Deep Dive into Journalist Requests with Greg Heilers

Table of Contents

Figurehead credibility and niche relevance are critical for successful quote placements on HARO-style platforms.
Diversify outreach with platforms like Featured, Qwoted, Source of Sources, and direct journalist pitching.
Use AI-resistant tactics: human voice, personal anecdotes, and original perspectives to cut through the noise.
Aim for broader thought leadership—leverage founder expertise beyond the core business offering.
Avoid low-quality or risky publications to protect brand integrity and backlink value.

If you’ve ever tried getting press mentions through platforms like HARO, you know it’s not as simple as copy-paste-send. There’s an art to it. And these days, there’s also a lot of noise to cut through.

So, I asked Greg Heilers, co-founder of JollySEO, to discuss what’s actually working when it comes to responding to journalist requests through platforms like HARO or Qwoted because that’s precisely how his agency helps build high-quality, white-hat links for his clients.

Once we got talking, we couldn’t stop.

We covered everything, from the best (and free) HARO alternatives to how to ensure your client is actually quote-worthy.

Plus, Greg shared some real-world tips for standing out in a sea of AI-generated pitches. Whether you’re just getting started or trying to scale your outreach efforts, this episode has a ton of takeaways.

Resources Mentioned

Here are a few of the tools that Greg mentioned in his chat with us.

Free HARO-Style Platforms

Source of Sources – Created by Peter Shankman, founder of HARO.
Help a Reporter – Revived version of the original HARO platform, now run by Brett Farmiloe.
Help a B2B Writer – Free, marketing-focused request platform from Jimmy Daly’s Superpath.

Paid or Freemium Platforms

Featured – Paid platform by Brett Farmiloe with strong quote conversion rates.
Qwoted – Popular HARO alternative for PR professionals and subject matter experts.
PressPulse – Aggregates journalist requests across platforms; founded by Elvis Malkic.
Jourofinder – Tracks #journorequest tweets, primarily UK-based.
PitchResponse – A now-inactive aggregation tool once created by Greg’s team.

Also, check out my episode on the JollySEO podcast.

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Vince Nero

Vince is the Director of Content Marketing at Buzzstream. He thinks content marketers should solve for users, not just Google. He also loves finding creative content online. His previous work includes content marketing agency Siege Media for six years, Homebuyer.com, and The Grit Group. Outside of work, you can catch Vince running, playing with his 2 kids, enjoying some video games, or watching Phillies baseball.

More Posts by Vince Nero
Website: https://buzzstream.com