What Is HARO (Help A Reporter Out)?
Definition
HARO (Help A Reporter Out) was a free platform that connected journalists seeking expert sources with professionals willing to provide quotes and insights for articles. It was widely used for link building because being quoted in media articles often resulted in high-authority backlinks.
How HARO worked
HARO operated on a simple model. Three times per business day, it sent email digests containing journalist queries organized by category (business, technology, health, lifestyle, etc.). Sources could browse these queries and send pitches directly to the journalists.
If a journalist selected your pitch, they'd quote you in their article — usually with a link to your website. The resulting editorial backlinks came from high-domain authority sites like Forbes, Business Insider, The New York Times, and HuffPost.
What happened to HARO
Cision rebranded HARO as Connectively in 2024 and introduced paid tiers. Users pushed back, and Connectively shut down on December 9, 2024.
In early 2025, Featured.com acquired the HARO brand from Cision. On April 22, 2025, HARO relaunched free, with the classic 3x daily email digest format plus new AI pitch detection and LinkedIn verification.
It's active throughout 2026. See our full HARO review and pricing guide for the current state.
Why were HARO backlinks considered so valuable for SEO?
Correct! HARO links were valuable because they were editorial links from authoritative publications — earned by providing genuine expertise, not through payment or link exchanges.
HARO backlinks were valuable because they came from high-DA media outlets as genuine editorial citations. They represented real journalists choosing to quote you based on your expertise — the highest-quality type of backlink.
Alternatives to HARO
HARO is back, but these alternatives give you different query pools and proactive matching (see our full HARO alternatives guide):
- Qwoted. A journalist-source matching platform similar to the original HARO model. See our Qwoted review and the Qwoted vs HARO head-to-head.
- Featured.com. Connects experts with journalists, with a focus on quality matches.
- SourceBottle. An Australian-based alternative popular with international media.
- Help a B2B Writer. Focused specifically on B2B and SaaS content creators looking for expert quotes.
- #JournoRequest on X/Twitter. Journalists post source requests using this hashtag, which you can monitor and respond to.
- Direct journalist outreach. Build relationships with reporters covering your industry through digital PR and media pitches.
- Paid HARO-style tools. Founders who want a query feed bundled with journalist search and pitch templates often try JustReachOut; see how it stacks up in our JustReachOut vs Respona comparison.
Tips for source-based link building
- Respond fast. Journalists work on tight deadlines. The first quality responses usually win the placement.
- Be specific and quotable. Provide concrete data points, unique perspectives, or memorable phrasing that makes for good copy.
- Stay in your lane. Only respond to queries where you have genuine expertise. Journalists can spot generic answers immediately.
- Include credentials. Briefly mention your relevant experience, title, and company to establish credibility.
- Keep it concise. Journalists are busy. A 2-3 paragraph response is usually ideal.
What happened to HARO?
Correct! Cision's rebrand (Connectively) shut down on December 9, 2024. Featured.com acquired HARO and relaunched it free on April 22, 2025.
Connectively shut down Dec 9, 2024. Featured.com brought HARO back on April 22, 2025, free again, with the classic 3x daily digest format.
HARO is reactive. MentionAgent is proactive.
HARO wins when a journalist happens to ask your exact expertise. MentionAgent proactively finds relevant blogs and editors, pitches them for you, and follows up automatically.
Start FreeFrequently asked questions
Is HARO still available?
Yes. Cision rebranded HARO as Connectively in 2024 and shut it down on December 9, 2024. Featured.com acquired the brand and relaunched HARO free on April 22, 2025. It's active in 2026, see our HARO review and pricing guide.
What are the best alternatives to HARO?
Current alternatives include Qwoted, Featured.com, SourceBottle, Help a B2B Writer, and direct journalist outreach via social media (especially X/Twitter). Many SEOs have shifted to proactive digital PR and building direct relationships with journalists.
Why was HARO so popular for link building?
HARO was popular because it provided a free, structured way to earn backlinks from high-authority publications like Forbes, Business Insider, and major news outlets. These editorial links carried significant SEO value because they came from high-DA sites and were earned through genuine expertise.
Can I still do source-based link building without HARO?
Absolutely. The core strategy, positioning yourself as an expert source to earn media mentions, still works. You just need different channels: journalist request platforms (see our guide to source platforms), Twitter/X journalist hashtags like #JournoRequest, direct outreach to reporters, and creating quotable content that journalists find organically.