HARO (Help a Reporter Out), the journalist-request newsletter owned by Featured, has launched Advertise in HARO, a self-serve system for buying text advertising in its three weekday editions. The move matters because it reinforces HARO's commitment to keeping the pitching process free for PR professionals, publicists, and subject matter experts, while opening a new revenue stream that supports the newsletter's operations. Unlike some platforms that charge PR people a monthly subscription for the right to pitch more often, HARO has taken the opposite approach.
"Some platforms in this category charge PR people a monthly subscription for the right to pitch more often. We took the other route," said Brett Farmiloe, founder and CEO of Featured, the company that owns HARO. "HARO stays free for journalists and for the experts who answer them. The companies that pay are the ones that want to reach this audience, and now they can book that reach in a few minutes without a sales call." This stance is significant because it removes financial barriers for sources and journalists, ensuring that media coverage remains accessible to a broad range of experts. HARO sent more than 100 million emails to subscribers over the past year, reaching PR professionals, marketers, founders, and subject matter experts across categories such as business, technology, health, travel, lifestyle, and entertainment.
The self-serve ad system is designed for companies that sell to this audience, including PR and marketing software providers, agencies, media databases, research publishers, event organizers, course creators, and other newsletters. Advertisers can book placements at helpareporter.com/advertise with a three-step process: choose a placement, edition, and date; write the ad copy and link text; and pay through Stripe. No HARO account is needed. HARO reviews every ad during business hours and requires at least one business day between booking and publication. Ads that do not meet guidelines are declined and refunded in full.
Placement options include Presenting Sponsor at the top of the edition, Spotlight directly below the query index, and Classified in the closing block. Rates vary by placement and edition, with Thursday base rates ranging from $125 for a Classified in the Evening edition to $795 for a Presenting Sponsor in the Morning edition. Monday through Wednesday run above the Thursday rate, while Friday is the lowest-priced day. Volume discounts apply automatically, and fixed-price bundles are available, such as Try HARO for $450 and Full Month Presence for $6,450.
For PR professionals, the implications are twofold: the newsletter remains free to receive and answer, and the advertising provides a way for vendors to reach them directly. "We wanted buying an ad in HARO to feel the way submitting a query feels for a journalist. You see the rate and pick the date, and the ad runs once our team has read it," Farmiloe said. "That is the whole system." A full guide to placements and advertising guidelines is published at https://blog.helpareporter.com/how-to-advertise-on-haro-a-step-by-step-guide-to-haro-ads/.
HARO, founded in 2008, was shut down by its previous owner in December 2024 and relaunched by Featured in April 2025. Featured, founded in 2022 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, operates as Terkel, Inc. and owns HARO and Connectively. The relaunch and the new advertising model signal a sustainable path for the service, which relies on advertising to remain free for its core users. As the media landscape continues to evolve, HARO's approach could serve as a model for other platforms seeking to balance accessibility and profitability. More information is available at HARO and Featured.
