Tips To Get Backlinks From Local News Stations

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Nothing works better than News Stations for establishing credibility in your community; they're trustworthy and provide great exposure. The local display is immense as people read news websites daily.

Unlock the power of news stations by getting maximum backlinks to drastically improve the local SEO and offline presence.

10 Ways to Get Local Press/News Stations To Link Back to You

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1. Submit Press Releases

Press Releases are your top source to gather backlinks. Submit them to websites with high Domain Authority to get maximum traction. News websites with high DA get a lot of traffic, exposing your link to a wider audience. 

Your press releases will get accepted if they’re relevant to the news station. Research beforehand to see if they’ve published similar content to avoid sending out unnecessary pitches.

Tips to Increase the Relevance of Your Pitch:

• Include Relevant Keywords: Relevant keywords help with ranking. Also, involve other bloggers and influencers in distributing your content for maximum visibility. 
• Add a Separate Page for Press Releases: Create a separate page on your website titled 'media room' or 'press release' so journalists can easily access all the information.
• Share with Newswire Websites: Newswire websites distribute press releases to editors. You can share newsworthy content with newswire websites for maximum distribution. 

You can use keywordtool.io to find relevant keywords:

Read: Press Releases and SEO

2. Help Out Reporters

Reporters often use websites to ask for quotes and data from industry experts. They link the quote back to the person's site. It's a win-win for both as the source gets backlinks and journalists get relevant answers.

Websites like these get a lot of queries which attracts many people. Ensure your answers are to the point as the competition is extreme.

Top Sites You Can Use to Help Reporters

• HARO: HARO is the most popular site to answer journalist queries. When getting backlinks, many businesses and industry experts use HARO.
• Business Journal Leadership Trust: It's an invitation-only community that poses questions about a respective industry. You can answer these questions, which get featured on the expert panel with a company link.
• SourceBottle: SourceBottle is similar to HARO, but it allows journalists to gather case studies on top of quotes.

Here’s a screenshot of HARO:

3. Indulge in Industry Forums

Every industry has forums where reporters seek answers to their questions. You have the opportunity to establish yourself as an expert.

The trick is to be consistent. When a reporter sees that you’re answering multiple questions with expert insights, they will reach out themselves.

Tips to Participate in Industry Forums:

• Provide Genuine Help: Unlike other sites to help reporters, forums are solution-oriented. Reporters look for information more than quotes, so be genuine with your answers.
• Post Links To Your Site Only If Necessary: Don't post irrelevant links with your answers—link to your site only to explain a concept or provide data. Reporters won't click on unnecessary links derogatory to your reputation in the forum.
• It's a Long-Term Game: You must be consistent with your efforts to derive fulfilling results.

Quora.com is an effective forum:

4. Create Trending Content

Creating trending content is the best way to get noticed without outbound efforts. News and press stations always look for eye-catching content to boost viral trends.

Find trending hashtags on Twitter or Instagram and create content related to it. Remember to avoid opportunities that don't align with your company's image. For instance, it's not wise to create content around political satires, even if it's trending.

Tips to Create Trending Content:

• Keep It Short: Short-form content like memes or infographics work best for trending content as they gather a lot of shares.
• Choose A-Channel: Choose a platform that works for you. Twitter is generally the top choice of business owners as it's pretty convenient.
• Use Google Trends: Trends is best for creating long-form content for the web. It helps you understand current trends and tap into upcoming opportunities. The result below is for the search term "crypto." You can see that “safemoon crypto” is trending.

5. Find News Sites with Unlinked Mentions

News sites often use the company's names in various articles and blogs but don’t link back. You can reach out to the editor and ask them to add a link to your site.

Press stations also conduct interviews with editors and CEOs of new businesses. You can ask them to add a link to the person’s profile on your website.

Tools to Find Unlinked Sources:

• Google Alerts: Google alerts send notifications whenever someone mentions you or your company in their content.
• Ahrefs: Use Ahrefs Content Explorer to find unlinked mentions. Type your name in the search bar, showing you the sites that mention you but don't link back.
• Mention: Mention has a dedicated alert tool that filters keywords, country, and language to find the most relevant unlinked mentions. 

Here’s a screenshot of Google Alerts:

6. Use Strategic Outreach

You are not the only person pitching news stations, no matter your niche. The relevance of backlinks from news/PR stations makes them highly competitive.

That's why you must follow strategic outreach. Your pitch should help journalists create valuable content for their press/new station. Don't make it 'just another email to read.' 

How to Outreach Strategically?

• Network on Social Media: 64% of writers present in a Buzzstresm webinar accepted the importance of personal connection while pitching. Connect with journalists before sending in a pitch. 
• Add Free Infographics: Include original infographics or graphs and share them with them for free. Relevant infographics that make long-form content easy to understand are valuable for journalists.
• Connect with Local Journalists: If you aim to get local links, befriending local journalists personally goes a long way.

Facebook groups are fantastic for networking on social media:

7. Include Original Research and Stats

Journalists are always looking for exciting statistics and research to quote. It's the most subtle and efficient way to earn a backlink. 

Using data and research relevant to the news station can increase your acceptance chances. Unique data makes you a trusted source, so many websites link back to you. Also, it increases your brand authority. 

How To Use Data to Get Your Pitch Accepted?

• Add Exclusive Data: Buzzstream’s webinar suggests that 39% of 500 writers and editors accept pitches with exclusive research. Conducting surveys and polls in your industry is the best way to achieve this.
• Summarize Everything: Reading Data takes time. A quick summary saves the journalist's time and gets noticed amongst the clutter. 
• Leave Them Wanting More: Use data points sparingly, so they reply for more. It works when your research is crip and not littered with long paragraphs.

Here’s an example of stats implementation in a blog:

8. Use Distribution Services

Distribution services are best if you don't want to pitch and connect with journalists. You can submit your content or press releases to the distribution services, who will take care of the rest. 

How to Use a Distribution Service?

• Wire Release: A PR agency submits your press releases directly to journalists and reporters in a wide release. The more journalists they have in their roster, the better it works for you.
• Realizing It for Free: Free press release allows it to be published on a new website for a limited time.

Here’s an example of a PR distribution service:

9. Create Guides

"The Ultimate Guides" about a concept or product are the most sought-after content pieces as they clench the thirst for information. They're detailed to the core and aim to solve all customer queries.

Guides are helpful for journalists when they want to explain a concept without diving into it. They can link to an ultimate guide.

Tips for Writing Great Guides

• Go Above And Beyond: An ultimate guide contains everything about the topic. You can’t leave the reader hanging. Provide all necessary information.
• Add Stats: Stats are essential in guides as they prove your points. For instance, if you're writing about SEO, provide data around SEO results for brands.
• Make it Scannable: A long guide; that’s why you must space out paragraphs properly so journalists can scan the content before diving in.

Here’s an example of a comprehensive guide:

Read: The Local SEO Guide For Entrepreneurs

10. Refurbish old content

If you have an old content piece with a lot of backlinks, renovate it to keep it up to date. According to Neil Patel, refurbishing old content makes it more appealing and thus helps with ranking.

News sites need data that is relevant to current scenarios. Updating old content allows you to reach out to the same journalists and ask them to link to the new page. It is a win-win for both.

Tips to Refurbish Old Content:

• Add an FAQ Section: The FAQ section helps readers find quick answers. They also help with ranking if your blog is not ranking for certain keywords, it might rank for FAQs.
• Add New Graphics: Graphics engage viewers and gather more shares. Use infographics, short explainer videos, or whiteboard animation videos to increase your chances.
• Fix Broken Links: Google penalizes sites with broken links so that any news station won’t take them. Use the Dead Link checker to hunt broken links and fix them.

Here’s a screenshot of Dead Link Checker:

Key Takeaways

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• Optimize your press releases for SEO for news stations to pick them up. 
• Reach out to local journalists personally and build genuine connections.
• Refurbish old content to get additional backlinks.
• Create Ultimate Guides so news stations can use your content to explain something in-depth.
• Become a source by replying to queries on HARO, Business Journal Leadership Trust, and SourceBottle.
• Pitch your original research and stats to journalists and create extensive data reports.
• Use distribution services for better reach.