Get Featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur & 800K+ Publications — We Handle Everything
HARO (now Connectively) connects journalists with expert sources. When we pitch on your behalf, you earn editorial backlinks from the world's most authoritative media outlets — links that can't be bought, only earned.
The Most Powerful — and Misunderstood — Link Building Tactic in SEO
HARO (Help a Reporter Out) is a platform where journalists from publications like Forbes, TechCrunch, and thousands of other outlets post daily queries seeking expert sources for their articles. When your expert commentary gets selected, you earn an editorial backlink from that outlet.
These aren't purchased links — they're genuine citations in live journalism. Google treats them as among the highest-trust signals in existence. A single Forbes or Entrepreneur link can move rankings in ways that take 20+ standard backlinks to replicate.
The problem? Most businesses either don't know HARO exists, or they pitch badly and get ignored. Our team pitches hundreds of queries per month with a response crafted specifically to get journalists to say yes.
See How We Pitch →Most HARO agencies only use one platform. We monitor all four simultaneously, so you never miss a high-value query from your niche.
Why HARO Backlinks Are Worth 10–20× a Standard Link
Not all backlinks are equal. Media editorial links operate in a different tier entirely — here's what makes them so valuable.
Unmatched Domain Authority
Forbes sits at DA 95. Entrepreneur at DA 91. Business Insider at DA 92. A single link from these outlets carries authority that would take hundreds of niche blog links to replicate — if that's even possible.
100% Google-Proof
Editorial media links are what Google's entire algorithm was built to reward. They cannot be devalued, penalized, or Penguin-attacked. They are immune to every link-building algorithm update — past and future.
Brand Authority Beyond SEO
When your name appears in Forbes, you don't just get a backlink — you get a credential. "As featured in Forbes" is a sales closer, investor magnet, and trust signal that lives forever on your website and LinkedIn.
Real Referral Traffic
A Forbes or Entrepreneur article can send thousands of direct visitors to your site in the days following publication. Unlike most SEO links, these generate immediate, real-world traffic from readers who trust the publication.
Trust Transfer to Your Brand
When Google sees your site cited alongside established experts in major publications, it updates its understanding of who you are. Your topical authority accelerates dramatically — especially in YMYL niches like finance, health, and law.
Links That Last Decades
Journalist articles don't get deleted. Unlike niche blogs or guest posts that can be taken offline, a Forbes article from 2024 will still be live and passing authority in 2034. The ROI compounds indefinitely.
How We Earn Media Backlinks on Your Behalf
Every step is handled by our team. From monitoring journalist queries to crafting expert pitches — you do nothing except review your monthly placement report.
Expert Profile & Niche Briefing
We begin by building your expert profile — the who, what, and why behind your authority. This becomes the foundation for every pitch we write. A journalist needs to believe you are the right voice before they'll feature you.
- ✓ Define your niche authority areas (1–3 core topics)
- ✓ Extract your unique data points, stats, and insights
- ✓ Build your expert bio and credibility framing
- ✓ Identify your target publication tier and DA floor
- ✓ Map competitive backlink gaps we aim to fill
From onboarding call to first pitches going out
Daily Query Monitoring Across 4 Platforms
Our team monitors HARO/Connectively, Qwoted, SourceBottle, and journalist Twitter/X daily — filtering hundreds of queries down to those that match your niche, DA requirements, and positioning.
- ✓ 4 platforms monitored simultaneously — not just HARO
- ✓ Queries filtered by topic relevance, publication DA, and pitch fit
- ✓ Time-sensitive queries flagged and actioned within hours
- ✓ High-tier query alerts prioritized (Forbes, WSJ, major trade press)
- ✓ Rejected queries explained — no mystery in our selection logic
Queries reviewed per week per client, on average
Expert-Level Pitches, Not Templates
The pitch is everything. Journalists receive 50–200 responses per query. Generic pitches get deleted. We write bespoke, insight-rich responses that open with your most compelling data point and answer the journalist's exact question.
- ✓ Every pitch is custom-written for that specific query
- ✓ Lead with a stat, insight, or counterintuitive point — not your bio
- ✓ Correct length: 150–250 words — punchy, quotable, specific
- ✓ Credentials positioned naturally, never in the opener
- ✓ You review and approve pitches before they're sent
Higher pitch acceptance rate vs. DIY client benchmarks
Link Confirmation & Live Tracking
When a journalist selects your pitch, they publish the article and include your link. We track every live placement, verify it's dofollow, and confirm the URL, DR, and anchor context before adding it to your report.
- ✓ Google Alerts + Ahrefs monitoring for every placement
- ✓ Dofollow attribute confirmed on every link
- ✓ Live URL, publication name, DR, and date logged
- ✓ You receive email notification when each link goes live
- ✓ Nofollow placements are noted separately — we don't count them as earned links
Typical window from pitch to live link (varies by publication)
Monthly Report — Full Transparency
At the end of every month, you receive a detailed report showing every pitch sent, every publication targeted, every link earned, and the full domain metrics behind each placement. No agency smoke and mirrors.
- ✓ Live Google Sheet with all sent pitches and outcomes
- ✓ Links earned: URL, publication, DA/DR, anchor text
- ✓ Pitches pending: articles in editorial queue
- ✓ White-label version available for agency resellers
- ✓ Monthly strategy call available on Pro and Agency plans
Transparency — you see every pitch, every outcome, every month
Publications We've Secured Placements In
Our team has pitched successfully across hundreds of outlets. Here's a sample of publications where clients have been featured.
Results depend on your niche, expertise, and campaign tier. We'll tell you exactly which publications to realistically expect during your strategy call.
Get a Realistic Assessment →Why Most HARO Pitches Fail — and Why Ours Don't
95% of pitches get ignored. We've reverse-engineered what journalists actually respond to — and we write every pitch to those standards.
In the first 6 months, your only job is to find 10 customers willing to pay you anything. Not 100. Not a scalable system. Ten humans who hand you money. Once you have those 10, you have a product-market signal.
We bootstrapped [Company] to $2.1M ARR before taking a single dollar of external capital. The counterintuitive truth: your first hire should be a customer success person, not another developer. Retention is the real growth lever that investors never see because you're not pitching them yet.
— [Client Name], Founder & CEO, [Company] | Featured in [Previous Publications]
Lead With the Insight, Not Your Bio
Journalists don't care who you are — they care what you know. We always open with your sharpest, most quotable insight. Your credentials follow naturally in the closing line.
Specific Data Beats Vague Expertise
"I've helped many clients grow" loses to "$2.1M ARR" or "43% of our users report X" every time. We mine your business data for pitch-ready stats before the campaign starts.
Answer the Exact Question Asked
Half of all pitches answer a question the journalist didn't ask. We re-read every query three times before writing a response to make sure every word earns its place.
150–250 Words — Not a Word More
A journalist reading 80 pitches wants your insight, not your story. We've tested every length. The sweet spot is 150–250 words with at least one quotable sentence in paragraph one.
Speed Matters — We Respond in Hours
Journalists have deadlines. Queries expire. We monitor platforms multiple times daily and submit time-sensitive pitches within 2–4 hours of a query going live.
You Approve Every Pitch Before It's Sent
We never pitch on your behalf without your sign-off. Every response is submitted to you first — you can tweak, redirect, or reject before a single journalist sees it.
How HARO Links Stack Up Against Every Other Tactic
Use this table to understand where HARO fits in your link building mix — and when to use it alongside other strategies.
| Factor | HARO Links ✦ | Niche Edits | Guest Posts | PBN Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average Domain Authority | DA 80–95+ | DR 30–80 | DR 30–70 | DR 10–40 |
| Google Penalty Risk | None — Ever | Very Low | Low | Very High |
| Editorial Legitimacy | ✓ 100% Real | ✓ Real | Varies | ✗ Fake |
| Brand Authority Boost | Extreme | Moderate | Moderate | None |
| Referral Traffic | High (1,000–5,000+) | Medium | Low–Medium | None |
| Link Permanence | 10+ Years | 365d Guaranteed | 365d Guaranteed | Unpredictable |
| Speed to Results | 2–8 Weeks | 5–10 Days | 2–3 Weeks | Instant |
| Best Used For | Max authority + brand PR | Fast wins + niche relevance | Topical depth + control | Not recommended |
💡 Best strategy: Combine HARO for authority ceilings with niche edits for fast ranking movement. Ask us for a mixed strategy →
What's a DA 90 Backlink Worth to Your Business?
One Forbes or Entrepreneur link can cost thousands in PR. Through HARO, we secure these placements at a fraction of traditional PR pricing — while delivering lasting SEO equity that PR retainers never account for.
Use this simplified estimator to get a rough sense of the ROI potential from a HARO campaign. Talk to us for a proper analysis based on your niche and current DR.
Get My Real ROI Estimate →HARO Link Building Packages — Priced on Results, Not Promises
We charge per verified, live link — not per pitch sent. You only pay for what actually goes live. No retainers for zero results.
- ✓ 2 Platforms Monitored (HARO + Qwoted)
- ✓ Up to 15 Pitches / Month
- ✓ DA 50+ Minimum Target
- ✓ Expert Bio Crafted
- ✓ Monthly Placement Report
- ✓ Pay Only for Live Links
Billed monthly. Cancel anytime.
- ✓ All 4 Platforms Monitored
- ✓ Up to 40 Pitches / Month
- ✓ DA 70+ Minimum Target
- ✓ Expert Profile + Data Mining
- ✓ Pitch Approval Before Sending
- ✓ Weekly Progress Updates
- ✓ White-Label Report Available
- ✓ Pay Only for Live Links
Billed monthly. Cancel anytime.
- ✓ All 4 Platforms + Twitter/X Monitoring
- ✓ Unlimited Pitches
- ✓ DA 80+ Prioritized
- ✓ Dedicated Account Manager
- ✓ Monthly Strategy Call
- ✓ White-Label Reporting (Agency)
- ✓ Custom SLA & KPIs
- ✓ Multi-client management available
Custom invoice. Dedicated manager from day 1.
⚠️ Honest note on timelines: HARO links depend on journalists. The fastest we've seen a link go live is 2 days. The slowest was 6 months. Month 1 is typically slower as journalist relationships build. Most clients see their first link in weeks 3–6.
What Happens When Our Clients Get Featured in Major Media
Real outcomes from businesses that trusted Linking Oz to run their HARO campaigns.
What We Guarantee — and What We Don't
Unlike agencies that overpromise on HARO, we're transparent about what's in our control — and we back our guarantees unconditionally.
Volume Pitch Guarantee
We guarantee a minimum number of pitches sent per month for your tier. If we fall short, we credit your next month — no questions asked.
Pay-Per-Live-Link Only
You never pay for a pitch that didn't earn a placement. Every invoice maps to a verified, live, dofollow link at or above your agreed DA floor.
Pitch Approval Before Sending
Every pitch is approved by you before it reaches a journalist. We never speak in your name without your explicit sign-off on that specific response.
Full Transparency — Always
You see every pitch sent, every publication targeted, every outcome. Our reports include pending articles — links that are placed but not yet live. No black boxes.
HARO Link Building — Common Questions Answered Honestly
We don't sugarcoat. These are real answers to the questions every new client asks.
Yes — the platform has evolved but the core opportunity is intact. Cision rebranded HARO as Connectively in 2023 and made some UX changes, but the fundamental journalist-source relationship remains. More importantly, we now monitor Connectively, Qwoted, SourceBottle, and journalist Twitter/X simultaneously — which gives clients 4× the query volume compared to agencies that only use one platform.
Honest answer: 3–5 links per month on our Growth plan is achievable but not guaranteed in month 1. The first 30 days are often slower as journalist relationships build and your expert profile gets established. Month 2 onward consistently hits the guaranteed range. We've had clients get 8 links in a month — and months with 1. We guarantee a minimum because we stand behind our process, and we offer full transparency every step of the way.
Most media links earned via HARO are dofollow — particularly from independent publications and blogs. Some major outlets (Forbes, Business Insider) occasionally use nofollow or UGC attributes on external links. We track the attribute on every placement and report it transparently. We only count dofollow links against your guaranteed minimums. Nofollow links from Forbes still have enormous brand value and indirect SEO benefit — but we never inflate your numbers with them.
It depends on your current DR, the competitiveness of your target keywords, and the authority of the placements. In our client data, sites with DR under 30 typically see measurable DR movement within 60–90 days of the first placement. Rankings on competitive terms usually respond over 3–6 months of consistent placements. HARO links alone won't rank you for ultra-competitive terms overnight — they're a high-authority component of a complete link building strategy.
No. We write every pitch for you. You review and approve before it's sent — that's the only touchpoint required. You never interact with journalists directly unless you specifically want to. Occasionally, a journalist may follow up with a clarifying question — in those rare cases, we'll flag it for you and handle the response with your input. The entire process is designed to require minimal time from you.
HARO works best for niches where expert commentary is regularly sought by journalists: finance & investing, health & wellness, legal, real estate, technology/SaaS, entrepreneurship/startup, marketing, HR/career, and lifestyle. It works less well for very narrow B2B industries where few journalists cover the space, or purely local businesses where national media exposure doesn't translate. During your strategy call, we'll tell you honestly whether HARO is the right fit.
Yes — we offer full white-label HARO campaigns for agencies. This includes unbranded reporting, agency-branded Google Sheets, and the option to have your team present as the client-facing contact. We've run white-label HARO for agencies managing anywhere from 2 to 40+ clients simultaneously. Volume pricing applies for agencies managing multiple clients — contact us for a dedicated agency proposal.
Traditional Digital PR involves proactively creating data-driven studies, infographics, or story hooks and pitching them to journalists. HARO is reactive — journalists come to you with their query, and you respond as an expert source. HARO tends to be more cost-effective and consistent; Digital PR can produce bigger "splash" moments with a single major story. Both earn high-authority media links. We offer both services — many clients combine them for maximum coverage.
Land Your First Forbes or Entrepreneur Link — Let's Talk
We'll review your niche, current backlink profile, and target keywords — then give you a realistic HARO strategy with honest expected outcomes. No hard sell. No commitment required.
