HARO: Free Traffic for Your Blog
I was surprised the first time it worked.
If you’re looking for an easy way to build high-quality backlinks, HARO is a great option. In case you’re not familiar, HARO is a service that connects journalists with sources.
By signing up for HARO and responding to queries from journalists, you can earn valuable backlinks to your website. Plus, it’s completely free to use! In this guide, I’m going to teach you everything you need to know about generating quality backlinks from HARO. Let’s get started!
This article contains affiliate links and offers that benefit me with no additional cost to you.
What is HARO?
HARO is short for Help A Reporter Out. It’s a service that connects journalists with sources who can provide information or quotes for stories they’re working on.
In exchange for providing valuable information or quotes, journalists will often link back to the source’s website in their article.
This type of link is called an editorial link, and they’re some of the most valuable links you can get because they’re editorially vetted and come from high-authority websites.
I was excited to see that it works. I pitched my affiliate marketing business in response to a journalist's post on HARO and wound up with a full interview, written article, and backlink. -> Here’s the article.
I use Jasper AI to respond to queries with custom-crafted pitches.
How HARO Works
Journalists use HARO to find sources for their stories by sending out queries. These queries contain a brief description of the story, along with a deadline for responses.
Anyone who’s signed up for HARO can browse these queries and choose to respond to ones that are relevant to their expertise.
If the journalist likes your response, they’ll include it in their article along with a link to your website. Of course, it’s not always this easy.
You’ll need to craft a compelling response and submit it before the deadline, but if you’re able to do that, you stand a good chance of getting featured in the article.
Now that you know how HARO works, let’s take a look at how you can use it to build high-quality backlinks to your website.
Why Backlinks Matter
Backlinks are an important ranking factor for search engines, but that’s not the only reason you should be building them. Backlinks can also help to increase your website’s traffic and visibility.
When a journalist links to your website in their article, that link acts as a referral. If someone clicks on the link and visits your website, they’ll be exposed to your brand and what you have to offer. This can lead to more website visitors, and if those visitors are interested in what you have to say, they may even become customers or clients.
Building backlinks is also a great way to build relationships with journalists and other websites in your industry.
If you can establish yourself as a source of quality information, you’ll be more likely to get links in the future. And as your backlink profile grows, so will your website’s authority and visibility.
Building High-Quality Backlinks with HARO
There are two main ways to use HARO to build backlinks: by responding to queries directly, or by using the platform to connect with journalists and pitch them story ideas. Let’s take a look at both methods in more detail.
Responding to Queries
This is the most common way to use HARO for link building. journalists send out queries, you respond to ones that are relevant to your website, and if your response is used, you’ll get a link. It’s a pretty simple process, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind if you want to be successful.
First, make sure you’re only responding to queries that are relevant to your website. There’s no point in responding to a query about fashion if your website is about pet care. Not only will your response be off-topic, but you’re also less likely to get featured in the article.
Second, take the time to craft a well-written and informative response. This is your chance to show off your expertise, so don’t waste it with a generic or fluff-filled answer.
Include data and statistics to back up your claims, and make sure your response is free of spelling and grammatical errors.
Finally, make sure you submit your response before the deadline. journalists are often working on tight deadlines, so they won’t have time to wait around for late responses. If you want your response to be considered, you need to submit it on time.
If you follow these tips, you’ll be in a good position to get featured in an article and earn a valuable backlink.
Following Up With journalists
Following up with queries you have pitched and not received a response to, as well as journalists you have connected with in the past, is a great way to stay top of mind and increase your chances of getting coverage.
When following up, always be polite and professional. Remember, journalists are busy people, so don’t take it personally if they don’t have time to respond to your pitch or query.
Just thank them for their time and let them know you’ll be in touch in the future.
If you’re looking for a way to generate quality backlinks for your website, look no further than HARO. With HARO, you can connect with journalists who are looking for sources of information or quotes for their articles.
In exchange for providing valuable information or quotes, many journalists will link back to your website in their article.
These types of links — known as editorial links — are highly valuable because they’re editorially vetted and come from high-authority websites.
Now that you know how it works, there’s no excuse not to start using HARO to generate quality backlinks for your website today!
My name is Lori Ballen, and I’m a 6-figure blogger. I make money through ad revenue, consulting, freelance writing, courses, and affiliate marketing.
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If you would like to try Jasper, an AI writing assistant to help you craft clever pitches in response to queries, you can. My link gets you a free trial of Jasper AI.
