HARO, also known as “Help A Reporter Out,” is one of the best ways to get backlinks to your website.
But getting the results you want is not always easy:
So in this tutorial, I’m going to show you 5 HARO mistakes you need to avoid.
Table of Contents
5 Huge Mistakes to Avoid on HARO
Mistake #1: Not Being Consistent Enough
When it comes to getting backlinks from HARO, you have to be consistent.
Don’t just fire out 2-3 responses, and then wonder why you’re not getting replies back!
It takes more persistence than that:
With HARO, you usually have to send a few replies every single day before you start getting links back.
Why?
Because it’s a numbers game.
Reporters get around 30 or 40 responses to each of their queries – so you have a lot of competition.
That’s why I recommend being consistent and sending replies as often as you can.
See Also: 5 Advanced Link Building Tips for HARO (Help A Reporter Out)
Mistake #2: Being Impatient
Next up, being impatient with HARO is a colossal mistake.
Why?
Because most big publishers have large editorial waiting lists.
It’s going to be a while before they get back to you…
You can’t just expect your HARO replies to be published within a week of sending them:
It may take weeks, or even months before, before you get the backlink.
But because these are such high authority websites, they’re 100% worth the wait.
And that’s why I recommend being patient.
TLDR?
You can’t just give up after a week or two of trying HARO…you’re on a long waiting list.
Mistake #3: Spending Too Much Time On Each Reply
When you’re replying to HARO inquiries, you shouldn’t spend too much time on each one.
Why?
Because your replies should be simple, straight to the point and easy to read.
If you’re writing an essay, you’re doing it wrong!
Plus the journalists on HARO have to sift through a lot of responses:
So they don’t have time to read overly drawn out replies.
Which brings me onto my next HARO mistake…
Mistake #4: Writing Too Much
Keep your responses short:
When I respond to a HARO inquiry, it’s just a few sentences at most.
Anything more than that is overkill.
But how should you structure your HARO response?
When you start sending replies on HARO, not everyone is going to know who you are.
So you have to introduce yourself to build that trust and to make sure the reporter knows a little bit about you.
What I recommend including is:
- Your name
- Your website
- A headshot
- A short line about why you are the right person to write about this topic
- Your response to the query (about 2-3 sentences)
Mistake #5: Not Outsourcing HARO Replies
Finally, I’d recommend outsourcing your HARO responses as soon as possible:
How?
You can use a platform like UpWork.com to do this.
Answering responses is simple – it doesn’t require a rocket scientist.
So once you’ve answered a few HARO responses yourself and understand how the process works, outsource it ASAP.
Why?
Because this is an easy task to outsource plus you probably have more important tasks to work on.
Also, your goal should be to setup a passive link building system with HARO:
So that it can run in the background whilst you continue to grow your business.
See Also: 5 Powerful Email Productivity Tips To Save You Time (FAST!)
To Sum It Up:
Here’s my top 5 mistakes when it comes to answering HARO inquiries:
- Not being consistent enough
- Being impatient
- Spending too much time on each reply
- Writing too much content
- Not outsourcing HARO responses
HARO is a fantastic platform for getting backlinks, especially if you know how to use it properly.
How much success have you had with HARO so far?
Got any questions? Let me know in the comments section or get in touch here.
