Getting mentioned in major publications or news outlets is a goal for many businesses, but it’s not always easy to grab a reporter’s attention. That’s where HARO (Help a Reporter Out) comes in. 

HARO connects experts with journalists who are looking for reliable sources, giving you a great chance to earn valuable backlinks from trusted media outlets while also building your brand’s credibility.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to use HARO to land media mentions and improve your SEO with high-quality backlinks.

What is HARO?

HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is a platform that connects journalists with experts for their stories. It helps businesses and individuals gain media exposure while earning high-quality backlinks. By answering relevant queries, you can secure haro backlinks that improve your site’s SEO and credibility. 

Major outlets like Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Mashable use HARO to find expert sources. Signing up for HARO gives you a chance to get featured on these reputable sites and build valuable haro links for your brand.

8 Steps to Build Quality  HARO Links

Here are the steps to effectively use HARO for building high-quality backlinks.

1. Sign Up for HARO

To start with HARO link building, visit the HARO website and create a free account. During sign-up, you’ll be asked to choose categories that match your expertise, such as business, technology, or health. We recommend using HARO’s new pitching platform, Connectively, which offers enhanced features for connecting with journalists more effectively.

Selecting relevant categories ensures that you receive journalist queries related to your field, making it easier to find opportunities to earn HARO backlinks.

Once signed up, you’ll receive daily emails with multiple journalist requests.

2. Receive Daily Emails

HARO sends three emails each day, usually in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Each email contains numerous requests from journalists in search of expert opinions. 

These queries are a goldmine for haro link building if you can respond with relevant and insightful information. 

Stay consistent in reviewing the emails to find opportunities that align with your business.

3. Identify Relevant Queries

Go through the emails and carefully select the queries that match your knowledge and niche. Don’t try to respond to every query; instead, focus on those where you can provide real value. 

This step is crucial for haro link building, as answering relevant queries increases your chances of getting featured and earning haro backlinks from reputable sources.

Source

4. Craft a Compelling Response

Writing a well-structured, concise response is key to haro link building success. Introduce yourself briefly, highlight your relevant expertise, and provide a unique, informative response to the journalist’s question. 

Avoid being overly promotional—journalists are looking for useful insights, not marketing pitches. Here’s a simple template you can use:

This simple template helps you craft responses quickly while providing value to journalists, increasing your chances of securing haro backlinks.

5. Submit Your Response

Once you’ve crafted your response, submit it through the HARO platform or email, depending on the journalist’s preference. 

Be prompt—journalists often work on tight deadlines, and submitting early improves your chances of getting noticed. 

Submitting a high-quality response early is one of the best ways to increase your success with haro link building.

Create several pitches, track them all in one place, and monitor their status easily with this organized dashboard.

6. Follow Up (Optional)

If you haven’t received feedback after a week or two, consider sending a polite follow-up. You can ask if they need further information or clarification. 

Keep it brief, and don’t push for an answer. This step can sometimes increase the likelihood of your response being considered and earning haro backlinks.

7. Earn a Backlink

When your response is used in the article, the journalist typically includes a backlink to your website. 

These links usually come from high-authority publications, providing significant SEO benefits. 

By consistently responding to relevant queries, you can build haro links that improve your website’s authority and rankings.

8. Monitor for Published Mentions

To track your mentions and backlinks, use tools like Google Alerts to notify you when your contribution goes live. 

You can also use SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to monitor your earned haro backlinks and evaluate how they impact your website’s traffic and SEO.

Why HARO Link Building is Effective

HARO link building is a highly effective strategy for several reasons:

1. High-Authority Backlinks: With HARO, you can earn backlinks from trusted, high-authority websites like Forbes, The New York Times, and other major publications. These haro backlinks carry significant weight in improving your site’s SEO and domain authority.
2. Builds Credibility and Trust: Being featured as an expert in reputable media outlets establishes your brand’s credibility. This boosts your authority in the eyes of both search engines and potential clients, making haro link building a win-win for both exposure and SEO.
3. Natural, White Hat SEO: HARO offers a legitimate, white hat SEO approach to link building. The backlinks earned are natural and editorial, which search engines favor, making haro link building SEO a safe and effective tactic for long-term success.
4. Drives Targeted Traffic: The backlinks you earn through HARO often come from relevant industry outlets. These haro links not only improve SEO but also drive targeted referral traffic from interested readers, increasing engagement and conversions.
5. Free to Use: Unlike some link-building tactics that require significant investment, haro link building services are free to use. You can gain valuable backlinks from top publications without the need for a large budget.

Common HARO Mistakes 

Avoid these common mistakes to improve your chances of success with haro link building:

1. Responding to Irrelevant Queries: Stick to queries that match your expertise for better chances of earning relevant haro backlinks.
2. Sending Generic Pitches: Avoid copy-paste responses. Personalize each pitch to fit the specific query to increase your chances of getting haro links.
3. Missing Deadlines: Respond quickly to avoid missing opportunities—journalists work on tight schedules, and late responses rarely succeed.
4. Being Too Self-Promotional: Focus on providing valuable insights, not self-promotion. Journalists prefer useful information over ads, increasing your chances of earning haro backlinks.
5. Not Following Up (Politely): A polite follow-up can help, but avoid being pushy. One follow-up after some time is enough to remind the journalist of your contribution.

Tips for Successful HARO Link Building

To maximize your success with HARO link building, focus on these five key practices:

1. Respond Quickly: Journalists work on tight deadlines, so submitting your response as soon as possible increases your chances of earning haro backlinks.
2. Be Clear and Concise: Keep your responses short and focused. Directly address the journalist’s query, making it easy for them to use your input and include a haro link to your site.
3. Personalize Your Responses: Avoid generic replies. Tailor each response by addressing the journalist by name and referencing the specific query to increase your chances of success with haro link building.
4. Focus on Relevant Queries: Only respond to queries that match your expertise to improve your credibility and secure haro link building SEO benefits from trusted outlets.
5. Provide Value: Offer unique insights or data that add real value. The more helpful your response, the better your chances of earning high-quality haro backlinks.

Many people often confuse HARO link building with traditional PR link building. While both strategies aim to secure valuable backlinks and enhance online visibility, they differ in approach and execution. Let’s explore the distinctions between HARO link building and PR link building.

HARO Link Building vs. PR Link Building

Tools to Enhance HARO Link Building

Using the right tools can greatly improve your efficiency in haro link building. Here are some essential tools to help manage your emails, track responses, and measure the impact of the backlinks you earn:

1. Email Filters and Tracking Tools

Managing the flow of HARO emails is key to staying organized. Set up email filters in Gmail or Outlook to automatically sort HARO emails into specific folders, so you can review queries without clutter. Tools like Streak can track when your emails are opened, allowing you to monitor engagement with journalists and better manage your haro outreach service.

2. BuzzStream for Organizing Responses

BuzzStream is ideal for managing email outreach and follow-ups. While haro link building involves responding to queries, this tool helps track your interactions, organize responses, and keep track of journalists you’ve pitched to. It’s especially useful when handling a high volume of HARO queries.

3. HARO Pitch Templates

Using a well-structured HARO pitch template can streamline the pitching process. Create a customizable template that includes a brief introduction, expert insights, and contact information. This saves time while ensuring your responses are clear and relevant, increasing your chances of earning haro backlinks.

4. Google Sheets/Excel for Response Tracking

Tracking which queries you’ve responded to and the status of each pitch is essential. Use Google Sheets or Excel to organize and track your HARO efforts—logging the queries, publication dates, and the backlinks you’ve earned. This helps you monitor your haro link building tactic and measure its success.

5. Tools to Monitor Backlinks (Ahrefs/SEMrush)

Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush are invaluable for tracking the haro links you’ve earned and measuring their impact on your SEO. These platforms allow you to analyze the quality of backlinks, monitor domain authority, and assess referral traffic from the outlets featuring your responses.

Conclusion: HARO Link Building

HARO link building is an effective way to earn high-quality backlinks and build credibility by getting featured in reputable publications. By responding promptly and offering valuable insights, you can enhance your SEO and authority.

Consistency and following best practices are key to maximizing your success with haro link building. With the right approach, HARO can help you grow your brand and improve your search rankings.

FAQs on HARO Link Building