Politics
What is HARO? – A Look at the Platform for 2021 – ReadWrite
Published
3 years agoon
By
Drew Simpson
Marketers are constantly looking for new ways to improve their website profile organically through semantic keywords or some growth hacking tactics (look out for NLP!), which becomes more of a challenge every year as consumers become more savvy. In 2021, one of the effective SEO tools for marketers is HARO – Help A Reporter Out.
What the heck is HARO?
Help A Reporter Out is an innovative platform that allows reporters and journalists to seek out – and receive – input on articles and news pieces they may write. It’s especially useful for digital PR enthusiasts, as well as those keen on link building.
Rather than just laziness (who would accuse reporters of such a thing??), this allows the writer to gain a more rounded sense of the subject and, therefore, put together a more comprehensive and interesting article. HARO is divvied up into a number of different genres, which include:
- Biotech & Healthcare
- Business & Finance
- Entertainment
- General
Journalists post their query onto the platform under one of the above topics, and members are then able to respond.
What are the benefits of HARO for marketers?
Glad you asked. HARO is a great tool for marketers as should your response be accepted by the journalist, your name (or company name) will appear as a source in their article along with a link. This, of course, means that your business can potentially reach an entirely new audience and help drive traffic to your site and solidify your place as a thought leader in your industry.
From its humble beginnings on Facebook, HARO is now home to over 55,000 verified journalists and bloggers. That’s 55,000 good reasons for getting started with this helpful platform as soon as possible.
How do I hitch my wagon to HARO?
Signing up to HARO as a source is pretty straightforward and it goes something like this:
- Head on over to https://www.helpareporter.com/
- Get clickety clicking onto the blue ‘I’m A Source’ button
- You’ll then be directed to the “How It Works” page
- Click onto ‘Sign Up’
- Complete the form with the usual details
- Wait patiently for your verification email
- Once your account is verified, you can now log in
- Select your preferences (selecting Master will get you access to ALL queries, but this isn’t recommended)
Once you’re all set up, you’ll receive daily emails at the following times:
- 5.35am EST
- 12.35pm EST
- 5.35pm EST
These emails will contain all of the queries which are relevant to the preferences that you set up. A query will look something like this:
How does HARO work?
Once you’ve received your email, take your time to browse the queries. Finding those which you feel that you can answer takes a couple of minutes. Once you’ve selected the queries that you’re going to respond to, you can do so in two ways:
Online – Through the online form, which you can find under ‘My Pitches’ on your dashboard
Email – By sending an email to the address included in the query
If the reporter likes your response, he or she may contact you by email to ask further questions and inform you of when the article will be published.
How much does HARO cost?
HARO offers four different price plans and, these are as follows:
Free Plan – Guess how much this one costs? The free plan is pretty basic but fine for beginners, and it includes three daily emails and email support.
Standard Plan – $19 per month.
With the standard plan, you get a little more, including one keyword alert, one profile, text alerts and online search access.
Advanced Plan – $49 per month
The Advanced Plan gives you all the goodies from the Standard Plan, plus three keywords, three profiles, Head Start Alerts (these mean you receive the alerts as soon as the editorial team has approved them).
Premium Plan – $149 per month
The big honcho of HARO plans gives you unlimited keywords, unlimited profiles and phone and email support.
Things To Know About HARO
HARO can be a great SEO tool – as long as you follow a few rules and use the platform wisely. This said, the following are my golden rules for mastering HARO:
Be Selective
I mentioned earlier that I wouldn’t recommend selecting the ‘Master’ option when choosing your topics – and there’s a good reason for this. The reporters looking for help on HARO are looking for real, expert insights. Unless you happen to be some kind of Oracle with an encyclopedic knowledge of pretty much everything, this won’t work for you.
When busy reporters receive responses from people who clearly don’t know what they’re talking about, not only will they ignore your response but, they’re also likely to blacklist you while they’re at it.
Instead, only ever respond to queries that you have some knowledge of and feel that you are qualified to offer useful insights. I know you will probably be eager to get started, but it’s much better to hold out for the queries that are super relevant to you and your experience.
Be A Snob
You’ve identified a response that fits the bill, and you’re ready to go full steam ahead – before you do, cool your jets a little as you first want to make sure that it’s worth your while.
Look at who is posting the query and check out their website authority (SEMRush is a great tool for doing this). Why? You want to make sure that the website and the reporter have enough clout – and authority – to make it worth your while as a contact.
The Clock is Ticking
When considering a query, pay close attention to the deadline as some of these are pretty tight (and always keep in mind that the time is EST rather than your own particular time-zone). Reporters are often working against the clock, so these deadlines really matter (if you try to respond through your dashboard once the deadline has passed, your response won’t be sent).
If you do find that you’ve inadvertently missed the deadline, you can try sending your response by email as, on occasion, the deadline is just a guide but, as a rule of thumb, do try to stick to the time limits specified as this is just good manners.
Watch the Word Count
The reporter has asked for 150 words but, they’d much rather have a three-page essay from you, right? Wrong. Your reporter is unlikely to have the time (or the inclination) to wade through a lengthy response to find the key info and, so, all your hard work is likely to end up in the bin.
In the same vein, you’re not writing poetry so resist the urge to use long-winded sentences and flowery language – keep it short and simple for the best results.
Catchy Content
When writing your pitch, don’t be afraid to insert some personality into your response. Remember, the reporter is likely to be wading through a fair number of responses. Anything that makes you stand out is a good thing.
Because of this, I find that I get the best results by making each response personal such as ‘I do this’ or ‘I have used this to great effect,’ rather than a more generic reply.
What’s in a Name?
When looking at a HARO query, you’ll notice that these will either include the name of the reporter and the name of the publication or, it will simply state “Anonymous.” This is a moment to tread carefully as the “Anonymous” author could be writing for a student rag of a local university or being a resident of one of the publishing big boys such as Forbes or Entrepreneur.
When responding to these queries, I tend to assume the latter. Therefore, I make my pitch as detailed and thought-led as possible.
Cracking the Contact
One of your main objectives with HARO is to gain a new contact who may be useful in the future. For this reason, it’s a good idea to include as much contact information as possible, including your name, email, website and LinkedIn. These sites give the reporter ample opportunity to check you out when considering your response. Again, you can go with the Premium Plan if you can afford to, as it allows you more options here.
Stop the Sell
Under no circumstances should you attempt to turn your pitch into an advertisement for yourself or your business. Reporters are not known for their patience, and this will absolutely not win you any friends (or indeed influence anybody).
To Link or Not to Link
Often, a HARO query will state that a link will not be offered to a source. While this may be disappointing, it’s still very much worth doing. Brand mentions are still valued by the Gods of Google, link or no link.
Photo Finish
In most cases, reporters like to ‘see’ the person they’re speaking to. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to include a headshot with your pitch. This should be provided in your response as a link rather than a copied and pasted picture. If you’re replying through the HARO site, an attached photo won’t work. Since the reporters are getting hundreds of messages, this works as a protection for them.
Unless specified otherwise, pitches should be short, sweet and super-engaging.
The Follow Up
You’ve got your HARO mojo working, and you’re firing off those responses on a regular basis – how do you know if you’ve been successful?
In an ideal world, the reporter will get in touch with you to let you know that your response will be used. If they’re super nice, they’ll also tell you the publishing date of their article and ask you to promote the post once it goes live.
Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ideal world and, so I highly recommend signing up for a tool like Brand24, which will alert you to mentions of your name (or your brand name) whenever they appear on the world wide web. This is an essential tool for marketers these days. It’s a great way of staying updated on your HARO alerts. Often, the publication will be several months from the date that you submitted your response.
Cutting a Dash
The ‘My Pitches’ section of your dashboard will also tell you if a response has been accepted. Scroll through your pitches here and lookout for a yellow thumbs-up symbol that denotes acceptance (similarly, thumbs own denotes the opposite). Unfortunately, reporters don’t always take the time to update this.
Reach Out
When using HARO, you don’t always have to stick to sending responses and hoping for the best. Sometimes, it can be just as effective to send the reporter an email to introduce yourself (briefly, of course) and to let him or her know that you are available to help out on future projects).
This is something I do as a matter of routine and it’s a great way of boosting your contacts.
I also make it my business to try to connect with the reporter on LinkedIn. This helps to keep me in their peripheral vision and gives them an easy way of contacting me.
HARO can be a fantastic way of upping your SEO game and gaining you lots of shiny new contacts.
Remember that HARO only works if you work it. In order to be successful with HARO, you need to make it an integral part of your strategy. Meaning, you must make time to research your responses and write really engaging pitches.
While the pitches may take a little getting used to in the beginning — I promise you it’ll be worth it if you use HARO. Make this your long-term strategy for your branding and SEO.
Top Image Credit: markus winkler; unsplash; thank you!
Milosz Krasinski
Managing Director at Chilli Fruit Web Consulting boutique London based digital PR agency. Co-Founder at Sigma Digital Oxford. International SEO consultant, speaker. Sometimes blogging at miloszkrasinski.com
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Politics
Fintech Kennek raises $12.5M seed round to digitize lending
Published
2 months agoon
10/11/2023By
Drew Simpson
London-based fintech startup Kennek has raised $12.5 million in seed funding to expand its lending operating system.
According to an Oct. 10 tech.eu report, the round was led by HV Capital and included participation from Dutch Founders Fund, AlbionVC, FFVC, Plug & Play Ventures, and Syndicate One. Kennek offers software-as-a-service tools to help non-bank lenders streamline their operations using open banking, open finance, and payments.
The platform aims to automate time-consuming manual tasks and consolidate fragmented data to simplify lending. Xavier De Pauw, founder of Kennek said:
“Until kennek, lenders had to devote countless hours to menial operational tasks and deal with jumbled and hard-coded data – which makes every other part of lending a headache. As former lenders ourselves, we lived and breathed these frustrations, and built kennek to make them a thing of the past.”
The company said the latest funding round was oversubscribed and closed quickly despite the challenging fundraising environment. The new capital will be used to expand Kennek’s engineering team and strengthen its market position in the UK while exploring expansion into other European markets. Barbod Namini, Partner at lead investor HV Capital, commented on the investment:
“Kennek has developed an ambitious and genuinely unique proposition which we think can be the foundation of the entire alternative lending space. […] It is a complicated market and a solution that brings together all information and stakeholders onto a single platform is highly compelling for both lenders & the ecosystem as a whole.”
The fintech lending space has grown rapidly in recent years, but many lenders still rely on legacy systems and manual processes that limit efficiency and scalability. Kennek aims to leverage open banking and data integration to provide lenders with a more streamlined, automated lending experience.
The seed funding will allow the London-based startup to continue developing its platform and expanding its team to meet demand from non-bank lenders looking to digitize operations. Kennek’s focus on the UK and Europe also comes amid rising adoption of open banking and open finance in the regions.
Featured Image Credit: Photo from Kennek.io; Thank you!
Radek Zielinski
Radek Zielinski is an experienced technology and financial journalist with a passion for cybersecurity and futurology.
Politics
Fortune 500’s race for generative AI breakthroughs
Published
2 months agoon
10/11/2023By
Drew Simpson
As excitement around generative AI grows, Fortune 500 companies, including Goldman Sachs, are carefully examining the possible applications of this technology. A recent survey of U.S. executives indicated that 60% believe generative AI will substantially impact their businesses in the long term. However, they anticipate a one to two-year timeframe before implementing their initial solutions. This optimism stems from the potential of generative AI to revolutionize various aspects of businesses, from enhancing customer experiences to optimizing internal processes. In the short term, companies will likely focus on pilot projects and experimentation, gradually integrating generative AI into their operations as they witness its positive influence on efficiency and profitability.
Goldman Sachs’ Cautious Approach to Implementing Generative AI
In a recent interview, Goldman Sachs CIO Marco Argenti revealed that the firm has not yet implemented any generative AI use cases. Instead, the company focuses on experimentation and setting high standards before adopting the technology. Argenti recognized the desire for outcomes in areas like developer and operational efficiency but emphasized ensuring precision before putting experimental AI use cases into production.
According to Argenti, striking the right balance between driving innovation and maintaining accuracy is crucial for successfully integrating generative AI within the firm. Goldman Sachs intends to continue exploring this emerging technology’s potential benefits and applications while diligently assessing risks to ensure it meets the company’s stringent quality standards.
One possible application for Goldman Sachs is in software development, where the company has observed a 20-40% productivity increase during its trials. The goal is for 1,000 developers to utilize generative AI tools by year’s end. However, Argenti emphasized that a well-defined expectation of return on investment is necessary before fully integrating generative AI into production.
To achieve this, the company plans to implement a systematic and strategic approach to adopting generative AI, ensuring that it complements and enhances the skills of its developers. Additionally, Goldman Sachs intends to evaluate the long-term impact of generative AI on their software development processes and the overall quality of the applications being developed.
Goldman Sachs’ approach to AI implementation goes beyond merely executing models. The firm has created a platform encompassing technical, legal, and compliance assessments to filter out improper content and keep track of all interactions. This comprehensive system ensures seamless integration of artificial intelligence in operations while adhering to regulatory standards and maintaining client confidentiality. Moreover, the platform continuously improves and adapts its algorithms, allowing Goldman Sachs to stay at the forefront of technology and offer its clients the most efficient and secure services.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Google DeepMind; Pexels; Thank you!
Deanna Ritchie
Managing Editor at ReadWrite
Deanna is the Managing Editor at ReadWrite. Previously she worked as the Editor in Chief for Startup Grind and has over 20+ years of experience in content management and content development.
Politics
UK seizes web3 opportunity simplifying crypto regulations
Published
2 months agoon
10/10/2023By
Drew Simpson
As Web3 companies increasingly consider leaving the United States due to regulatory ambiguity, the United Kingdom must simplify its cryptocurrency regulations to attract these businesses. The conservative think tank Policy Exchange recently released a report detailing ten suggestions for improving Web3 regulation in the country. Among the recommendations are reducing liability for token holders in decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and encouraging the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to adopt alternative Know Your Customer (KYC) methodologies, such as digital identities and blockchain analytics tools. These suggestions aim to position the UK as a hub for Web3 innovation and attract blockchain-based businesses looking for a more conducive regulatory environment.
Streamlining Cryptocurrency Regulations for Innovation
To make it easier for emerging Web3 companies to navigate existing legal frameworks and contribute to the UK’s digital economy growth, the government must streamline cryptocurrency regulations and adopt forward-looking approaches. By making the regulatory landscape clear and straightforward, the UK can create an environment that fosters innovation, growth, and competitiveness in the global fintech industry.
The Policy Exchange report also recommends not weakening self-hosted wallets or treating proof-of-stake (PoS) services as financial services. This approach aims to protect the fundamental principles of decentralization and user autonomy while strongly emphasizing security and regulatory compliance. By doing so, the UK can nurture an environment that encourages innovation and the continued growth of blockchain technology.
Despite recent strict measures by UK authorities, such as His Majesty’s Treasury and the FCA, toward the digital assets sector, the proposed changes in the Policy Exchange report strive to make the UK a more attractive location for Web3 enterprises. By adopting these suggestions, the UK can demonstrate its commitment to fostering innovation in the rapidly evolving blockchain and cryptocurrency industries while ensuring a robust and transparent regulatory environment.
The ongoing uncertainty surrounding cryptocurrency regulations in various countries has prompted Web3 companies to explore alternative jurisdictions with more precise legal frameworks. As the United States grapples with regulatory ambiguity, the United Kingdom can position itself as a hub for Web3 innovation by simplifying and streamlining its cryptocurrency regulations.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Jonathan Borba; Pexels; Thank you!
Deanna Ritchie
Managing Editor at ReadWrite
Deanna is the Managing Editor at ReadWrite. Previously she worked as the Editor in Chief for Startup Grind and has over 20+ years of experience in content management and content development.