Backlinking Strategies
Backlinking strategies are collections of various methods to acquire links from other websites, either naturally, or with the involvement of the person implementing the backlink strategy.
What Is Help a Reporter Out (HARO)?
Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is a platform that connects journalists with sources for their articles. Founded in 2008 by Peter Shankman, HARO is a free service that allows journalists to submit queries or requests for information on a particular topic, and receive responses from experts or individuals who have relevant knowledge or experience.
On the other side, sources can sign up for HARO and receive a daily email digest of queries from journalists. They can then respond to the queries that match their expertise or interests and potentially be featured in a news article or other media outlet.
HARO has become a popular resource for journalists who are looking for expert sources or unique perspectives on a story, and for sources who are looking to get their name and expertise in front of a wider audience, including opportunities for securing high-quality backlinks to improve SEO. It has been used by a range of media outlets, from small blogs to major news organizations like The New York Times, CNN, and Fox News.
What Are the Benefits of HARO?
There are many benefits for sources that use HARO, especially when it is used as a backlinking strategy:
Increased Brand Exposure
Being featured in a news article or other media channel can increase your brand exposure and potentially lead to new business opportunities, partnerships, or opportunities for securing valuable backlinks to your website.
Increased Credibility
If your business is quoted in a news article or other media channel, it adds to its credibility and can enhance your brand’s reputation within your industry or field.
Networking Opportunities
Responding to HARO queries can provide you with an opportunity to connect with other professionals in your industry or field, potentially leading to new collaborations or partnerships that could lead to securing additional backlinks.
Enhanced Rankings
When your business is featured in a news article or other media channel, it can also provide a valuable backlink to your website, which can help to improve its overall domain authority and search engine rankings, increasing overall organic traffic to your website.
Who Would Benefit From Using HARO?
Any business or individual that wants to gain greater visibility and acquire high-quality backlinks would benefit from using HARO. It’s a win-win situation where journalists get the benefits of original and interesting content, while the source gets the benefits of increased traffic and credibility.
How To Use HARO To Secure Valuable Backlinks
In the following step-by-step guide, you will learn how to leverage the HARO platform for backlinking purposes:
Email Digest
Below is the step-by-step method of using HARO via their email digest to secure backlinks:
- Sign up for a free account on the HARO website.
- Create a profile that includes your area of expertise and contact information.
- Check your email for daily HARO queries. These emails will contain a list of inquiries from journalists seeking sources for their stories. These are organized by industry, so you can easily skim through the most relevant ones first.
- Read through the queries carefully and identify those that match your area of expertise. Think about creative ways you could offer advice for queries that may not be a 100% match.
- Craft a response that provides information about how you would be able to add value and why it would be relevant for their audience, and include a URL that you would like the reporter to use to review relevant content on your website.
- Submit your response through the HARO website or directly to the journalist's email address. Make sure it’s not generic, and it describes what’s in it for the reporter.
- Follow up with the journalist to see if they have any further questions or need additional information.
- If your response is used in the journalist's story, they will likely include a link back to your website, which can help improve your search engine rankings and drive traffic to your site.
- Monitor your website analytics to see if you've received any referral traffic from the link and track the impact of your HARO responses on your overall SEO strategy.
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