How to Get Backlinks Through HARO and Expert Citations

Definition

A strategy of providing expert comments on media source platforms like HARO to earn media citations and backlinks.

Summary

HARO was discontinued as Connectively in December 2024 and relaunched under the HARO name by Featured.com in April 2025. Princeton GEO research found expert citations increase AI citation potential 30–41%. Media expert citations earn high-authority backlinks while strengthening E-E-A-T and AI citation authority.

Why media citation backlinks are powerful

Most media domain DA (Domain Authority) is 70+. Global media like the New York Times, Forbes, and TechCrunch reach DA 90+. Major local media also typically score DA 60–80.

Editorially reviewed media citation links are among links Google trusts most. Unlike guest posting, journalists independently select experts to cite, ensuring editorial independence.

Key finding from Princeton GEO research:
Aggarwal et al. (2024) found content citing expert sources or cited by experts has 30–41% higher AI citation potential. Brands cited as experts in media repeatedly appear as authoritative information sources in AI training data.

HARO and alternative platform status (2026)

HARO history and current status

Current HARO (2026):
Featured.com's HARO is free for both sources and journalists, funded by newsletter sponsorship. It returned to the original free email digest model from Connectively's paid model. AI-generated response flooding and quality management issues persist, making authentic expert responses more important for acceptance rates.

Major alternative platforms

5-step expert citation acquisition process

Step 1: Register on platform and set categories

Register as a source on HARO (helpareporter.com) or alternative platforms. Set expertise fields accurately to receive relevant queries. Overly broad categories bring irrelevant queries that are hard to manage.

Step 2: Monitor queries (speed is key)

HARO sends email digests three times daily (morning, afternoon, evening). Fast response is the most important factor for acceptance rate. Responses arriving first to deadline-driven journalists are more likely selected. Enable email alerts and respond to relevant queries as quickly as possible.

Step 3: Write responses (apply BLUF structure)

Effective response principles:

• Core first (BLUF): Put the journalist's key answer in the first sentence
• Include specific data: "73% of our 30 client companies ~" not "many companies ~"
• Based on practical experience: Include real cases AI cannot easily generate
• Length: 150–300 words recommended. Too long is hard to edit; too short lacks citation value

Step 4: State credentials clearly

Always include at end of response:

• Name
• Title
• Company name and website URL
• 1–2 lines relevant experience (only for the topic)

Journalists must explain sources to readers, so clear credentials directly affect acceptance rate.

Step 5: Track after publish and maintain relationships

When article publishes:

• Monitor with Google Alerts for your name/company to detect publication
• If no link in article, you may politely ask journalist to add one
• Share article on social media to promote that journalist's content
• Prioritize responding to future queries from same journalist to maintain relationship

Effective response writing formula

[Core claim in 1 sentence] + [evidence/data] + [practical experience example] + [conclusion/recommendation]

Example:
"Startups seeking first ChatGPT citations should apply BLUF structure first.
Our team analyzed 30 startups and found pages with core definitions in the first paragraph
had 3.2x higher AI citation rates than those without.
Specifically, placing a clear definition within 50 words right below the H1
showed the fastest effect."

[Jane Doe, AEO Consultant, ALLEO | alleo.ai]

AEO/GEO perspective: why expert citations lead to AI citations

Mechanisms by which expert citations increase AI answer citation potential:

1. E-E-A-T improvement path
Media citation → Authoritativeness signal strengthened → E-E-A-T improved → Google search rank rises → Google AI Overviews citation potential increases

2. Training data authority path
Repeated citation on media domains → Brand repeatedly appears in high-authority sources → Included as trusted source in LLM training data → Brand recognition in ChatGPT, Claude, etc. training-based responses

3. Real-time search path
Citation in high-authority media → Indexed as high-trust source when Perplexity, ChatGPT Search crawl → AI cites that media article as source for related questions → Brand mention

Local market application

Global HARO-style services focus on English media, limiting local media coverage. Direct local PR outreach is often more realistic.

Local media strategy:

• Direct journalist contact: Find beat reporters on LinkedIn and offer expert comments. Identifying niche beat reporters and building ongoing relationships is important
• Press release distribution: Distribute data-driven releases via news wire services
• Expert community activity: Active participation in industry associations, conferences, and forums positions you as an expert journalists naturally cite

Frequently asked questions

Q. Many responses aren't accepted. How do I improve acceptance rate?
A. Three keys: relevance — don't respond to queries outside your expertise; speed — respond within 1–2 hours ideally; specificity — include real data and experience AI cannot easily generate. Acceptance rates are typically 5–15%, so persistence matters.

Q. Can small startups get media citations?
A. Yes. Journalists prefer sources with genuine topic expertise over famous brands. Clear expertise positioning and consistent responses with specific data and experience can lead to acceptance regardless of company size.

Q. Can I submit AI-generated responses?
A. Avoid it. Featured.com is aware of AI response flooding and strengthening quality control. Journalists also filter AI responses better. Only authentic responses based on real experience and data get accepted.

Related sources

• Aggarwal, S., et al. (2024). GEO: Generative Engine Optimization. KDD 2024. https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735
• Featured.com. Featured.com Acquires Help A Reporter Out (HARO). (2025.04). https://blog.featured.com/featured-acquires-help-a-reporter-out-haro/
• Cision. Connectively has been discontinued. https://www.cision.com/connectively-has-been-discontinued/
• HARO (operated by Featured.com). https://www.helpareporter.com/