How To Use HARO To Build Links For SEO (Guide)

If you are learning Google SEO, you have probably come across different tips on how to build backlinks. There is manual scoping, expert compendiums, and the clever broken backlink strategy.

While all options have an important place when building backlinks, one of the best tools I've come across has been HARO. This website offers both reporters and experts the opportunity to connect.

If you're an expert on a certain topic, you can use this tool to your advantage by giving reporters their advice on questions relevant to your niche. In the ideal scenario, you'll end up with a backlink from an authoritative site.

I'll start this site by saying this–HARO is a handy tool, but it still takes time and patience.

Once you master HARO, you will get DR 90 links.

If you're interested in harnessing the power of HARO, read on to find out how to get started.

Why are backlinks so important for SEO?

SEO can sometimes seem like an impenetrable web of ever-changing ranking factors. Sure, maybe I was dramatic, but the fact is that SEO is hard to master, even for seasoned bloggers.

There is a reason for this: I need to set the highest-ranking factors in stone. Google experiments with certain preferred ranking factors and then moves on to others.

We know backlinks continue to play a vital role in Google ranking. A study by Ahrefs analyzed over a billion pages to see how important backlinks were. They found that it directly correlated the number of referring domains with higher traffic.

Ideally, if you want these links to come from topical authority sites that can relate to your niche, the more serious the authority and relevance of the site, the better your site will look.

Now the hard part comes from earning those backlinks. Building a healthy profile site can challenge you; this is where HARO steps in. Let's talk about this tool and how you can use it.

What is HARO?

HARO, which stands for Help a reporter out, is a crafty website where media sites can find alternative sources. You, my friend, are the source of the news. Connecting journalists with experts is the primary goal behind HARO.

It gave journalists commitment dates, and finding reliable sources is a challenge. They publish in HARO, where they detail everything they are looking for.

In return, experts can write a message that leads to relevant findings for being featured in a publication. Your website can be linked to the article if you star in a post.

Here is an example of a HARO link I got from responding to a report on HARO.

Haro Link Example

Sometimes reporters will use your entire response or just a section with an associated link to your website.

HARO Ahrefs Example

This link was a DR 40 and links directly to my jontorres.com Home page

This link was to DR 4O and linked directly to my home page with anchor jontorres.com.

Advantages and Disadvantages of HARO:

Before I talk about getting started, I want to review some advantages and disadvantages of using HARO.

I love using HARO for certain reasons. First, it allows you to be featured in major publications and DR 90 sites such as entrepreneur.com. These opportunities are challenging to get otherwise.

?“You can get published on a news or magazine site like Entrepreneur.com, which makes HARO a great place to get high-quality backlinks”

Neil Patel

The other reason this is a great tool is that they offer a free plan. You can start at no cost.

As for the not-so-great stuff about HARO, sometimes it can take a long time to build links . Reporters can take many weeks to give you an answer.

You also have to give reporters time to fit everything into one story, so patience is important.

Another downside is that even though it may feature you in an article, it does not guarantee you a link.

If you get a link, it may only be to your site's home page, not to a specific article you're trying to rank for.

Despite these disadvantages, I believe HARO is a precious tool for any blogger. So, let's jump into the getting started part.

How to start at HARO:

Create an account: The first step, of course, is to create an account. When you sign up, you get the option to sign up as a reporter or as a source. You are going to want to sign up as a source. Choose your subscription: HARO offers three types of subscription options for fonts. These are the plans: haro pricing.

Free Plan: This plan offers you 3 direct inquiries to your inbox. You can get support by mail

Standard Plan: For $19 a month, this plan includes keyword alerts, a user profile, and text message alerts

Advanced Plan: At $49 per month, this plan gets you started on important queries.

Premium Plan: At $149 per month, this plan includes unlimited keyword alerts, profiles, and phone support.

I recommend using the free plan when starting out; you can achieve almost everything with the free plan.

Read the rules: Before responding to queries, it's important to read all the rules for fonts. Failure to follow the rules may cause a permanent ban from HARO.

One of the most important rules is not to give irrelevant information to reporters. Not only is this useless to you, but it can also waste the reporter's time.

Another important rule is not to offer your products unless specifically requested in the inquiry.

Be sure to follow all the rules for success at HARO.

How to use HARO:

The process for using HARO is straightforward. I will go over some basics you're going to run into when using this tool to earn backlinks.

Subscribe to receive tracks by email:

Haro Sample

When you subscribe to HARO, you will receive tracks published that day. You can receive the master email that includes findings from all categories, or you can choose emails that only contain leads from your preferred categories.

If you are starting out, try the Maestro email option. I've found that while you're getting leads that aren't relevant to your site, you'll get something you can use every once in a while. Once you've defined which categories work best, you can narrow the selection.

Choose the correct type of clues:

Once the wheel of tracks spins, you will be faced with the hard decision of choosing the best ones. When I say best tracks, I mean the best tracks for you.

Remember that backlinks are the most valuable when they come from sites related to your niche. So when the leads come in, make sure you choose the ones from relevant media.

Investigate the source:

I just mentioned that you should focus on the relevant clues. The question is, how can you determine which ones are relevant? The answer is research, as with almost everything related to SEO.

You should check each site you reply to. This means understanding what they are about, what they promote, and who their audience is.

Let's see an example. Let's say you blog about site builders. You get an interesting lead, but when you check the site, you realize that it focuses on clothing reviews, which is outside its niche.

This is just an example, but in any scenario, ask yourself, "is my target audience visiting a site like this?" If the answer is no, you should reconsider if this is a valuable site for you.

How to write your speech:

Once you've identified a relevant clue, it's time to write your pitch. The way your speech is written affects whether the reporter chooses you. Here you can see how to answer a query in HARO:

Allow a short period to respond to a query. HARO Pitches

Aim for 30 minutes or fewer to write your speech. This should be short and to the point. Address every aspect of the query.

Follow the instructions. Usually, the reporter gives you explicit instructions on how to respond. For example, if they are looking for a compendium of specific products, be sure to provide an example with a couple of relevant products in your pitch. If the instructions aren't very clear, you can stick to the email template below.

Use your unique tone of voice. Remember, these reporters are choosing from thousands of responses. Instead of writing a generic response, don't be afraid to show your personality.

Talk about what you are qualified to answer on certain queries. Mention your accreditations so they know you are a trusted source for their work.

Be sure to answer perfectly grammatically. If there is something that can certainly disqualify, it is spelling errors and grammatical errors.

Constantly check for placements. Once you've submitted your inquiries, there's nothing else to do but wait. Keep in mind that you may not see a placement for several months. Now, if you want to make this task easier, you can set a Google alert for your name. Reporters don't always let you know when they've done an article with your name on it, so this is a very useful tool.

Temple to answer questions at HARO:

Hello [reporter name],

My name is [your name] and I am the founder of [your company] which is [your company description]. I believe that I have been able to help you with your query because of my experience in [area of expertise].

Remember that it is important to address the reasons you are qualified to answer that query. If they need a quote about web design, and you have experience in this field, be sure to include "web designer" in your pitch.

[Here you write the speech]

Be sure to address every aspect of the query and follow the instructions closely. Include direct examples when possible. Remember that your speech can persuade the reporter to choose you. This means that you must show your best writing. It's not uncommon for reports to take what you write in your speech directly to include in an article.

Please email me at [your email] if you use my quote, I'd love to see the article. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[Your name], [Your position], [link to your website]

[Public link to your photo. This must be a link and not an attachment.

[His sign]

Do's and don'ts at HARO:

Do not follow up: As difficult as it may seem, following up when you hear nothing from the reporter will not benefit you. The name of the game here is simple, and it's all about patience. If you never hear from them, keep answering other questions until something good comes along.

Show logos in posts: If you get featured in a major post, claim it. You can include a “Featured in” section on your website with the logos of the sites they quoted you on.

Don't expect a quick response: Again, it can take a long time to hear anything back. Don't be discouraged.

Not responding to hints quickly: The best practice when dealing with Haro is to respond to clues quickly. The faster you submit your speech, the better your chances of being chosen. After receiving a certain number of speeches, new speeches will saturate the reporter. Check your email as soon as the clues come in and start working on your speech.

Do not pay to be quoted: A wise piece of advice. If you get an offer that asks for a payment to be quoted, delete that contact and ignore it. This is an evil practice and not worth your time or effort.

conclusion

We go over a lot of things in this post, but you're going to find HARO a relatively easy tool to master.

Once you understand the basics of it, you'll find relevant clues and be able to make speeches in no time. The key is to remember that this is a long-term strategy.

You probably won't get swamped with backlinks, but either way, if you set your mindset to think long-term, HARO is an excellent free tool worth having in your toolbox.

Read more