HARO Link Building: A Step-By-Step Guide For Beginners

I get it. Link building can feel like a total chore.

You’ve probably read the same advice a dozen times. “Just create great content.” “Write guest posts.” “Do skyscraper outreach.” So you spend hours crafting what you think is the perfect email, send it to a list of “prospects,” and… nothing. Just that empty, echoing silence in your inbox.

It’s frustrating. It feels like you’re just yelling into a void, hoping someone will toss you a digital crumb.

But what if you could just… stop? What if, instead of begging for links, high-authority journalists from major publications started coming to you?

And no, I’m not making that up.

This is the entire idea behind HARO link building. HARO stands for Help A Reporter Out, but what it really is is a matchmaking service. It connects journalists on a deadline with people (like you) who have expert knowledge. You provide a great quote, and in return, you often get a powerful backlink from a major news site or industry blog. We’re talking about the kind of links that are the holy grail for SEO. The kind you simply can’t buy.

This is the guide I wish I had when I started. I’m going to walk you through my exact process, from that first sign-up email to the genuine thrill of seeing your name on a major website.

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Before We Jump In, Here’s the Gist

• HARO flips the script. Instead of you “pushing” for links, journalists “pull” you in. They post a query, you answer it. This is so much more effective than cold outreach.
• Speed is your best friend. Seriously. Journalists are on brutal deadlines. A good, solid pitch sent in 20 minutes will beat a “perfect” one sent 4 hours later. Every. Single. Time.
• Make it “copy-paste-ready.” Don’t make the reporter work. Give them a quote they can drop right into their article, no editing required.
• Real experience beats a fancy title. You don’t need to be a CEO. You just need a genuine, helpful answer to their specific question.
• HARO is a numbers game. You will be rejected. A lot. The secret is to stay consistent and learn a little something from each pitch you send.

So, What’s This “HARO” Thing Everyone Talks About?

At its heart, HARO is just a simple email subscription. It was started by Peter Shankman as a small list to help his journalist buddies find sources. It just… exploded. It got so big that Cision, a massive PR software company, eventually bought it.

Here’s the simple version of how it all works:

1. Journalists from all over (Forbes, The New York Times, Mashable, tiny niche blogs, you name it) need a quote from an “expert” for a story.
2. They submit a “query” to HARO explaining what they’re looking for. Example: “Seeking tips from financial advisors on how to save for a down payment.”
3. You, the “expert,” subscribe to the HARO email lists.
4. Three times a day—morning, afternoon, and evening—HARO blasts out a digest of all these queries to its subscribers.
5. You scan the email, find a query you can actually answer, and send your pitch directly to the journalist’s anonymous email.
6. If the journalist likes your pitch, they’ll use your quote in their article and—in most cases—include a backlink to your website.

It’s a two-way street that just works. The journalist gets their expert quote to meet a deadline, and you get a high-quality, authoritative backlink.

But Is It Really Just for Big-Shot Experts?

This is the part that stops most people. I know it stopped me.

When I first signed up, I saw queries from major publications and my first thought was, “Why would they ever want to hear from me?” I’m just a guy who runs a small marketing business. I’m not some C-suite executive at a Fortune 500 company.

Here’s the secret I learned: Journalists aren’t always looking for the “biggest” name. They’re looking for the best answer.

They crave authenticity. They want real-world experience. If the query is “What’s the best way to house-train a puppy?” they’d much rather hear a clever, tangible story from a regular person (or a dog-sitter) than a generic, textbook answer from a “pet industry CEO.”

Your real-world experience is your expertise. You are an expert in your job, your hobbies, and your life. Don’t forget that.

Why Are These Links So Much Better Than Others?

In SEO, we talk a lot about E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This is Google’s measuring stick for high-quality content.

Getting a link from some random, low-quality blog you paid $50 for does zero for your E-E-A-T. It can even hurt you.

But a link from a respected news site? That’s pure gold.

When a major publication links to you, they’re vouching for you. They’re telling Google, “This person knows their stuff on this topic, and we trust them.” This is one of the most powerful signals you can possibly send to Google. It builds your site’s authority, proves your expertise, and drives real, actual referral traffic.

This is how HARO link building becomes a cornerstone of a real SEO strategy.

How Do I Get Started with HARO Right Now? (The First 5 Minutes)

This part couldn’t be easier. Go to the “Help A Reporter Out” website. Find the “I’m a Source” button. Click it.

You’ll see a sign-up page. Fill in your name, email, and company. The only “tricky” part is the “HARO Rules” checkbox. Yes, you actually have to agree. The gist is simple: don’t spam, don’t be salesy, and don’t pitch things they didn’t ask for. Basic common sense.

Once you’re in, you need to pick your query lists. My advice? Start with the “Master HARO” list. This sends you everything. It’s going to be overwhelming, but for the first week, it’s good to see the full range of queries. You can always go back into your settings later and filter it down to just your industries, like “Business & Finance” or “Lifestyle & Fitness.”

That’s it. You’re in. Now you just wait for that first email.

I’m Signed Up. Why Is My Inbox Suddenly on Fire?

Your first HARO email will land. You’ll open it. And you’ll probably feel a small wave of panic.

It will be long. A massive, scrolling list of dozens, sometimes hundreds, of queries.

This is the first hurdle. This is where most beginners give up. They see that wall of text and think, “I don’t have time for this.” They’re not totally wrong, but they’re missing the trick. You don’t need to read every word. You need to learn how to scan.

I treat the HARO email like a stock ticker. My eyes move fast. I’m not reading. I’m hunting. I use my browser’s “Find” function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) and search for keywords related to my expertise.

Here are the ones I hunt for:

• “SEO”
• “Content marketing”
• “Small business”
• “Productivity”
• “Leadership”

In 30 seconds, I know if there’s anything for me in that day’s email. If I get a match, I read the full query. If not, I archive the email and move on with my day. The whole process takes less than a minute.

How Do I Find the “Golden Needle” in the Email Haystack?

As you scan, you’re looking for those “golden queries.” But what makes a query “golden”?

First, check the Media Outlet. HARO will list the publication. Sometimes, it’ll say “Anonymous.” This is a gamble. It could be a massive site, or it could be a brand-new blog. I personally love anonymous queries. Why? Because most beginners are scared of them. That means less competition. I’ve landed some of my biggest links, including a feature in a major airline’s in-flight magazine, all from an “Anonymous” query.

Second, check the Requirements. The journalist will be specific. “Looking for VPs of Marketing.” “Must be a certified dietician.” If you don’t meet the requirements, do not pitch. You’ll just annoy the journalist and get blacklisted.

Finally, check the Deadline. This is non-negotiable. It’s usually in Eastern Time (ET), so be aware of your time zone. If the deadline is 5:00 PM ET and it’s 4:45 PM ET… you might have a shot, but you’d better type fast.

Which brings me to the most important part of this whole thing.

What Makes a Journalist Actually Open and Use Your Pitch?

A journalist’s inbox during a HARO query is a warzone. They might get 100, 200, or 300+ pitches for one query. Your job isn’t just to answer the question. It’s to make their life as easy as humanly possible.

Most people fail here. They treat it like a sales email. They’re wordy. They’re all about themselves.

You must be the opposite. You must be selfless. Your pitch is a gift, not an “ask.”

I learned this the hard way.

My “Big Failure” Story: Why My 1,000-Word “Masterpiece” Was a Waste of Time

Early in my HARO journey, I saw a query from a huge national business publication. The query: “What’s the future of remote work?”

I knew this topic. I spent two hours crafting a 1,000-word masterpiece. I covered the history of remote work, the psychological implications, the tech… I attached my professional bio, my headshot, and my whole portfolio. I was so proud.

The deadline was 5:00 PM. I hit “send” at 4:58 PM, beaming.

I never heard back.

Weeks later, the article came out. The quotes they used were all short. Two or three sentences, tops. They were simple, direct, and punchy. My 1,000-word essay was probably deleted within seconds. I made them work. And journalists just don’t have time for that.

I learned two lessons:

1. Speed is everything. The journalist probably had their favorite quotes picked by 1:00 PM, hours before my “perfect” pitch ever landed.
2. Brevity is king. They wanted a quote, not a dissertation.

Is a “Catchy” Subject Line a Myth or a Must-Have?

Your subject line has one job: to tell the journalist you have exactly what they asked for. This is not the time for clickbait.

My most successful subject line formula is almost painfully simple:

“HARO: [Title of Their Query]”

That’s it. If their query is “Seeking Tips for First-Time Homebuyers,” my subject line is “HARO: Seeking Tips for First-Time Homebuyers.”

It instantly tells them I’m on topic. It’s clean, professional, and gets to the point. Sometimes I’ll add my expertise, like: “HARO: Remote Work Tips from a 10-Year Remote CEO.” But simple is almost always better.

How Do I Write a Pitch That Doesn’t Scream “I’m a Marketer”?

Okay, let’s get to the meat of it. You found your query. You wrote your subject line. You’ve got a blank email open. What do you write?

You need to be 100% helpful and 0% salesy. The moment you start “selling,” you’ve lost. Don’t talk about your product. Don’t mention your services.

Just. Answer. The. Question.

Think of it this way: your pitch needs to be formatted so the journalist can copy and paste your words directly into their article.

What’s the “Rule of Three” for a Perfect HARO Pitch?

I structure every single pitch I send the exact same way. It’s a simple, three-part formula.

Part 1: The Greeting & The Answer. Start with “Hi [Journalist’s First Name],” (they almost always include it). Then, get right to it. No fluff.

Bad: “My name is [My Name] and I’m the founder of [My Company]. I saw your query and I think I’d be a great fit. With over 10 years of experience in the industry…” (They’re already deleting it.)

Good: “Hi Jane, Here are my thoughts on your query about house-training a puppy:”

Then, write your answer.

Part 2: The Quote Itself. This is your “copy-paste-ready” gem. Write it as if it’s already in an article. Example: “When training a new puppy, the key is ‘positive consistency,’ says [Your Name], [Your Title] at [Your Company]. ‘This means taking them out every 30 minutes and using the exact same praise word (‘Good potty!’) every time they go outside. That immediate verbal reward is more powerful than a treat 10 minutes later.'”

See? It’s short. It’s quotable. It has a key phrase (“positive consistency”). It gives a tangible action. The journalist can lift that entire paragraph.

Part 3: Your Bio and Link. This is where you finally get to say who you are. Keep it to one line.

Good: “[Your Name] is the [Your Title] at [Your Company], a [one-line description of your company]. You can link to us here: https://www.google.com/search?q=https://www.yourwebsite.com”

That’s it. A simple, one-line bio and the one link you want. Don’t give them your Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Just the one.

Can I Really Be an “Expert” in Anything?

Yes. Let me tell you a quick story. I call it the “Max the Dog” story.

I was scrolling HARO one afternoon and saw a query: “What’s the best piece of hiking gear you’ve bought for your dog?”

I almost skipped it. I’m a marketing guy. What do I know about pet gear?

Then I looked down at my golden retriever, Max, sleeping at my feet. I do take him hiking. And I did buy him a waterproof harness that I absolutely love.

So, I sent a pitch. I didn’t position myself as a “pet industry expert.” I pitched as “a dog owner and avid hiker.”

My pitch was simple. I wrote about 100 words on why I loved this specific harness (it didn’t chafe, and it had a handle to lift him over logs). I sent it off. Forgot about it.

Two weeks later, I checked my analytics. I saw a huge, unexplained traffic spike. I dug in. A massive, high-authority pet blog had published “The 10 Best Hiking Harnesses, According to Real Hikers.” And there it was. My quote, my name, and a link to my marketing website.

The lesson? Your authenticity is your expertise.

Should I Be Formal or Can I Be Myself?

Be yourself. But be your professional self.

Journalists are people. They appreciate a human, authentic tone. If you’re naturally funny, a little bit of personality is fine. But this isn’t a text to your buddy.

Avoid slang, emojis, and overly casual language. Write clearly. Write concisely. For a great refresher on clear, professional writing, the Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is an incredible resource that has helped me tighten up my writing for years. The goal is to sound like an intelligent, helpful human being.

Are There “Secret” Formatting Tricks to Get Noticed?

It’s not so much a “trick” as it is “not being sloppy.”

Journalists are scanning your pitch in an email client. Your pitch must be scannable.

• Use short paragraphs. No one wants to read a giant block of text. One to three sentences per paragraph. Max.
• Use bullet points. If a query asks for “3 tips,” don’t write them in a long paragraph. Put them in a clean, bulleted list. It’s a gift to their eyes.
• Bold key phrases. If you have a really punchy, 5-word takeaway, make it bold. This draws the eye and makes your quote even easier to pull.
• No attachments. Ever. Do not attach your headshot. Do not attach a PDF bio. Journalists are trained not to open attachments for security reasons. Your pitch will be deleted instantly. If they want your headshot, they’ll ask.

The Aftermath: What Happens After You Click Send?

You’ve done it. You found a query, beat the deadline, and sent a perfectly formatted, helpful pitch.

Now comes the hard part.

I Sent My Pitch… Now What? (The Waiting Game)

You wait. And you move on.

The vast majority of your pitches will get no response. Nothing. This is normal. This is the game. Don’t get discouraged.

A “good” success rate for HARO, especially for a beginner, is maybe 5-10%. That means for every 20 pitches you send, you might land one or two links. My first-ever success came after 17 straight rejections. But that one link was from a DR 80+ (Domain Rating) site. It was worth all 17 “failures.”

Don’t dwell on it. Send the pitch, and immediately go back to the list to find the next query. HARO is all about volume and consistency.

Should I Ever Follow Up on a HARO Pitch?

No.

Never.

Don’t do it.

A journalist’s silence is your answer. They’re not “missing” your email. They’re not “forgetting.” They’re just busy, and they didn’t pick your pitch. Following up is the fastest way to get marked as spam.

Send it and forget it. It’s the only way to stay sane.

How Do I Even Know If I Got the Link?

This is the fun part! Most of the time, the journalist will not email you to say, “Hey, you’re live!” They’re already on to their next five articles.

You have to be your own detective.

The easiest way is to set up a Google Alert for your name and your brand name (“[Your Name]” and “[Your Company Name]”). When a new article mentions you, Google sends you an email.

A more advanced way is to use an SEO tool like Ahrefs or Semrush and check their “New Backlinks” report. I check mine every Monday morning with a cup of coffee. Seeing a new, high-authority link pop up from a pitch I sent two weeks ago is a feeling that never gets old.

I still remember my first one. I saw the link, saw my name in the article, and I think I literally fist-pumped at my desk.

It felt like I had found a cheat code.

What Are the Rookie Mistakes Everyone Makes with HARO?

Let’s wrap up with a quick-fire list of the most common mistakes I see. Avoid these, and you’ll be ahead of 90% of the people pitching.

• Missing the Deadline: This is the cardinal sin. If you’re late, you’ve already lost.
• Not Meeting Requirements: Pitching a query for “certified doctors” when you’re a “wellness coach.” You’ll be ignored.
• Being Too Salesy: “Our new product is the perfect solution for this…” Delete.
• Being Too Long-Winded: My “1,000-word masterpiece” failure. Keep it under 200 words. Total.
• Making the Journalist Work: Writing in the first person (“I think that…”) instead of giving them a “copy-paste-ready” quote.
• Pitching on Every Query: Don’t be a “jack of all trades.” Stick to your true areas of expertise. It’s better to send three amazing, targeted pitches a week than 30 sloppy, irrelevant ones.

Your HARO Journey Starts Now

HARO link building isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s a get-links-smart strategy. It takes patience. It takes consistency. And it takes a real willingness to be helpful.

You will face rejection. You’ll send pitches you think are perfect and hear nothing back. But you will also start to win. You’ll land that first link. Then the next one.

And slowly but surely, you’ll be building a backlink profile that your competitors can only dream of—one built not on tricks, but on a foundation of genuine authority.

You’re an expert in what you do. Now, go help a reporter out.

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