When Should Travel Brands Outsource HARO? A Complete ROI Analysis
You're spending 10 hours weekly on HARO. Getting results, but it's draining. Should you outsource? Here's the honest ROI calculation that shows when agencies make sense—and when they don't.
The Problem: HARO works but consumes 8-12 hours weekly. You're the founder or senior marketer. Your time is worth £75-150/hour. That's £600-1,800 monthly in opportunity cost. Agencies charge £1,200-2,500. Which makes financial sense?
The Solution: A clear ROI framework that calculates your actual costs (time + results) versus agency costs (money + results). Sometimes DIY wins. Sometimes outsourcing is obvious. Let's calculate your situation.
Here's the complete decision framework.
The True Cost of DIY HARO
Most people only count £0 because HARO is free. Wrong. Your time has value. Here's the real calculation:
DIY HARO Cost Breakdown
Time Investment
- • Scanning queries: 3 hours/week
- • Writing pitches: 5 hours/week
- • Tracking results: 1 hour/week
- • Following up: 1 hour/week
Total: 10 hours/week
Opportunity Cost
- • Your hourly rate: £100
- • Weekly cost: £1,000
- • Monthly cost: £4,000
- • Yearly cost: £48,000
True Cost: £4,000/month
Results Achieved (Typical)
- • 15-20 backlinks monthly
- • Average DA of linking sites: 45
- • Success rate: 20-25%
ROI Calculation:
Cost per backlink = £4,000 ÷ 17.5 = £229/backlink
This is expensive if your time is worth £100/hour
Most travel brand owners don't calculate this. They see "£0 for HARO" and ignore opportunity cost. Big mistake.
The True Cost of Outsourcing HARO
Now let's calculate agency costs properly:
Agency HARO Cost Breakdown
Financial Investment
- • Monthly retainer: £1,500
- • Setup/onboarding: £0 (usually included)
- • Reporting tools: Included
- • Management time: £0
Total: £1,500/month
Your Time Investment
- • Monthly review call: 0.5 hours
- • Approving complex pitches: 1 hour
- • Total weekly: 0.4 hours
- • Monthly cost (£100/hr): £160
Time Cost: £160/month
Results Achieved (Typical Agency)
- • 35-50 backlinks monthly
- • Average DA of linking sites: 52
- • Success rate: 30-35%
ROI Calculation:
Total cost = £1,500 + £160 = £1,660
Cost per backlink = £1,660 ÷ 42.5 = £39/backlink
This is significantly cheaper than DIY if your time is valuable
The Decision Matrix
Use this matrix to determine whether you should DIY or outsource:
| Your Situation | DIY Cost | Agency Cost | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior marketer (£25/hr rate) | £1,000/month | £1,560/month | DIY |
| Senior marketer (£50/hr rate) | £2,000/month | £1,560/month | Consider Outsourcing |
| Founder/Director (£100/hr rate) | £4,000/month | £1,560/month | Definitely Outsource |
| CEO (£150/hr rate) | £6,000/month | £1,560/month | No-Brainer: Outsource |
Simple rule: If your hourly rate is £50+ and you value your time properly, outsourcing delivers better ROI than DIY.
Beyond ROI: Other Factors That Matter
ROI isn't everything. Consider these factors:
Quality and Consistency
Agencies deliver consistent 30-35% success rates because HARO is their full-time job. DIY success rates fluctuate based on your available time and energy.
Advantage: Outsourcing
Learning and Control
DIY means you understand exactly how HARO works, which queries succeed, and why. Agencies deliver results but you don't learn the system.
Advantage: DIY (for learning)
Scalability
Agencies scale easily from 30 to 60 backlinks monthly. DIY scaling requires hiring and training team members.
Advantage: Outsourcing
Speed to Results
Agencies start delivering within 2-3 weeks. DIY requires 2-3 months to perfect your technique and systems.
Advantage: Outsourcing
The Hybrid Approach (Best of Both)
Some travel brands use a middle ground:
Option: Course + DIY Implementation
Investment: $147 one-time for our HARO Travel Backlink Blueprint
You get: Complete system, templates, timing strategies, and exact processes agencies use
Your time: Still 8-10 hours weekly, but with 30-35% success rates instead of 15-20%
Best for: Marketers who want agency-level results but have time to implement
ROI Comparison:
$147 course + 10 hours weekly (£2,000/month) = 25-30 backlinks monthly
Cost per backlink: £77 (better than DIY alone, cheaper than agency)
This works if you have time but need better techniques. Course teaches you what takes 6 months to figure out alone.
Learn the Complete HARO System
Our HARO Travel Backlink Blueprint teaches you the exact system for winning high-authority editorial backlinks. Complete pitch templates, timing strategies, and proven processes.
HARO Outsourcing Questions
Make the Right Decision for Your Business
Outsourcing HARO makes financial sense when your opportunity cost is high and you're spending significant weekly hours on it. Calculate your hourly rate and multiply by hours spent—that's your true DIY cost.
However, if you're building in-house expertise, have time to learn, or value understanding the system deeply, DIY or course-based learning provides better long-term value.
The HARO Travel Backlink Blueprint teaches you the complete system for $147 one-time—pitch templates, timing strategies, and proven processes to improve your success rate.
Calculate your actual costs. Make the decision that maximises ROI for your specific situation. Don't default to DIY just because "it's free"—your time has measurable value.