HARO’s Back, But I’m Not Sold on the Reboot. Here’s Why.
Wondering why the new HARO isn't as exciting as it used to be? I've got thoughts.
HARO’s back, ya’ll, rising from the ashes like a phoenix with a new name: HERO (Help Every Reporter Out). (May 30 update: this service is now called Source of Sources, or SOS.)
Like many PR pros and other journalists, I’m happy to hear it’s back.
But I don’t see myself using it regularly anytime soon. Here’s why.
HARO’s Rise and Fall
In case you missed it, HARO was a platform that sent out emails filled with queries by journalists to knowledgeable, media-friendly experts three times a day.
When I started using it in 2014, it was a game-changer for my reporting. Submit a query for an upcoming story, and hours later, my inbox was filled with media-friendly experts who offered their time for an interview or sent ready-to-use quotes for my stories.
Plus, it worked for PR pros, too. They could see dozens of press opportunities available on any given day and start pitching their clients to relevant opportunities. A win-win, right?
Well, it was… for a while. But things changed in the late 2010s.
Low-quality sources flooded HARO. Every time I sent in a query, I’d have to weed through a barrage of responses from people who didn’t fit the requirements I listed. A lawn care expert for a story on a new medical breakthrough? C’mon—that’s not even close. And it was happening every time I sent out a query.
It got worse for PR people, too. They started seeing fewer queries from top-tier outlets and more from low-quality bloggers looking for free products or content to steal for their SEO efforts.
I broke up with HARO and began building an email list of PR people and sources pre-vetted by me that I could use to find experts, products, or anything else I need for assignments. It grew quickly and has since become the Substack newsletter you’re reading right now.
HARO was retired earlier this year as a shell of its former self.
Why Writers Might Steer Clear of the New HARO
HARO’s original founder, Peter Shankman, has recently revived the platform as HERO SOS. It’s totally free and it’s going to get feature enhancements from MuckRack.
But I don’t see myself using it anytime soon, at least not regularly. And I’m not surprised that it’s taking a bit of time to catch on—something I’ve seen PR pros lament in private community groups.
Here’s why: