HARO Link Building: How to Earn Backlinks and Press Coverage

HARO link building means answering journalists’ requests for expert sources on Help a Reporter Out, so that when your quote gets used, the article credits you, often with a link to your site. It’s one of the few ways to earn links from real news sites and big publications without paying for them.

And yes, HARO is back. Cision shut it down in December 2024 after rebranding it as Connectively, then sold the brand to Featured.com in April 2025, which relaunched the free daily emails a week later. A lot of advice online still predates all that, so below is how it works now, how I’d pitch, and which alternatives are worth your time.

What is HARO?

HARO stands for Help a Reporter Out. Peter Shankman started it in 2008 as a simple mailing list: journalists post what they need (“looking for a CPA to comment on small business tax mistakes”), and sources who fit reply by email. Vocus bought it in 2010, and it became part of Cision when the two companies merged in 2014.

Here’s the short version of what’s happened since:

If you signed up years ago and stopped getting emails, that’s why. You’ll need to subscribe again on the new site.

How HARO works today

The basic model hasn’t changed. You sign up as a source, pick the topics you know, and get query emails during the day. Each query lists the outlet (sometimes anonymous), what the journalist needs, any requirements, and a deadline. You reply by email with your answer.

What has changed under Featured is the quality control. The new owners have said they use AI text detection, LinkedIn checks and community reporting to filter low-effort pitches, and that sources who spam journalists risk a permanent ban. That’s good news if you write real answers. It’s bad news for anyone who was pasting ChatGPT replies into every query.

Signing up as a source is free. Featured also runs its own paid expert platform, but you don’t need it to use HARO.

Why HARO is still worth it for SEO

The links you earn come from editorial content on sites you’d never get a reply from with cold outreach. Even when a publication doesn’t link, or adds a nofollow tag, you still get:

• Brand mentions on trusted sites. These help people and search engines connect your name with your topic.
• Proof of expertise. “As quoted in” coverage supports the experience and authority signals Google talks about in its E-E-A-T guidelines.
• Relationships with journalists. A reporter who used your quote once is likely to come back when they need a source again.

It’s also safe. You aren’t paying for placement or trading links, which is what Google’s spam policies call link spam. The journalist decides whether to quote you and whether to link.

The catch is effort. Popular queries get a lot of replies, and most pitches never get used. Treat it as a steady habit, not a quick win.

How to write HARO pitches that get used

Journalists skim. They’re on deadline and they’re reading dozens of replies. Here’s what I’ve found gets a pitch picked:

1. Only answer queries you’re qualified for

If the query asks for a licensed accountant and you’re a bookkeeper, skip it. Answering everything is how sources get ignored, and under the new rules it’s how they get banned.

2. Reply fast

The first good answers get read first. Set up an email filter for your topics so the right queries land in a folder you check a few times a day.

3. Lead with who you are

Open with one line on why you can answer: your role, your company, how long you’ve done this. Then answer the question.

4. Give a quote they can paste

Write two to four tight sentences that answer exactly what was asked. Add something specific: a number from your own work, a real example, a mistake you see clients make. Specific beats clever every time.

5. Make it easy to credit you

End with your full name, title, company, website URL and a link to a headshot if the query asks for one. Don’t beg for a link. Just make the correct link obvious.

6. Follow the rules in the query

If they say “no attachments” or “US-based only”, respect it. Breaking a simple instruction tells the journalist you didn’t read it.

7. Don’t chase

Only follow up if the journalist asks for more. Set a Google Alert for your name and company so you spot coverage when it goes live.

One more practical point: send from a properly set up business email, not a brand-new domain. If your messages land in spam, nothing else matters. My guide to email warm-up covers the basics.

What a good HARO pitch looks like

Here’s the shape, using a made-up query about local SEO mistakes:

Subject: Re: Common local SEO mistakes small businesses make

Hi [Name],

I’m an SEO consultant who works mainly with local service businesses.

“The mistake I see most is a business listing a different phone number or address on its website than on its Google Business Profile. Google can’t tell which one is right, and that confusion can hold the listing back in the map results. Fixing it takes an afternoon.”

[Full name], [Title], [Company]
[Website URL]

Short, on topic, quotable and easy to credit. That’s the whole job.

HARO alternatives worth using

HARO isn’t the only source of journalist requests, and the smaller platforms often have less competition per query. These were all active when I checked in October 2026:

A few tools from older HARO alternative lists, such as Muck Rack, Meltwater and Prowly, are media databases rather than request platforms. They help you find and pitch journalists yourself, which is a different (and more involved) job. Platforms like Pitchbox and Hunter are outreach tools, not sources of queries at all.

How HARO fits into a wider link building plan

I’d never rely on HARO alone. It works best next to other ways of earning links:

• Content people want to cite, like the approach in my guide to skyscraper link building.
• Original data or opinions that make you a natural source, which ties into building thought leadership.
• Direct relationships with the few journalists and editors who cover your niche.

If you’d rather have someone handle sourcing, pitching and tracking for you, my link building service includes digital PR like this. You can get a rough sense of what ongoing SEO support involves with the SEO cost calculator, or get in touch to talk it through.

FAQ

Is HARO still active?

Yes. Cision closed it (as Connectively) in December 2024, and Featured.com bought the brand and relaunched the free daily query emails in April 2025. You sign up at helpareporter.com.

Is HARO free?

Signing up as a source and receiving the daily queries is free. Featured, which owns HARO, also sells its own paid expert platform, but you don’t need it to pitch HARO queries.

Are HARO backlinks dofollow?

It depends on the publication. Some link with a normal followed link, some add nofollow, and some mention you with no link at all. Even unlinked mentions on trusted sites have value for brand and authority.

How long does it take to get featured?

There’s no set timeline. Some sources land a quote in their first week, others pitch for a month before anything runs. Answering relevant queries quickly and consistently is what moves the odds.

Can I use AI to write HARO pitches?

You can use it to tidy your wording, but the substance should be yours. Featured has said it screens for AI-written pitches, and journalists want real experience they can quote.

Related reading

• Skyscraper link building: a step-by-step guide
• E-E-A-T and YMYL in SEO
• Google search operators for SEO