If you're building links, you're likely on the lookout for new and effective ways to get high-quality backlinks. One of the best methods is using Help A Reporter Out (HARO).
So what is HARO exactly, and how does it help you build a strong backlink profile? Let's find out.
What Is Help a Reporter Out?
Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is a platform connecting journalists and bloggers with sources for their articles. Founded in 2008 by Peter Shankman, HARO has become a go-to resource for reporters and writers seeking expert sources.
Help a Reporter Out sends out three daily emails to its subscribers, each containing a list of queries from journalists and bloggers. The queries cover many topics, including business, technology, fitness, health, and lifestyle. Users can then respond to these queries and offer expertise, hoping to be quoted or featured in articles.
Help a Reporter Out is an effective tool for businesses that need backlinks. By responding to journalist queries and providing value, sources can earn links to their websites, which can help improve their search engine rankings and drive more traffic to their sites.
Help a Reporter Out (HARO) for Link Building
Here's how to use HARO to get high-quality backlinks:
1. Sign up for a HARO account.
Fortunately, the sign-up process is straightforward. You simply need to provide basic information about yourself and your expertise.
Here's how to sign up for a HARO account:
Go to the HARO website at https://www.helpareporter.com.
Click on the "Sign Up" button in the top right corner of the homepage.
Put your personal information, including your name, email address, and password.
Choose the topics you're interested in by checking the appropriate boxes. You can choose as many topics as you want.
Agree to the terms of service and privacy policy by checking the corresponding boxes.
Click on the "Sign Up" button at the bottom of the page.
You will receive a confirmation email from HARO with instructions on verifying your account.
Follow the instructions in the email to verify your account.
After your account gets verified, you'll start receiving emails from HARO with requests from journalists and bloggers. Be sure to read the emails carefully and respond to the ones relevant to your niche.
2. Monitor your inbox.
You'll then receive emails from HARO three times daily (morning, afternoon, and evening) with requests from journalists and bloggers. These emails will contain a list of topics journalists want to cover.
These emails can be overwhelming, so consider setting up filters to make monitoring requests easier. Doing this will allow you to sort them based on keywords or topics and quickly find significant queries.
3. Make a compelling pitch.
There are many aspects to creating a compelling pitch.
For one, you have to read the journalist's request carefully. Understand what they need so that you can tailor your pitch to their wants.
Next, be concise and get straight to the point. Keep your pitch brief but informative, and explain how your expertise or experience can contribute to the article.
A catchy subject line is also essential. It makes your pitch stand out in a journalist's inbox. On top of that, your subject line must be short and give the journalist a clear idea of what you're offering.
Your pitch should also focus on your expertise and explain how it can enhance the article. If you can, provide evidence to support your claims, such as statistics or case studies.
Personalizing your pitch is also crucial. Show the journalist that you've read their request and taken the time to understand their needs. Address them by name and mention specific details from their request.
Lastly, provide the journalist with a way to contact you. Include your email address or phone number. Doing so will make it easier for them to contact you if they have questions or concerns.
4. Follow up.
If the journalist likes your pitch, they'll contact you for more information. Be sure to thank them for considering your pitch and offer to provide additional insights or resources if needed.
Then, take this opportunity to build a relationship with the journalist and ensure that your expertise fits the article well. You can also ask the journalist if they can include specific anchor text for the backlink. This will ensure that you get a powerful backlink from them.
5. Track your links.
Once the article has been published, track your links. You can use SEO tools or link building tools like Ahrefs or Semrush for this.
Closely monitoring the links will help you see the impact of your HARO efforts and make informed decisions for future white hat link building campaigns.
Pro tip: not all links are created equal. Having a few high-quality links from top-tier publications is better than many low-quality links from spammy sites. When evaluating the value of a link, consider factors like the domain authority of the site, the relevance of the article to your business, and the link's location within the article.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Help a Reporter Out work?
Here's how Help a Reporter Out works: journalists and bloggers submit requests or queries for sources. HARO sends out queries three times daily (morning, afternoon, and evening) via email.
How do you respond to Help a Reporter Out?
Here's how to respond to Help a Reporter Out:
Respond as soon as possible, only if the query is related to your expertise. Then, write a compelling pitch and send it to the journalist. Remember to follow up afterward.
Is Help a Reporter Out free?
Help a Reporter Out offers free and paid packages. Under the free package, a user receives emails daily. They can then respond to journalists and vice versa. On the other hand, HARO's paid packages give journalists a database of sources for upcoming stories.
Conclusion
HARO can be a valuable tool if you need high-quality backlinks and want to increase your website's visibility. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for HARO today and start pitching your expertise to top-tier publications!
If you don't have the time to do everything by yourself, we're here to help. Tribu LinkBuilding is an experienced link building outsourcing agency helping business owners get backlinks through white-hat strategies that Google won't penalize. Plus, you only have to pay after we get live links. Contact us to jumpstart your link building success now!
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