For over a decade, Help a Reporter Out (HARO) was the go-to shortcut for brands and marketers who wanted to earn high-authority backlinks without running a full PR department. The premise was beautifully simple: journalists posted requests for expert sources, brands responded with insights, and everyone won — the journalist got a quotable expert, the brand got a mention in Forbes, TechCrunch, or The New York Times.

Then, on December 9, 2024, HARO was permanently shut down by Cision, its parent company, leaving thousands of SEO professionals and content marketers scrambling for alternatives. The good news? The underlying tactic — expert source link building — is more effective than ever. A new generation of platforms has stepped in to fill the void, and in some cases, they are delivering better results than HARO ever did.

In this guide, we break down the best HARO alternatives available right now, the platforms worth your time in 2026, and the pitching strategies that separate a 1% response rate from a 15% one. Whether you are building links for your own brand or managing an SEO strategy for clients across Asia and beyond, this is the only reference you need.

What Happened to HARO (And What Replaced It)?

HARO was founded in 2008 by Peter Shankman as a simple Facebook group connecting journalists with expert sources. It quickly grew into a mailing list used by publications ranging from niche industry blogs to household-name media outlets. By the time it was acquired by Vocus in 2010, and later absorbed into Cision following a 2014 merger, HARO had become an institution in the world of digital PR and link building.

The problems crept in gradually. As more SEO agencies discovered HARO’s potential for link building at scale, query inboxes became flooded with pitches — many of them templated, off-topic, or AI-generated. Journalists reported receiving hundreds of responses to a single query, making the platform increasingly painful to use from the source side. Signal-to-noise ratio declined sharply, and the verification of journalist accounts loosened, allowing spam and low-quality requests to proliferate.

In 2023, Cision attempted a rebrand, relaunching HARO as Connectively with a pay-to-pitch model, subscription tiers, and promises of AI-powered spam prevention. The changes drove away users without solving the core problem. On November 8, 2024, Cision announced the platform would be discontinued entirely. Connectively went dark on December 9, 2024.

The story did not end there. In April 2025, Featured.com acquired the HARO brand from Cision and relaunched it as a free newsletter with improved spam filters, LinkedIn profile verification, and AI content detection. By June 2025, Featured rebranded the revived service back to the Connectively name under their ownership. In parallel, Peter Shankman — the original HARO founder — launched Source of Sources, which many practitioners now consider the spiritual successor to original HARO. The market has diversified considerably, and that is ultimately good news for serious link builders.

Why Editorial Backlinks Still Matter in 2026

Before diving into platforms, it is worth understanding why this tactic remains worth pursuing. Backlinks continue to be one of the most powerful ranking signals in search. A single link from a high-authority news publication carries more weight than dozens of links from low-authority directories or content farms. The quality-over-quantity principle has never been more important than it is today, as Google’s algorithms — and increasingly the AI systems that power tools like ChatGPT and Gemini — use editorial citations as a trust proxy.

The connection between editorial link placements and AI search visibility is one of the most compelling reasons to invest in this channel right now. Every placement in a qualified publication increases the probability that your brand surfaces when AI engines answer questions in your space. For brands investing in Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) or Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), expert source link building is not just an SEO tactic — it is a brand authority strategy.

Expert source placements are also editorially earned, not purchased or negotiated. A human editor decided your quote added genuine value, which is the closest thing to a true natural link signal you can build systematically at scale. For brands in competitive markets across Southeast Asia and beyond, this type of authority-building compounds over time in ways that paid placements simply cannot replicate.

The Best HARO Alternatives for Expert Source Link Building

The platforms below represent the most effective options available in 2026. They are evaluated on link quality, editorial standards, ease of use, pricing, and real-world conversion rates reported by practitioners.

1. Source of Sources (SoS)

Best for: General link building, those new to media-based link building, anyone who loved classic HARO

Source of Sources is widely regarded as the closest replacement for original HARO, which makes sense given that it was founded by Peter Shankman — the very person who created HARO in 2008. It operates as a free, email-based digest that sends journalist requests up to three times daily, connecting expert sources with reporters at real publications. What sets it apart from the chaotic final years of HARO is its rigorous quality control: signups and responses are manually reviewed, and sources who send irrelevant pitches are removed immediately with no appeals process.

That enforcement mechanism has kept AI-generated spam and mass-pitching agencies at bay — at least for now. The result is lower competition, higher editorial standards, and a platform that feels genuinely useful for both journalists and sources. SoS is completely free to use and requires no subscription, making it the natural first stop for anyone building or rebuilding a media-based link programme.

• Pricing: Free
• Ideal for: Brands and consultants across all industries
• Competition level: Low to moderate

2. Featured (formerly Terkel)

Best for: Curated journalist requests, thought leadership positioning, tracking pitch success rates

Featured has emerged as one of the strongest HARO replacements thanks to its more structured editorial process. Journalists from publications including Fast Company, GoDaddy, and Zapier use the platform to source expert quotes and even publish-ready articles. When you submit a response, Featured’s editorial team reviews it and prioritises answers from subject matter experts who demonstrate firsthand experience and genuine authority on the topic. This filtering process means that quality submissions have a real chance of being selected, even on a free plan.

Free users can submit up to three responses per month, with paid plans unlocking higher volumes and multi-user access. Featured also provides a dashboard that tracks your pitch success rate over time — useful data for refining your approach and understanding which areas of expertise resonate most with journalists. It’s also notable that Featured now owns the HARO brand and has relaunched it as a free newsletter (rebranded as Connectively under their ownership), meaning the ecosystem around Featured is growing.

• Pricing: Free tier (3 responses/month); paid plans from approximately $50/month
• Ideal for: Businesses targeting high-authority publications
• Competition level: Moderate

3. Qwoted

Best for: PR professionals, finance and enterprise tech, building direct journalist relationships

Qwoted caters to three distinct user types: self-representing experts and businesses, PR and marketing professionals managing clients, and journalists seeking sources. The platform focuses heavily on the quality of both journalists and sources — accounts are vetted, which reduces the spam problem that plagued HARO. As a source, you build a professional profile that highlights your credentials and areas of expertise, making you discoverable to journalists who browse the directory proactively.

Free accounts can submit up to two pitches per month; beyond that, a paid subscription is required. Qwoted also sends email alerts for media requests that match your profile and expertise areas, reducing the time you spend manually scanning the platform. The interface is well-designed for managing multiple queries and tracking outreach activity, which makes it a practical choice for agencies or communications professionals managing several clients simultaneously.

• Pricing: Free (2 pitches/month); paid plans available
• Ideal for: PR professionals, B2B brands, finance and tech sectors
• Competition level: Moderate

4. Help a B2B Writer

Best for: B2B brands, SaaS companies, content marketers, thought leaders

Help a B2B Writer is run by Superpath, a Slack community for content marketers, and it lives up to its niche focus. Requests come exclusively from B2B writers and journalists, which means the queries are significantly more targeted than on general platforms. If you sell to businesses — whether in technology, marketing, HR, finance, or operations — your hit rate per pitch on Help a B2B Writer will typically be much higher than on a broader alternative.

The platform is free and operates through Superpath’s Slack community as well as email alerts. When you register as a source and select your areas of expertise, you receive relevant requests directly. You can then reach out to the person who submitted the request, ask for clarification, or submit your insights directly. For content marketing teams that want to build thought leadership in B2B verticals, this platform delivers excellent relevance with minimal noise.

• Pricing: Free
• Ideal for: B2B SaaS, professional services, marketing agencies
• Competition level: Low

5. SourceBottle

Best for: Australian and UK-focused campaigns, lower competition environments

SourceBottle is a long-running platform focused primarily on Australian and UK media, with requests from outlets including Financial Review, ABC Australia, and The Guardian. Because it serves geographically specific markets that are underrepresented on US-centric alternatives, competition levels tend to be meaningfully lower — which translates into a higher chance of placement for well-crafted responses. Sources can create an expert profile that is included in a searchable directory accessible to journalists.

Free users can subscribe to keyword alerts and receive daily emails (called “Drink Up” emails) with opportunities that match their expertise. Paid tiers unlock more comprehensive search and priority placement features. For brands with an international presence or a specific interest in ANZ and UK media coverage, SourceBottle is a valuable addition to the platform stack.

• Pricing: Free basic plan; premium plans from approximately $65/month
• Ideal for: Australian and UK market targeting; supplementary link building
• Competition level: Low

6. X (Twitter) — #JournoRequest and #PRRequest

Best for: Real-time monitoring, influencers with an established following, speed-sensitive opportunities

Reporters routinely post source callouts on X using hashtags like #JournoRequest, #PRRequest, and #BloggerRequest. Because these requests appear in real time and journalists often make their selections within hours, speed is the defining advantage here. Monitoring these hashtags — ideally with automated alerts rather than manual checking — puts you in position to respond before the competition piles up. Visit the profiles of journalists who post requests to understand their publication, beat, and the type of sources they typically feature.

This channel works particularly well for brands or individuals with an established social presence, since journalists are more likely to engage with sources who have visible credibility and a genuine following. Pairing X monitoring with active engagement — sharing journalists’ articles, adding value to their conversations before you need something from them — is a long-term relationship-building strategy that pays dividends well beyond individual link placements.

• Pricing: Free
• Ideal for: Experts with an established following; real-time opportunities
• Competition level: Varies by hashtag and timing

7. LinkedIn

Best for: B2B journalists, enterprise brands, professional services

LinkedIn has become an increasingly active channel for B2B journalists and editors seeking expert commentary. Unlike X, LinkedIn requests tend to skew toward business, technology, finance, and leadership topics, making it an excellent fit for agencies and professional services brands. Following relevant journalists, engaging with their content consistently, and positioning yourself as a knowledgeable voice in your niche makes you far more likely to be approached when a journalist needs a source — or to be noticed when you respond to their public source callouts.

For brands investing in AI marketing or emerging technology narratives, LinkedIn is particularly valuable because many of the journalists covering these beats are highly active on the platform and actively seeking practitioner perspectives. Building a strong LinkedIn presence as part of your broader influencer marketing and thought leadership strategy creates compounding returns over time.

• Pricing: Free (LinkedIn Premium optional)
• Ideal for: B2B brands, executives, professional services
• Competition level: Low to moderate

8. PressPlugs

Best for: UK media coverage, direct journalist access

PressPlugs serves the UK market and gives sources direct access to journalists at some of the country’s biggest media outlets, including Metro, The Daily Mail, BBC News, and The Guardian. The platform allows you to tailor the types of requests you see and receive via email to match your specific areas of expertise. A free trial gives you immediate access to the dashboard and email alerts, making it straightforward to evaluate whether the platform is a good fit before committing to a paid plan. For brands targeting UK media coverage as part of an international SEO service strategy, PressPlugs is a focused and practical option.

• Pricing: Free trial available; paid plans required for full access
• Ideal for: UK-focused PR campaigns
• Competition level: Low to moderate

Pitching Tactics That Actually Win Placements

Having access to the right platforms is only half the equation. The brands and agencies that earn consistent editorial placements from journalist requests share a common set of pitching behaviours. These are not tricks — they are the fundamentals that separate a pitch that gets ignored from one that earns a live link.

Respond within the first hour. Journalists often make their source selections within hours of posting a query, particularly on X and Source of Sources. Checking your platforms several times a day and setting up keyword alerts is the single most impactful operational change you can make. A perfectly crafted pitch submitted 48 hours late will almost never be selected.

Lead with a ready-to-publish quote. Journalists are on deadline. The pitch that wins is not the one that promises expert insight — it is the one that delivers it immediately. Open with a direct, quotable statement that answers the journalist’s question, then provide two or three sentences of supporting context. Keep the total response concise; a tight two-paragraph answer that addresses the question directly outperforms a lengthy bio every time.

Be genuinely specific. Generic AI-generated responses are now immediately recognisable to experienced journalists, and they are being filtered out at an accelerating rate. Specific facts, original observations, and first-hand practitioner experience are what make a pitch genuinely useful. If you cannot bring something specific and credible to the table, it is better not to respond than to submit a generic answer that damages your reputation with that journalist.

Match your pitch to the journalist’s actual need. Read the request carefully and respond only if your expertise genuinely fits. Pitching off-topic responses trains journalists to ignore your name, and on stricter platforms like Source of Sources, it will get you removed entirely. Quality of relevance always outweighs quantity of submissions.

Build relationships, not just backlinks. The best editorial link builders view each journalist interaction as the start of a relationship. When a journalist selects your pitch, follow up with a brief thank-you. Share their published article. Engage with their work on LinkedIn or X. Journalists who have positive experiences with you will return for future stories — and being a go-to source for a writer at Forbes or TechCrunch is worth far more than any single backlink.

How to Build Your HARO Alternative Platform Stack

The practitioners earning the most consistent results from journalist source link building in 2026 are not relying on a single platform. They are working a deliberately small stack of complementary tools. The mistake most teams make is signing up for every available platform and then spreading their attention too thin — pitching quality degrades quickly when you are managing too many inboxes simultaneously.

A practical starting point is a two-platform stack: one free, high-volume option (Source of Sources is the default recommendation) paired with one more selective paid platform (Featured is the most widely used choice in this role). Once you have consistent workflows and a clear sense of your conversion rate on both, you can add a third platform — typically one chosen for geographic or niche relevance, such as SourceBottle for ANZ coverage or Help a B2B Writer for B2B verticals.

Layer social monitoring on top of this as a real-time supplement. Setting up automated keyword alerts for #JournoRequest and #PRRequest on X, and actively following relevant journalists on LinkedIn, ensures you catch time-sensitive opportunities that do not appear on the email-based platforms. The full stack — a free high-volume platform, a paid curated platform, one niche or geographic option, and social monitoring — covers the majority of available opportunities without creating an unmanageable workflow. For brands with a dedicated SEO consultant or in-house content team, this stack can be maintained with two to three focused hours per week.

Beyond Journalist Requests: Complementary Link-Building Strategies

Expert source link building is one of the most effective channels available, but it works best as part of a broader authority-building programme. The brands that dominate search results and AI citations in 2026 combine reactive journalist sourcing with proactive outreach and linkable asset creation.

Original data is among the most reliable ways to earn high-authority editorial links at scale. When your brand publishes credible research — whether from customer surveys, proprietary platform data, or original market analysis — you become a source that journalists cite repeatedly rather than just occasionally. This kind of content marketing strategy transforms your brand from a pitch-sender into a reference point.

Unlinked brand mentions are another underutilised opportunity. If a publication has already mentioned your brand in an article without linking to your website, a polite outreach email requesting a link has a high success rate precisely because the publisher has already demonstrated goodwill toward your brand. Tools like Google Alerts can help you monitor for these mentions at no cost.

For brands operating in Southeast Asia and managing multi-market digital presence, a well-structured local SEO strategy that incorporates editorial link building from regional media outlets is particularly powerful. Regional publications in markets like Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia carry significant domain authority and are often less competitive to pitch than global outlets — making them ideal targets for expert source campaigns tailored to local journalist needs.

Finally, for brands building visibility across AI-powered discovery platforms, the combination of editorial backlinks with a robust AI SEO strategy is increasingly important. Editorial placements in trusted publications signal credibility to the large language models that power AI search tools, improving the probability that your brand surfaces in AI-generated answers and recommendations — a channel that is growing rapidly in importance relative to traditional organic search.

Conclusion

HARO’s closure marked the end of an era, but the fundamental tactic it popularised — providing expert insights to journalists in exchange for editorial backlinks — is more valuable than ever. The platforms that have emerged to replace it are, in many cases, superior: better filtered, more niche-specific, and more conducive to building genuine journalist relationships rather than playing a volume game.

The key to success with HARO alternatives in 2026 is not using all of them simultaneously. It is building a focused two or three-platform stack, responding fast, pitching with specific and credible expertise, and treating every journalist interaction as the beginning of a relationship rather than a one-off transaction. Done consistently, expert source link building delivers some of the highest-quality editorial backlinks available — the kind that strengthen both traditional search rankings and AI search visibility in ways that paid links and directory submissions simply cannot.

For brands that want to integrate journalist source link building into a comprehensive SEO and digital PR programme, the investment pays compounding dividends over time. Whether you are managing your own outreach or working with a performance-focused SEO agency, the principles remain the same: be the most useful expert in the room, respond before the competition does, and let your genuine knowledge do the work.