HARO, or Help a Reporter Out, is a service that sends you:
1. Responses from industry experts to be quoted in articles.
2. Questions to pitch with your expertise to get back links.
It’s a powerful way to get your name out there, and it can be a significant source of traffic for your website. That’s why HARO SEO is a much talked about topic. I love the site as it’s so great at connecting with like minds associated with the content I am marketing.
Often I work with clients in niches that I am familiar with as it’s a B2B service, but many times in industries I know zero about.
Research is always on point when I write, but nothing beats a credible citation from a qualified expert on the topic you are covering. That’s where HARO comes in.
Many sites like it but here I’ll talk about what I like about HARO.
Get in touch with me if you want help getting authority links from HARO
What niches work best on HARO?
HARO has categories for just about any niche you can think of: food & drink, education, pets, parenting, travel, technology and more. If you’re looking for local press coverage opportunities, try searching for “public relations” or “press releases.”
Niches that work best for HARO include healthcare, business, tech, finance, lifestyle, and travel.
You can also search by topic area (for example: SEO) or keyword (like “SEO”). HARO is a service where journalists can get help with their stories by reaching out to experts in their industry.
The top use: getting back links from authority sources
Using HARO SEO techniques is great for getting links because journalists are always looking for experts to quote, so when you write an article based on your experience as an expert, you can link back to your site as a source.
There are many people who don’t know how to navigate HARO or how to get the most out of it. They just submit their request, wait for the journalist to contact them and then hope they get featured in an article or podcast.
That’s not how you should use HARO!
Instead, I want you to think about this differently… Think about what niche you’re an expert in, then find journalists who cover that topic area and pitch ideas!
The hardest part of HARO is actually submitting your request. Come up with a headline that will catch the reporter’s attention (and hopefully lead to an interview).
Struggling to create a strategy that gets you media placements? Learn how to approach journalists and create a media placement plan from Neil Patel.
My favourite use: Getting quotes from industry experts
So I write up an article on the best way to boost morale in the workplace. Fairly easy on the facts. Ideas of my own come into the content and a little research gets me more useful facts. Plus, I link back to those sources.
All great!
Thanks to HARO SEO.
Though, how about I get content from experts in HR managing company happiness and well-being that I can add to my article? Hmmm. This is where HARO shines, as in the B2B world, every business is looking for links.
I get overwhelming responses and try to use as many quotes as I can, but I have to limit choices to a handful of quotes. That said, as I appreciate the time taken to send the quote, I go back to the quotes over the days and weeks ahead and use more quotes in further related articles.
It’s amazing how much effort folks put into the pitches. So now, my morale article gains a case study on how a morale boosting culture process worked (I’ve received full case studies at times…) or an insight into why a company succeeded by caring more about their employees.
Many other examples came through, including CEOs who wrestled with company morale and improved their company culture by tackling the low morale, and shared how.
Awesome!
It’s no longer just me writing about it. I am presenting proof of how low morale damages companies and how boosting morale keeps the best employees, and how that company achieved better morale.
The top guys over on AHREFs have created an article on using HARO for back links!
Here are some tips on how to use HARO more effectively
1. Be Clear and Specific: Make sure to clearly state your query and the information you’re seeking. The more specific you are, the better the responses you’ll receive.
2. Be Prompt: Respond quickly to journalists who reach out to you through HARO. Speed is often a critical factor in securing media coverage.
3. Customise Your Queries: To get the most out of HARO, it’s important to tailor your queries to the specific topics you’re interested in.
4. Build Relationships: Responding to journalists’ queries is just the first step. Take the time to build relationships with journalists by following up, offering additional information and resources, and engaging with their work.
5. Track Your Results: Keep track of the results you get from using HARO SEO, including the number of queries you respond to, the number of media placements you secure, and the types of stories that result from your outreach.
This information can help you refine your approach and make the most of your time and effort.
5 Tips For a Successful HARO Pitch (With Examples!)
1. Personalise Your Pitch: Address the journalist by name, mention their publication, and show that you’ve taken the time to research their work. For example: “Hi [Journalist’s Name], I came across your recent article on [Topic] in [Publication], and I think my expertise would be a great fit for your readers.” Take a look at more examples of best use of HARO!
2. Be Relevant: Show why your information or perspective applies to the journalist’s query. For example: “My experience as [Expertise] makes me well-suited to comment on [Topic], as I have a unique perspective on [Key Point].”
3. Provide Value: Offer new information, insights, or data that would interest the journalist and their audience. For example: “I recently conducted a survey of [Number] people on [Topic], and I found some surprising results I think your readers would find interesting.”
4. Make it Easy: Include all relevant contact information, a brief bio, and any relevant links or attachments in your pitch. Make it as easy as possible for the journalist to use your information.
5. Be Professional: Write a clear, concise, and well-written pitch that is free of typos and grammatical errors. Use a friendly tone, but avoid overusing exclamation points or emoji. For example: “I would be happy to provide additional information or answer any questions you may have. Please let me know if you’re interested in learning more.”
It’s not just about HARO for SEO, it’s your way of showing credible content with supporting content from the better authority sources. Making use of HARO helps you build content that convinces your readers that you don’t write fluff… you write trusted content that informs and helps folks.