So should you still try to get media coverage this way? Absolutely! There are tons of links up for grabs. Not just any links. Super high authority links that can drive traffic, leads, and sales.
But how do you get ahead of the competition? As someone who has had great success using earned media platforms like HARO as a means of building top-notch links over the years, I’m going to give you my tips and tricks on how to get killer backlinks using HARO and alternatives.
But first, let’s get familiar with everything HARO can actually do for you.
Help a Reporter Out, or HARO from Cision, is the best-known platform for journalists’ requests. You receive daily emails filled with opportunities across topics like marketing, lifestyle, business, etc.
But how does it work? First, you should sign up as a source.
After you sign up, you’ll get three emails a day—at 5:35 a.m., 12:35 p.m., and 5:35 p.m. ET from Monday to Friday.
The emails will be broken down into different categories. Here’s an example of an email you’ll receive:
Each request will have a title and an outlet in brackets. You’ll want to browse through the email and find relevant topics that you can contribute to.
Once you’ve given the service a spin, it’s definitely worth considering upgrading to a paid HARO account. There are many additional features that become available, which can give you a competitive edge when pitching.
Here’s a quick rundown on HARO Premium.
There are four subscription levels available (including the free option):
For most purposes, the Standard account at $19 a month will be more than sufficient.
The first advantage of a paid subscription is you can set up a profile/bio that will be automatically inserted into your pitches.
The bio includes links to web properties and social media. These all help to build credibility and authority when pitching to journalists.
You can also add details on your specific areas of expertise and any publications you have previously been featured in.
As with the free account, you can subscribe to opportunities in specific verticals. But with a paid subscription, you can also set up alerts for media requests that match specified keywords. You can even get SMS alerts if you are in the U.S.
In the example below, I have subscribed to the “Master Haro,” “Business and Finance,” and “High Tech” emails. I have also set up an alert for the keyword “SEO.”
