Getting featured on HARO isn’t just about being quick—it’s about standing out. Reporters are flooded with responses, and most of them sound the same.
So, we asked 10 people who’ve cracked the code: What’s your go-to tip for getting featured on HARO? They kept it short, specific, and actionable—just like a great HARO pitch.
Keep Responses Brief, Direct, and Scannable
At Mealfan, we've seen the best results by keeping responses brief, direct, and easy to scan. We make sure every answer speaks clearly to the question without filler.
Start with a useful takeaway to make your reply easy to use. We avoid jargon and long paragraphs and instead focus on one insight.
Know who you're talking to. We always look at the outlet's audience and shape our answer to match what they care about.
It helps to balance credibility, logic, and a bit of relatability. The goal is to make the journalist's job easier.
Eric Sornoso, Co-founder, Mealfan
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Monitor, Respond Fast, Tailor Your Pitch
Be lightning fast and personal. I recommend monitoring queries by category, then crafting a sharp, tailored pitch within minutes—ditch the generic intros. Highlight a recent success or unique insight tied directly to the query, and always include a quick quote that journalists can drop in. Finally, follow up once—and keep it brief.
Tom Molnar, Business Owner | Operations Manager, Fit Design
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Write Quotes Ready for Publication
I get myself featured on HARO by approaching each pitch as if I were already in the story. I do not simply respond to the question. I type the quote in the same tone and format that the journalist would have used had they copied the quote and pasted it as it is in the article without editing. This implies that I read their prompt and determine which angle they want to use and I write as though I am already in the published article.
Hugh Dixon, Consultant / Marketing Manager, PSS International Removals
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Provide Concrete, Experience-Based Solutions
Getting heard in HARO requires providing concrete advice, which one can act upon and demonstrate some experience behind it. As an example, discuss a situation in which you have fixed a special sublimation printing issue, and explain the issue, your solution, and the outcome. Do not give generic suggestions, but on what were effective and why. This direction notes your experience providing value to the reader out-of-hand. By presenting visible results and feasible answers, you will make your answer to shine and change the perception of the publication to the audience.
Hasan Hanif, CEO & Founder / Accountant, Colour Vistas
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Stand Out With Unusual, Non-Standard Answers
The only way to appear on HARO is to give unusual answers, but not to give the obvious answers. The reporters are bombarded with standard replies. Rather than provide common place advice, emphasize on a particular aspect of angle or difficulty that others are not pursuing. Give some practical examples or life situations that will enhance your answer. I have discovered that presenting your experience in a different perspective or providing non-standard solutions are more effective than merely going with the prevailing major story. Do not fall into the cliche and demonstrate how you are doing things differently. It has resulted in several features of WOW! Shirts.
Andres Bernot, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Wow! Shirts
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Address Writers With Real Business Examples
I get myself chosen on HARO by making each response sound as if I am addressing the writer of the article rather than pitching to them. I use one concrete example from the business, something we have literally done, and I explain it in a non-fluffed and non-marketing jargon way. Reporters are going through hundreds of responses, and the majority of them sound the same. I ensure that mine is spoken by a person running a team, working with real customers and making decisions that cost money or save money.
Steven Bahbah, Managing Director, Service First Plumbing
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Offer Original Expertise With Specific Examples
To be featured in HARO, you should aim at offering original, practical expertise that goes beyond the fundamentals. Rather than giving generic, cut and paste answers, get into your own experiences and relate specific examples to the question asked by the reporter. Such a practice not only shows your competence but also makes your answer stand out among dozens of others. Reporters want practical solutions and new ideas that do not just fit in their article. Also, it is helpful to respond within a short time and customize your pitch to fit the audience of the reporter to increase your chances of being noticed.
Dr. Nima Azarbehi, Physician and Founder, Melt Aesthetics and Liposuction
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Share Specific, Measurable Results
To be included on HARO, one should be specific and provide something original. Do not give generic advice, but on actual examples. Demonstrate your experience as an effective solution to problems. As an example, give an example of a situation when your training increased team productivity by 25%. This kind of specific and outcomes performance information is much more impressive than a general answer. Editors need something specific, measurable and something editors can do about it rather than theory. Be concise, pertinent and prove an immediate value.
Ben Richardson, CEO & Owner, Acuity Training
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Tell Compelling Stories With Hard Numbers
Generally speaking, the key is to tell compelling mini-stories that editors can't resist, like how I went from a failed first franchise to selling my cookie business to Craveworthy Brands. I always include specific numbers and timelines in my responses - for instance, sharing how we scaled Glo from 100 to 700 locations has gotten me featured multiple times.
Bennett Maxwell, CEO, Franchise KI
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Lead With Recent, Concrete Business Situations
I get myself featured on HARO by avoiding the resume and starting with a personal business situation that relates to the question. Authors want information that they cannot scrape out of a LinkedIn bio. That is why I always lead with something really concrete that has occurred to me or my company in the past year, and I ensure that it is on the angle that they are trying to pursue.
John Beaver, Chief Executive Office & Founder, Desky
These aren’t hacks—they’re habits. Keep it short. Stay specific. Speak like a human. If your response is easy to use and clearly rooted in experience, you’re already ahead of most people hitting “send.”
