Help a Reporter Out (HARO) was the best-known way for small sites to earn backlinks from major media outlets. HARO shut down at the end of 2024, but the same model lives on through a growing number of expert request platforms. Journalists and content marketers send out requests for expert quotes, insights, or data, and anyone can respond. When a response gets selected, it appears in a published article with a backlink to the contributor's website.
For an indie developer or a small startup, this remains one of the most accessible paths to high-authority links: no cold outreach, no content negotiation, just a genuinely useful answer.
How the Platforms Work
The process is straightforward:
- Create a profile that clearly states your areas of expertise.
- Monitor daily or weekly request emails and digests.
- Respond to requests where you can add real value.
- When selected, confirm publication and log the link.
Platforms in this space include Help a B2B Writer, which focuses on expert contributions for major B2B companies such as HubSpot and Salesforce, plus networks like SourceBottle and Qwoted. Each platform has its own request volume and industry mix, so it pays to test two or three and keep the ones that produce accepted pitches.
The Value Proposition
While the acceptance rate can be low due to high competition, the potential rewards are substantial. Securing even a few backlinks from domains with authority scores of 90 or higher can noticeably improve how search engines treat your site. These high-quality links are particularly valuable because they are difficult for competitors to replicate, and they arrive wrapped in editorial context, which search engines prefer.
Making Your Responses Stand Out
- Provide detailed, experience-based insights instead of generic definitions.
- Include relevant credentials and links to previous features.
- Consider short video responses to stand out from AI-generated submissions.
- Personalize each answer to the request instead of recycling a template.
Best Practices for Success
- Monitor requests daily or weekly and respond quickly to relevant opportunities.
- Build relationships with writers who accept your submissions.
- Consider delegating response drafting while keeping final review and a personal touch.
- Track published features in a relationship log so you can follow up.
Managing Time Investment
Sourcing can quietly consume your week, so give it a budget. Working with a virtual assistant to draft initial responses, while you keep final review for authenticity, is the standard time-saver. Beyond that, cap sourcing at a few hours per week and spend the rest of your link building effort on strategies with a more predictable return, such as the ones in Advanced Link Building Strategies and Manual Outreach for Building Quality Backlinks.
Long-Term Benefits
Beyond immediate backlinks, successful sourcing leads to ongoing opportunities. Writers return to reliable sources for future articles, creating a steady stream of high-quality links and named mentions. Over time this can build relationships that bypass the submission process entirely, which is how the strategy transforms from a campaign into an asset.
Key Takeaways
- HARO shut down at the end of 2024, but expert request platforms continue the model.
- Even a few links from 90+ authority domains move the needle because they are hard to replicate.
- Personalization and speed win responses.
- Budget a few hours per week and track published features.
Action Items
FAQ
Q: Is HARO still active?
A: No. HARO shut down at the end of 2024. Platforms like Help a B2B Writer, SourceBottle, and Qwoted now serve the same journalist-to-expert model.
Q: How long until a selected response sees the backlink live?
A: Most publications take one to six weeks to go live, and some contributors report longer timelines for large outlets. Track submissions and chase up politely after a few weeks.