Backlinks play a vital role in SEO, and many businesses have benefited from using them. A lot of small businesses, however, ignore this critical aspect as they focus more on other aspects of their business and fail to take advantage of what relevant content can do for this growth. HARO, which is short for Help Reporter Out, offers a solution that will help build traffic by link building.
If you are familiar with news articles that share stories or advice and then direct readers to relevant businesses that can provide solutions, this is what HARO [1] does. Your business gets free publicity from articles written by journalists and writers. You have the option of using the free or paid service, so you get enough leads.
How to Get Started with HARO
Getting started with HARO is easy, and the first thing you do is sign up with them. Visit helpareporter.com and click on the “I’M A SOURCE.” There are a set of guidelines listed out which you should go through them, and you click the highlighted “SIGN UP’ link at the upper right corner of the page. You will be directed to fill in your contact information and complete the sign-up process.
You will also need to choose the subject that’s related to your business and other categories depending on your preference. If you want to receive all media opportunities submitted daily, you can choose the Master HARO option. You will get emails regularly on the opportunities selected, and then you can respond to the reporters when something piques your interest.
Some professionals prefer to go for high authority links like the New York Times. However, it will be a great idea to go for journalists with good knowledge about your expertise, even if they are not connected to a vast platform. You stand a better chance with these opportunities, unlike when you target big names, which could end up being a long wait.
Best Practices for HARO
You can always handle the process of HARO yourself and respond to reporters, especially as an expert in your field. The other option will be to hire someone to respond to opportunities on HARO. That way, you can delegate the duties to a company with substantial experience on the platform. This allows you to have more time for other things in your business.
Here are some tips to help you when using HARO.
Read Queries Carefully
It is essential you pay attention to every detail listed on the journalist’s criteria. If you don’t meet all the requirements, you don’t need to respond.
Give Quick Responses
If you find an inquiry that fits everything you need, then you can make a pitch on your story. This should be done very quickly within an hour so the journalist can make up their mind. You should ensure you make your pitch within the deadline stated.
Proofread your Pitch
Even though you are pressed for time, you should ensure your pitch is properly edited and proofread before sending it out. Journalists would easily skip pitches that are poorly written.
Go Straight To The Point
Avoid digressing and hit the nail on the head. HARO is not a tool for press releases or to pitch sales. If you send these pitches, you will be banned from the service as it is against HARO’s guidelines.
Add Contact Details
Having your contact details included in your pitch will make it easy for journalists to get in touch with you. You should include your phone number, email address, social media, and website.
Conclusion
When done right, HARO can be a great boost to your link building strategy. The pointers discussed should adequately help you get high quality links using HARO, especially when you have ample time to spend on sending high quality pitches. But for those who don’t, you can still get your HARO links with the help of a HARO Link Building Service for easy HQ link building.