If you haven’t heard of HARO (Help A Reporter Out), your business needs to start checking it out. HARO connects journalists with sources for a wide variety of subjects. Whatever your business’ industry, there’s a reporter out there who needs your expertise. Reporters, bloggers, and other content writers need quotes and information on a wide variety of topics, and HARO is your chance to connect with them personally. HARO gets your business’ name in the news for the world to see, creating backlinks and SEO optimization for your website.
After signing up for HARO and picking your industry, you’ll receive two emails a day containing topics your company could be useful for, and when you click on those topics, more details about the reporter, the news outlet, and what’s needed will show. You can then submit your contribution.
It’s important to be savvy when using HARO, however, so that it works to your advantage. Some quick tips include:
- Make sure you’re reading the emails. Two email a day can seem like a lot, but there’s tons of opportunities for your company to stand out- be sure to at least scan the topics daily.
- If you’re going to contribute to a post, make sure your pitch is detailed and actually makes sense- don’t trail off topic from what the reporter wants and follow all instructions they give.
- Help someone out! If you get a query in your inbox that maybe your company can’t contribute to, but you know of someone in your business network that could, forward it to them. Hopefully, next time this happens to them, they’ll think of you.
Unlike reaching out to news organization on social media or via their websites, HARO allows you to connect directly with reporters and their news outlets to get your name in the news. Your odds are better with HARO than with blindly tweeting at experts, and your business can always use important links in big news. If your business hasn’t discovered HARO yet, now’s the time.
At Fahrenheit Marketing, we offer a wide range of online marketing services, including SEO and web development. If your business is looking to expand its online reach, we’d love to help you out. Contact us today for a free consultation.