33% Success Rate with HARO

HARO – Help a Reporter Out is a fantastic way to build high authority backlinks.

So, when I found about it, I started doing it too.

I work at ServerGuy as a content marketer and overlook content for 5+ websites and numerous social media accounts.

After doing HARO for 2 years – I thought of checking my HARO stats.

I am getting a 33% Success Rate.

Finding How many Pitch Sent?

I used only one email to respond to HARO queries.

So go to Sent Box of the Account and search: ‘helpareporter.net’ — this is the URL used to reply to the queries.

If you are familiar with HARO, the reply addresses look like this:

• query-axga@helpareporter.net
• query-auw6@helpareporter.net
• query-at1w@helpareporter.net

The encrypted reply email addresses protect the Reporter’s Email Address. So the Link builders do not spam them.

The common denominator is helpareporter.net, and if you search it in the Sent Box, you will find all the Pitch you sent.

So, that’s what I did.

And I got this:

So there are 50 Emails on one page and 51-79 on the next page.

Total Pitch Sent: 79

In the last 2 years. Basically – 40 Answers in a Year. Or 3-4 Emails a Month.

Anyone would say that is a very lazy HARO effort.

Finding How many Got Accepted?

At ServerGuy, we got a lifetime plan of Brandmention.

Whenever someone mentions ServerGuy on their blog, we get an email.

And I maintain a doc to add all the places my name is featured. (who does not?)

If you don’t, use a backlink checker.

I used the Ahrefs and added my name to look for around the text. It will not give you all the mentions, but only the popular ones.

Here is the page where I listed all the URLs: https://faizanfahim.com/featured/

Open any of the URLs, and CTRL+F my name: Faizan to find my quote.

Total Accepted: 26

Calculating Average

On average: 26/79 = 32.9 = 33%

How do I get a 33% Succes Rate?

I do not know how HARO experts are doing it, but here are several things I do. 

• Answer within the first hour
• Do not reject your answer yourself thinking maybe I am wrong. It’s the reporter’s job to verify your answers, not yours.
• Must use a professional email address.
• Provide copy-paste answers. Write so the reporter can simply copy and paste your quote in the article.
• Provide copy-paste introduction to you and company. Don’t do ‘I am XYZ’, go with ‘XYZ is –‘
• Give company URL and Name clearly. Do not make it difficult for the reporter.
• Indicate where your pitch starts. Mark the line or say: The answer starts from the next line.
• Do not give generic information that they can otherwise find on Google. Give some unique insights; it does not matter how absurd it looks.
• Never promote your business. You are here to share knowledge and not sell your business.
• Research the reporter and website to find what kind of pitch they usually accept
• Keep track on Twitter to find useful answers

I will collect all my thoughts and write a detailed article on HARO queries.

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