HARO Review 2026

HARO (Help A Reporter Out) is a media connection platform that links journalists seeking expert sources with professionals and businesses looking to earn media coverage, brand visibility, and high-authority backlinks. Three times daily — morning, afternoon, and evening — HARO distributes email digests containing dozens of media queries from journalists and bloggers at publications ranging from local newspapers and industry blogs to major national outlets like The New York Times, Reuters, Forbes, Business Insider, and The Wall Street Journal. For SEO professionals and link builders, HARO represents one of the most legitimate and effective strategies for earning editorial backlinks from high-Domain-Authority websites. When a journalist uses your quote or expertise in their article, they typically link back to your website or profile — creating a genuine, editorial backlink that carries significant ranking power. These links are virtually impossible to acquire through traditional outreach because they come from newsrooms that don't accept guest posts or respond to link building pitches. The process is straightforward but competitive. You subscribe to HARO queries in your areas of expertise, scan the daily digests for relevant opportunities, and respond with concise, quotable expertise that directly addresses the journalist's specific question. Response speed matters enormously — journalists often select sources from the first batch of quality replies they receive. A well-crafted HARO response is typically 2-3 paragraphs long, includes specific data points or firsthand experience, and offers a unique perspective the journalist won't get from other respondents. Advanced HARO strategies include monitoring for queries related to your target keywords, building relationships with journalists who cover your industry regularly, and maintaining a set of pre-written expert talking points that can be quickly customized for relevant queries. Some link builders report earning 3-5 high-authority placements per month through consistent HARO participation. HARO has facilitated millions of media connections since its founding in 2008 by Peter Shankman, a New York PR professional who recognized the need for a centralized source-journalist marketplace. Acquired by Cision (the PR software company) in 2010, HARO remains free to use with a basic account. Paid plans starting at $19/month offer keyword alerts, early access to queries, and profile features that increase your visibility to journalists.

Founded in 2008, HARO has established itself as a leading solution in the link building space. It serves SEO professionals, digital marketing agencies, freelancers, and in-house marketing teams worldwide.