARO newsletter to thousands of sources for their expertise. HARO queries normally seek expert quotes and interviews from sources to be included in the articles of top publications.
Example of a HARO Query
As you can see from the image above, a typical HARO query contains the following elements:
- Topic
- Dtailed query
- Requirements
- Deadline for the sources to submit their expertise
What is a HARO Pitch?
A HARO pitch is the response that a source provides in response to a HARO query from a journalist. The sources are normally, link building experts, digital marketers, and business owners. For your pitch to get featured in top publications, you need tips to be successful at it. I have covered 5 tips that you can use to write a successful HARO pitch in this post.
Here’s a typical example of a HARO pitch:
A typical HARO pitch consistss of the following elements:
1. Source’s contact information
2. Pitch title
3. Pitch content
4. Source’s signature
5. A unique URL that the journalist can use to respond to the source
6. An option for the journalist to escalate impertinent queries to HARO
How to Write a Successful HARO Pitch
Follow this video and learn how to write a HARO pitch the standout.
Benefits of Building HARO Links for Your Site
- Land free, easy backlinks that generate referral traffic
- Acquire backlinks your competitors can’t replicate easily
- Be seen as a thought leader in your industry
- Build brand awareness.
3 Effective Steps to Build Links with HARO.
We have discussed what is HARO and how it can be of benefit to your brand. Now the next step is to guide you on how to effectively use the platform.
Let’s get started now.
Step #1 Create Your HARO Account via Connectively
Connectively is the new HARO pitching platform. With Connectively, you can see new and endless opportunities as they go live and apply your search filters to find your HARO link building opportunities.
Look, just sign up for a free account and follow the onboarding process to set up your headshot and bio. In setting up your bio, keep it concise and highlight your skills and qualifications.
Step #2. Respond to Relevant HARO Queries
Selecting the right queries that fit your skills is what reporters demand from you. Here’s the truth: if you constantly reply to queries you have zero knowledge about, your pitch will be ignored.
Key Takeaways: Filter queries by “Date Posted” to get the most up-to-date opportunities. If your response is within the first five in the inbox of the reporter, that is simply a great opportunity.
Hey, you need to respond to as many queries as possible to stand a chance of landing your links, but its not only about the numbers. The quality of your responses also matters.
Step #3. Craft a Compelling Pitch
Crafting a compelling pitch is as important as choosing the right opportunities.
In fact, you can send pitches in the system of Connectively by hitting the “pitch button” of any relevant query that you decide to respond to.
Your focus should be on the subject line to ensure a successful pitch. Ideally, your subject line should be around 70 characters.
Try to include:
- The title of the query
- Your name and your job title
Check out this example:
Content Marketing Guide for 2024: Bright Mante, Award Winning Content Marketing Consultant.
Now, let’s turn our attention to the body of your pitch.
Get straight to the point, and make sure your response is clear and concise. Don’t be afraid to sell yourself. I mean, let them know why you’re relevant to the query in the first paragraph of your response.
Since many reporters regard social shares as a key performance indicator, let them know you’ll be happy to share their content across your social channel if they let you know when the post goes live.
5 Tips for Using HARO for Backlinks and PR
Discover my top tips for achieving success with HARO Responds.
1. Check the Domain Rating of the Media Outlet
Domain rating is also referred to as domain authority. Landing free easy links from sites with high domain authority gives you a competitive edge.
Why?
Google rewards brands that acquire links from such sources. For this reason, its important to check the domain authority of the media outlet. I recommend using the Ahrefs tool.
It’s one of the best marketing tool with a free version.
2. Show Your Credential
As I said earlier, make it clear in your first paragraph that you’re the most ideal source for them. Pinpoint your credentials the right way. You don’t have to be Bill Gate to land free, easy backlinks from The Wall Street Journal.
3. Respond in Less than 45 Minutes
Time plays a significant role when it comes to your HARO query responses. You don’t want to be the 50th person to respond. Do you?
Fast and quality responses win HARO queries.
4. Don’t Expect Every Pitch to be Successful
In my experience, the success rate of HARO is between 7-10% but you can expect these thought leaders to get higher results. You need to be consistent and patient with your HARO pitch to stand a chance.
5. Focus on Building Relationship With Reporters
When you have been featured in their article, share the link with your network and tag them. This is the beginning of a new relationship that can go all the way and yield positive results.
6. Sign up for Google Alert
It is always worth it to sign up for Google Alert so that each time you have a brand mention, you can receive an alert. This clearly tells you the progress of your HARO link building campaign.
Tips to Take Your HARO Pitch to the Next-Level – Haro Link Building
To be very successful with your HARO pitch, pay attention to these 5 expert tips.
Quickly Respond to HARO Queries
The queries in HARO are time-sensitive. Its advisable for you to pitch your expertise in less than an hour. This way, your pitch will be top of mind since it sits on top of the inbox of journalists.
Stay on Topic
Journalists and sources want real-life examples and credible stories to include in their articles so remove the fluff and stay on topic. Off-topic pitches are completely against the rules of HARO for sources.
Proofread and Edit Your Pitch
Journalists don’t have the time to correct grammatical errors that you can easily avoid. When your pitch is full of errors, it will certainly be ignored. You can easily use QuilIBot to edit and proofread your pitch.
Make Your Pitch Brief
HARO pitches should be short and sweet. Your pitch should have a maximum of 200 words.
Include Multiple Contact Information
Adding multiple contact details to your pitch makes it very easy for journalists to reach you via the medium that is most convenient for them.
Quick Reminder: Add your website, email, and social media handles to your pitch.
From HARO to Connectively.us: The Best PR Platform
Technology has evolved , so does digital marketing. Each day, businesses get rebranded to reinforce their values and to standout. HARO has been rebranded to Connectively and I must confess: the changes are significant enough tp give brands the opportunity to boost their online visibility.
What is Connectively.us and Why Should You Care?
Connectively is a platform that connects journalist to subject matter experts seamlessly. In fact, Connectively has amazing user interface which ensures a smooth navigation.
Connectively Pay to Pitch Pricing System
Connectively offers multiple packages that you can choose from. The free plan gives you the opportunity to send 10 pitches per month.
In addition, you also have the opportunity to pay $19 for for 25 pitches , $49 for 50 pitches and finally, $149 for 150 pitches per month.
However, if you need more pitches, you can always buy in quantities of 5, 25, or 50.
Top 4 Help a Reporter Out Alternatives
You have achieved success building links with these advanced link building tips. Congratulations!
Now consider my top 4 help-a-reporter out alternatives. I have used these HARO alternatives in the past, and I must confess, they worked great for me, but you don’t have to use them all to get your desired result.
Just pick one or two, and you’re good to go.
SourceBottle
SourceBottle is an easy-to-use Australian-based alternative to Help a Reporter Out. This platform gives you endless opportunities. Bloggers and small media players can take advantage of this amazing platform.
Just create an expert profile and get started.
JustReachOut
This intuitive platform is a perfect Help a Reporter Out alternative. It can be used to find bloggers, journalists, and podcast hosts who have written articles related to your industry or keyword.
If you need an AI-powered tool to crush your outreach, JustReachOut is your solution.
Help a B2B Writer
Help a B2B Writer connects B2B writers with top-quality sources.
They connect sources with writers who write for B2B companies such as Content Marketing Institute, Shopify, LeadPages, and OptinMonster.
Like HARO, Help a B2B writer sends opportunities directly to your inbox on a daily basis based on the industry you sign up for when setting up your profile.
Twitter ( #Journorequest)
Constantly search for the hashtag #journorequest on Twitter, and you’ll locate a lot of journalists seeking writers and sources.
People also read: 13+ Q&A for HARO (Help a Reporter Out)
Final Thoughts on HARO Link Building
We have discussed a lot in this post. If you want to quickly attract free, easy backlinks to your site, just follow this guide.
Have you tried the Help a Reporter Out alternatives in my post? Talk to me about your experience in the comment below
