Using HARO to Gain 100s of Backlinks

I’m a big fan of Help a Reporter Out (HARO)!

I’ve been using it in my link-building strategy ever since Ryan Holiday mentioned it in Trust Me, I’m Lying (2012). It’s a game-changer!

If you haven’t heard of HARO, it’s a free platform that connects reporters with sources for their stories.

By stepping up as a source, you can get some great exposure for your business, blog, or yourself—and snag some awesome backlinks while you’re at it!

What is HARO?

HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is a fantastic resource for building your profile and earning backlinks. Journalists and bloggers use it to find sources for their stories, which means you can get some great exposure for your business, blog, or even yourself.

Think of HARO as a tool to help you reach your goals. It’s often used in link-building strategies to improve Google rankings for websites and blog posts. PR folks also use it to get their clients featured in top magazines and on social media.

It’s not a magic bullet that will instantly boost your Google ranking on its own—you’ll need a solid content strategy and great blog posts too. But when used correctly, HARO can definitely give you a boost.

Here’s how you can use HARO to build backlinks:

1. Sign up for a free account at Help a Reporter Out.

2. Once you’re signed up, you’ll start receiving daily emails

The Benefits of Using HARO

HARO (Help a Reporter Out) sends out daily emails filled with queries from journalists looking for expert sources. Each query is a chance for you to get featured as the go-to expert in their story.

While you might get a chance to be mentioned in big-name publications like The New York Times, not all placements are equally valuable. Still, getting featured in reputable outlets can significantly boost your brand’s reputation, industry standing, press relations, and website authority. Good links from these sources help your site rank better on Google and other search engines.

Taking a few minutes each day to review these emails can help you spot opportunities to collaborate with top journalists. Responding thoughtfully to their queries can make a big difference in getting mentioned. Plus, HARO is super easy to use.

Now that we’ve covered why HARO is so beneficial, let’s dive into how you can use it to build backlinks for your website.

How to Use HARO to Generate Backlinks

HARO is an excellent resource for obtaining links to your website. But there are a few things you should do first before you begin pitching:

1. Sign up for an account.

The HARO website offers a free account registration form. You will be able to view the reporter queries once you have an account.

It’s quite simple to register. Register as a Journalist (someone who submits inquiries for their stories) or as a “Source,” who replies to HARO queries:

2. Familiarize yourself with the types of queries being sent out.

Reporters use HARO to send out three types of questions:

1. Request for Information: These are general questions where reporters need broad answers from experts on a subject.
2. Request for Quotes: These involve specific questions, and reporters are looking for short, expert quotes.
3. Request for Interview: Reporters ask for interviews with specialists in a particular field.

Most HARO requests are for quick quotes or information. Just send a brief response with your details (like a headshot, bio, and a link to your website), and if they pick you, you’ll get a backlink.

Some requests are for more in-depth interviews, like one seeking audiologists for a feature in Forbes Health.

When you sign up, you can select your areas of expertise. In most cases, it’s evident.

For instance, this one is only searching for two or three brief tips.

3. Find relevant queries and pitch yourself as a source.

Once you know what types of questions journalists are asking, you can start promoting yourself as a source.

When you spot a question that matches your expertise, just shoot a quick email with your response or quote to the reporter.

What makes a good quote? Here are a few tips:

• Catch Their Eye: Avoid boring or basic answers. Make sure your quote stands out.
• Keep It Short: Be brief and to the point. Reporters appreciate answers that are easy to scan.
• Show Your Expertise: Only offer quotes if you’re an expert in the subject.

Many PR agencies handle HARO, but you might get better results by answering queries yourself.

Don’t forget to include your name, title, and contact info so the reporter can reach out if they want to use your quote.

Also Read: Top 7 Linkable Assets and Creation Tips

Here are some extra tips for answering HARO queries:

1. Do Your Homework: Before you respond, get to know the publication. Read a few of their articles to understand what they’re looking for. This helps you tailor your response to their style and needs, increasing your chances of getting featured and building those valuable links.
2. Include Your Info: Always add your photo, company name, website URL, name, and title. This makes it easier for the journalist to understand who you are and fit your response into their article.
3. Play the Long Game: Your main goal is to provide valuable information. If you do this well, the journalist or blogger will notice. This could lead to a link, but remember, it might take more than one query to build a relationship.
4. Follow Up: After the story is published, reach out to the reporter. Thank them for including your response and let them know you’re available for future stories. If the article didn’t include a link to your site, politely ask for one.

Building connections with media contacts through HARO can lead to more opportunities down the line. Plus, you might make some great professional friends along the way.

3 Effective HARO Pitch Examples

I’ve been on both sides of the HARO game—whether I’m seeking quotes for my articles or trying to get my own links cited. So, I’ve picked up a few tips on what works and what doesn’t.

Here’s the key to crafting a great HARO pitch: keep it short, sweet, and straight to the point. Make sure your pitch adds real value, because reporters get tons of these and you need yours to stand out.

I’ll share some examples of pitches that really hit the mark:

1. My pitch at LawnStarter

I had quotes for the company’s co-founders and for myself from back when I worked at LawnStarter.

While pitching for someone else is more difficult, incorporate the quotes right into the pitch if you’re going to pitch on your own behalf. Don’t merely respond with an offer to put the journalist in contact. That takes a lot of labor. You want to eliminate as much work as possible before offering to introduce the two parties:

Other things: I didn’t focus my response solely on the brand. I am aware that if I reply too strongly, it can be overlooked. Providing an insightful answer is the most crucial thing you can do to get highlighted.

2. Colin M. Darretta’s pitch

I apologize for going against some of my guidelines on length and focus, but Colin’s contributions were so valuable and provided such context that I was able to quickly select a few sentences for my post.

When I finally followed up to ask for more information, he provided me with so much genuine and clear information for my piece that it was a breeze to work with:

It’s worth noting that Colin is submitting this on his own behalf, not representing anyone else.

I reached out on HARO about “people who work long hours,” and it was great to hear from business owners on this subject.

Colin’s response was really thoughtful and stayed focused on the topic without pushing his own brand. He clearly knows how to use HARO effectively, which is why I included his input in the final blog post.

3. Molly St. Louis’s follow up

As previously stated, it’s recommended practice to get in touch with the journalist and express gratitude once your quote gets up.

Molly thanked me for using her quote, as you can see, and mentioned that she hoped to collaborate with me on more articles in the future. And yes, we collaborated on upcoming tales.

This is a fantastic approach to establish connections in the media. This is a picture of her follow-up:

I didn’t show her first response, but it was really good and useful—clearly, it was worth including in the blog post.

But the real value of HARO might be the chance for future collaboration and lasting connections.

For instance, now I can reach out to Molly if I have a story idea related to her or her clients. Bloggers always need fresh topics to write about, and from a source’s perspective, marketing should be an ongoing effort, not just a one-time thing.

Since Molly is a journalist herself, she gets how HARO works and knows how to build relationships with writers. We ended up working together on more articles and projects after that.