Backlinks remain one of the most important ranking factors for SEO in 2024. But did you know HARO can be your secret backlink weapon this year?
HARO offers a steady source of high-quality editorial backlinks
With the right strategy, you can earn high quality backlinks from authority sites fast
Backlinks from HARO can improve your site’s domain authority
Building relationships with publishers drives the best results
HARO backlinks serve as a powerful SEO ranking signal when done correctly
- What are HARO Backlinks?
- Why HARO Backlinks Matter for SEO
- 3 Big Benefits of HARO Backlinks
- How to Start Building High-Quality Links with HARO
- 10 Tips for HARO Backlink Success
- Examining Our Own HARO Backlink Wins
- Getting More From Your HARO Links
- Leveraging Relationships for Backlink Growth
- Bonus Tips for HARO Link-Building Domination
- Conclusion
What are HARO Backlinks?
Please forget about guest posting. HARO backlinks are the new secret weapon savvy marketers use to outrank the competition.
So, what exactly are HARO backlinks? HARO stands for Help a Reporter Out, a service that connects journalists and reporters with expert article sources. It’s been around since 2008 but has recently exploded in popularity for link-building.
The way it works – journalists publish write relevant queries on the HARO platform outlining the type of sources they need for an upcoming article. As an expert, you can respond to the queries relevant to your niche with helpful commentary, quotes, or tips.
And here’s the HARO link-building goldmine: If the journalist uses your suggestion, you’ll get a high-quality, editorial link back to your site from their article. This is known as referral traffic, or people visiting your site not from a search engine but from another publication.
The key to success is quickly responding to relevant queries and establishing yourself as an authoritative niche resource to reporters. You can do this consistently, and you can land links every week from major online publications.
Unlike self-made guest posts, which Google may increasingly scrutinize, links earned on HARO stem from organic inclusion in reputable media outlets and news sites. This makes acquiring links incredibly valuable for SEO.
Savvy marketers are waking up to the immense power of this untapped backlink source and using it to build domain authority lightyears faster than competitors still stuck cold emailing web admins for links.
Why HARO Backlinks Matter for SEO
Backlinks have always been critical for SEO strategy. Google uses backlinks to determine authority and relevance when ranking web pages. Sites linking back to you essentially “vote” for your page with their link equity.
And HARO backlinks offer marketers three unique benefits:
1. High domain authority sites
A backlink on Forbes, Entrepreneur, or Business Insider goes much further than a link from Joe’s Blog. HARO facilitates links from Tier 1 business and news domains that rapidly accelerate your domain authority.
2. Anchor text links
Unlike guest posts where you’re stuck with your brand name, HARO links use targeted anchor text around your best keywords, sending focused SEO signals.
3. Extreme scalability
Ordinary link-building approaches don’t scale quickly. But with HARO link building, you can respond to dozens of journalist queries daily and build an untouchable backlink profile combining volume, authority, and precision.
While anyone can sign up for HARO access, only some utilize the full link-building potential. Equipped with the right strategy, however, you can tap into this underutilized backlink goldmine and watch your rankings skyrocket.
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Editorial Backlinks
Gain authority with top-notch editorial backlinks for superior SEO and online visibility.
Big Benefits of HARO Link Building
Are you intrigued by the power of HARO backlinks and want to start generating high quality backlinks of your own? Here’s why they should be part of your 2024 link-building strategy:
1. High Search Visibility
2. Lower Link Building Costs
Paid link-building services don’t come cheap these days. But HARO allows you to build premium editorial links completely free. And because it’s scalable, you can build 20-50+ high-value links monthly with a smart workflow.
3. Quality > Quantity
Too many low-quality links can damage your site these days. That’s why reputable websites and authority publications trust HARO to guarantee links that connect them with credible expert sources rather than spammy guest posters.
Just a handful of authoritative, organically placed, contextual links from industry media outlets and sites build tangible SEO value you’d struggle to find elsewhere.
The best part? Anyone can access HARO. You don’t need ten years of networking or an advertising budget. All it takes is relevant expertise and savvy outreach skills to build a virtual link fortress.
How to Start Building High-Quality Links with HARO
Ready to tap into this backlink goldmine but don’t have the time or resources to execute a proper link building strategy?
The link-building experts at SEO Ocean can handle the heavy lifting for you when it comes to this HARO link building method.
Here’s an inside look at our proven HARO link building process:
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Step 1: Initial Strategy Call
We start every campaign with an in-depth consultation to understand your niche, ideal publishers, your target audience, keywords, and overall link goals.
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Step 2: HARO Account Setup
Our team then creates fully optimized free and paid HARO accounts, configuring precise keyword alerts to attract relevant linking opportunities.
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Step 3: Proactive Query Monitoring
SEO Ocean has dedicated media coordinators who check HARO multiple times daily to respond to high-potential queries immediately, beating competing sources.
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Step 4: High-Value Responses
Every query response we craft highlights unique data, offers exclusive stats or other valuable insights to relevant queries, and conveys subject matter expertise – increasing the chances of earning each HARO link.
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Step 5: Publisher Follow Up
Once contacted by a media outlet or an interested journalist, our coordinator provides additional info or commentary to secure inclusion, negotiate anchor text, and ensure maximum SEO value.
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Step 6: Relationship Building
We continuously nurture relationships with publishing contacts to become their trusted, go-to HARO sources for our niches and deliver more relevant link opportunities and wins on autopilot.
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Backlink Packages
What we do
- Enhance online visibility
- Drive organic traffic
- Increase site authority
- Tailored for businesses
10 Tips for HARO Backlink Success
Caught up dreaming about landing HARO links from industry titans like Forbes, Business Insider, or The Wall Street Journal?
We have too.
The difference is that we’ve cracked the code on how to turn those dreams into reality.
These 10 pro-HARO tricks are the keys to skyrocketing your authority and search visibility through strategic backlinks this year.
Some may call it unfair. We call it…results. Shall we?
1. Laser Focus Your Niche
Generalists need help to earn HARO links. The best success comes from precise niche targeting. Identify underserved reporter needs in your niche and establish yourself as the expert source.
2. Monitor Multiple Times Daily
Speed is critical with HARO queries. Set email alerts and check new questions consistently throughout the day to respond within minutes.
3. Always Add Value
Generic responses get ignored. Make your commentary shine by including data, stats, actionable advice, or unique angles others won’t provide.
4. Follow Up Relentlessly
Don’t take initial journalist interactions for granted. Always send follow-up emails reaffirming your expertise and reliability to incentivize the backlink.
5. Promote Your Wins
Once blog post is published, promote your HARO links on social media outlets and link to the piece from your site. This builds connections and shows transparency.
6. Track Link Metrics
Leverage link-tracking software to monitor metrics like referring domains, anchor text, and organic traffic from each link to optimize future outreach.
7. Respond to the Same Writers
Reply to multiple queries from the same journalists over time. Become a trusted niche resource they keep returning to.
8. Guest Post Outreach
Use HARO links as proof assets to connect with journalist contacts for contributor opportunities and guest posts.
9. Limit Over-Optimization
Avoid overusing keywords in responses. Write naturally to build authentic clout and not trigger publisher spam filters.
10. Relationship Marketing
Treat journalists well and nurture contacts through regular check-ins, sharing their articles, and providing extra assistance. Quality relationships drive the best links.
Examining Our Own High Quality Backlinks Wins
Our own in-house link-building results reveal the true power of HARO backlinks. Here are 5 of our biggest wins:
HVAC.com published an educational piece for homeowners on how to clean the air inside their homes naturally. Within a section on the benefits of houseplants for air purification, Alpine Home Air earned a valuable backlink and brand mention.
The author quoted Andrew Arthurs, CEO of Alpine Home Air, as an expert source on the air cleaning capabilities of certain houseplants. Arthurs provided commentary on specific pollutants that plants can mitigate along with the resulting health benefits.
This strategic quote and backlink enhanced Alpine Home Air’s domain authority while positioning them as a credible leader in the home air quality space. Published on one of the largest online HVAC publications, the link provides an SEO boost and exposure to a highly targeted target audience full of homeowners proactively addressing their indoor air.
Securing educational links like this through organic inclusion and expert commentary is a proven HARO link-building tactic we execute for clients. Alpine Home Air’s expertise and thought leadership earned the HVAC.com backlink, enabling the company to breathe new life into their link-building efforts.
Starter Package
Starter Package Ideal for businesses starting their HARO® backlink journey, this package includes monthly identification of relevant queries and crafting of compelling pitches.
Getting More From Your Links
Alright, let’s shift gears a bit.
At this point, you’re probably fired up and ready to land your first round of money HARO backlinks. We don’t blame you.
But here’s something extra sneaky top link builders know:
Your initial wins are just the beginning.
In fact, the real gold in link building strategies lies in learning to squeeze every last drop of SEO juice from top-tier placements so one link turns into 10…then 100…
You following?
See, most people get excited when they land their first Forbes link, give each other high fives, and call it day.
But we look at these tier-1 link-building wins much differently…
We view them as door openers to systematically extract exponential value through deliberate relationship marketing that makes publishers beg to link back to us again and again.
Think you’re ready to take your HARO link wallet to the next level?
Let’s continue…
Here are 5 ways to get more from your HARO wins:
1. Promote Your Links Extensively
01
Don’t keep your securing hidden. Promote your links all over social and media outlets, link to them from your site, and include them in outreach to demonstrate your expertise.
2. Guest Post Outreach
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HARO wins serve as social proof for guest posting to major publications. Pitch contributor articles to the publishers linking to you showcasing more of your exclusive data.
3. Expand Links Site-Wide
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If a publisher links to one of your pages, explore getting links on additional relevant pieces across their site by providing unique commentary.
4. Keep Providing Value
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Continue nurturing publisher relationships by sharing content ideas, statistics, and other resources to stay top of mind for future links.
5. Leverage Relationships Up the Chain
05
Use your initial journalist contacts to get referrals to their editors, company leadership, or partners for even more link opportunities.
The work doesn’t stop once you grab Tier-1 placements. Savvy link builders turn one link into 10+ by methodically squeezing value through deliberate relationship marketing.
Let’s explore the power of link building strategies and real connections for long-term link growth…
Growth Package
Designed for businesses seeking consistent backlink acquisition, this package includes monthly query identification, pitch writing, and journalist relationship building.
Leveraging Relationships for Backlink Growth
We get it – this all sounds like a lot of work.
Monitoring HARO constantly, crafting thoughtful commentary, meticulously tracking link metrics…
But here’s a little secret we’ve learned over the years:
When you truly focus on building genuine relationships with the journalists in your niche instead of chasing one-off links, the tide shifts completely with a dramatic upturn of referral traffic.
In fact, the most challenging part becomes picking which high authority links to claim because publishers start coming to you as their trusted insider source on your topic.
The days of having to hunt down link opportunities one by one disappear. Writer contacts ask if they can interview you for pieces or welcome contributions with guaranteed backlinks.
Here are five relationship marketing tips for acquiring links:
1. Provide Ongoing Value
Continue to share content ideas, data, quotes, and other resources relevant to your connections’ articles over time.
2. Promote Their Content
Share journalist’s articles on social media. Mention their brand in your content. Link to their site from yours. Help expand their reach.
3. Personalize Outreach
Tailor your tone for each unique contact. Build real rapport through thoughtful check-ins and asking about their latest projects.
4. Always Overdeliver
Give more than anyone expects by securing coveted interviews, providing exclusives, and even going on their shows/podcasts as a guest.
5. Express Appreciation
When a writer links to you, send a handwritten thank you note or small relevant gift. This level of gratitude builds true loyalty.
By shifting to genuine relationship marketing, publishers become loyal brand allies, providing a perpetual stream of high authority links year after year.
Enterprise Package
Catered to businesses seeking comprehensive HARO® backlink management, this package includes all the benefits of the Growth Package, plus ongoing monitoring, analysis, and reporting.
Bonus Tips for Link-Building Domination
What if we told you the tricks above are still just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to maximizing HARO link building?
We’ve held back some of our craziest high-level link building secrets – until now.
Want to know how to extract even more SEO juice from your HARO efforts? Read on…
Always Include Images & Infographics
Most HARO queries ask for data, stats, or visuals. Stand out by providing original images, charts, or infographics to showcase unique insights. This adds immense value for publishers, earning links with graphical anchors that build incremental authority.
Curate Content Recommendations
The best way into a reporter’s rolodex? Recommend articles or content resources to help them with upcoming stories. Link to 3-5 useful pieces in your query responses related to their niche. Now you’ve solved a need and built awareness fast.
Mine Trending Topics
Check Google Trends and Buzzsumo to find rising searches and viral content around your niche. Pitch these trending stories to writers with fresh commentary tailored to timely themes. This positions you atop the news cycle for authoritative links.
Always Be Creating
The writers linking to you through the HARO link service likely publish multiple times daily. Continuously create, repurpose, and update evergreen assets like stats reports, expert advice, how-to content that reporters can tie back to. The more publishable resources with your links authors have on hand, the more links you earn.
See – HARO is just the gateway. True mastery requires relentless creativity and relationship nurturing well beyond the initial haro link building success and wins.
Are you ready to build links that leave ordinary link builders in the dust?
The journalists are waiting…
The Importance of Evolving Your HARO Link Building Strategy
We’ve covered a multitude of tips, tricks, and best practices for HARO for link building success. But in this fast-paced digital era, even winning link building approaches must continue to adapt.
As Google’s algorithms evolve, so must your backlink building strategies. What works today might get saturated or lose effectiveness tomorrow. This is why regularly assessing and upgrading your HARO game is critical.
Here are 3 keys to future-proofing your success:
Monitor Link Quality
Continuously evaluate new links earned against metrics like domain authority, organic traffic potential, contextual relevance, and anchor text diversity. As algorithms change, you may need to modify publisher outreach and be more selective with placements.
Expand Your Niche Targeting
If your current HARO focus gets too competitive, broaden your industry niche targeting to uncover fresh writer needs relevant opportunities and angles. Explore tangential topics or new HARO categories to get relevant opportunities and widen your authoritative breadth.
Try New Link Promotion Tactics
Other link building strategies abound. Just as social platforms come and go, so do optimal haro link building service promotion mediums. Consistently test innovative ways to showcase and propagate your new HARO links to build incremental value.
Make no mistake – the foundations we’ve shared will serve you well now and in the future when it comes to building high quality backlinks. But clinging to one static blueprint while Google charges ahead will leave you in the dust.
Keep assessing, testing, and expanding your approach over time to continually enhance effectiveness and dominate long-term.
The savvy evolve; the complacent fall behind. Time to step up your game!
Elevate Your Website Authority with HARO® Backlinks
Connect with journalists, offer expert insights, and earn valuable links to elevate your online authority and search engine visibility.
Conclusion
There you have it. Everything you need to start dominating the search engines’ results with HARO link building. Build high quality backlinks with ease.
To quickly recap:
HARO backlinks offer a perpetual stream of high authority, contextual links that Google loves. But you have to move fast and demonstrate true expertise to earn them.
The initial link wins are door openers for long-term relationship marketing with writers. This allows you to systematically extract exponential SEO gains from top publishers year after year.
So here’s the bottom line:
Any competing brands still trying to rank using outdated tactics like low-quality PBN links or spammy guest posts will get blown out of the water.
Meanwhile, those leveraging HARO backlinks properly will seize complete control of the search engine results pages, results, and referral traffic in their niche thanks to an unbeatable domain authority fortress sending relentless expert endorsement signals.
The race doesn’t favor the swift…it favors the savvy. And so do search engines.
And now you’re savvier than 99% of marketers when it comes to backlink domination.
So what are you waiting for?
It’s time to start building links staking your claim. Fire up that HARO account, craft some irresistible query responses showcasing your unique authority, and secure that first wave of power links today.
We can’t wait to watch your online empire and your search engine visibility expand exponentially, thanks to HARO’s untapped potential.
Here’s to ranking #1!
FAQs
Is HARO good for link building?
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is a service matching journalists to expert sources for upcoming articles; providing commentary can lead to securing high quality backlinks yourself.
What is HARO technique?
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is a service matching journalists to expert sources for upcoming articles; providing commentary can lead to securing high quality backlinks yourself.
What is a HARO link?
A HARO link is an editorial backlink earned by providing quotes, data, or tips to journalists through the HARO platform for use in articles.
How much do HARO backlinks cost?
While the value of one HARO link can exceed $800, quality providers offer pricing as low as $200 per link based on the effort involved. Factoring for labor and expertise to earn coveted editorial placements, $250 presents fair market value without the typical 800% HARO link building agency markups. Investing at scale generates exceptional ROI.
What should you avoid in link building?
Avoid techniques like excessive anchor text optimization, questionable schemes, manipulative outreach, and anything against Google’s quality guidelines when link building.
What is the success rate of HARO?
With well-optimized, valuable responses, success rates for earning HARO links range from 20-50% for most expert sources.
How do you use HARO effectively?
Using HARO effectively involves crafting compelling, unique commentary on relevant journalist queries while establishing niche expertise through persistent value contribution over time. You can also leave it to the professionals like HARO link building services.
How do you use HARO for link building and PR?
Strategically respond to HARO journalist queries with quotes, data, and tips to organically earn high authority backlinks while raising brand visibility and traffic.
Getting Overwhelmed? How We Can Help With HARO
Between understanding how HARO works, crafting valuable responses, tracking metrics, and building connections, this can seem overwhelming for busy business owners.
The great news? You don’t have to go it alone.
Our dedicated link-building agency takes care of the entire HARO process for you:
- Initial niche research to identify best-linking opportunities
- Setting up fully optimized HARO accounts (free & paid)
- Checking new queries 24/7 and responding faster than competitors
- Crafting compelling, unique commentary guaranteed to earn links
- Securing placements, negotiating anchor text for max SEO impact
- Promoting your wins across social media for incremental value
- Ongoing relationship management with writers in your space
- Month-to-month reporting on links earned and traffic gained
We know your time is limited. Outsourcing HARO link building to SEO agencies and experts means more valuable links, with less effort on your end. – Build high quality links and backlinks and win at search engine rankings.
Ready to unlock growth with an automated HARO link-building system? Let’s connect.
