How long should a HARO pitch be?

Aim for 100 to 200 words. Journalists skim dozens of replies per request, and the pitch that answers the question in the first two lines wins. Anything important after line five is decoration.

What subject line should a HARO pitch use?

Reply to the request email and keep its subject line, which is what HARO responses are threaded by. If you are emailing directly, use the request headline plus your credential: for example, 'ISO 27001 auditor on your breach disclosure question'. Never 'Expert available for comment'.

Should I attach anything to a HARO pitch?

No attachments. Journalists on deadline rarely open them, and some inboxes filter them. Link to one relevant published piece or profile instead, as plain text.

How quickly do I need to respond to a HARO request?

Within the hour beats within the day. Many requests fill the same morning they are posted. Speed is the cheapest advantage you have, and it is why matched alerts beat a daily digest you read at leisure.

The HARO pitch template

Journalists pick HARO replies in about ten seconds, top down. This template is built for that skim: your answer first, your credential in one line, one quotable sentence, then your contact details. Copy it, fill the brackets, send it within the hour.

The template

Subject: RE: [the request headline] (or: [Your credential] on [the topic]) Hi [first name], [Your direct answer to their question, in one or two sentences. No warm-up, no "I would love to help".] [One line of proof: role, company, and a measurable result. e.g. "I run a 40-property holiday let portfolio and fill 68% of midweek nights direct."] "[One quotable sentence a journalist can lift word for word, with a number or a story in it.]" Happy to expand on any of this today, or jump on a quick call. [Your name] [Job title], [Company] [Phone] · [Email] [LinkedIn URL]

That is the whole thing. Four short blocks, 100 to 200 words, nothing attached.

Why it is shaped like this

Answer first. The journalist is matching replies against a question. A pitch that opens with your biography makes them work, so they stop reading.
One line of proof. Not your CV. The single fact that makes this quote safe to print.
One quotable line. Editors lift sentences, not paragraphs. Give them a sentence with a number or a story in it.
Availability is a feature. "Available today" beats a better quote that arrives after the deadline.

Filled example: hospitality

Subject: RE: How hotels are filling midweek rooms in 2026 Hi Sarah, Midweek occupancy is won on direct bookings, not discounts. We stopped chasing weekend demand and built Tuesday-to-Thursday packages around remote workers instead. I run a 40-property UK holiday let portfolio. Direct bookings now fill 68% of our midweek nights, up from 41% two years ago. "The properties that win midweek are not cheaper. They are easier to say yes to on a Tuesday." Happy to share the numbers behind that today. George Hutson Founder, [Company] [Phone] · [Email] [LinkedIn URL]

Illustrative example written for this page. Note what it does not do: no life story, no list of services, no attachment.

Filled example: cybersecurity

Subject: RE: What small firms get wrong about breach disclosure Hi Tom, Most small firms disclose too late because they wait for certainty. Regulators would rather hear early and incomplete than late and polished. I am an ISO 27001 lead auditor and have supported 30+ SME breach responses. In my experience the first notification is rarely the one that draws criticism. "The fine is seldom for the breach. It is for the silence after it." Available for follow-up any time today. Alan Hutson Director, [Company] [Phone] · [Email] [LinkedIn URL]

Mistakes that get pitches deleted

Opening with your bio. By the time you reach the answer, the journalist has moved on.
Answering a different question. It happens constantly. Match the request, not the topic you wish they had asked about.
No quotable sentence. Competent, forgettable paragraphs lose to one sharp line.
Attachments and logos. Unopened at best, spam-filtered at worst.
Replying tomorrow. The slot filled this morning.

Common questions

How long should a HARO pitch be?: Aim for 100 to 200 words. Journalists skim dozens of replies per request, and the pitch that answers the question in the first two lines wins. Anything important after line five is decoration.
What subject line should a HARO pitch use?: Reply to the request email and keep its subject line, which is what HARO responses are threaded by. If you are emailing directly, use the request headline plus your credential: for example, 'ISO 27001 auditor on your breach disclosure question'. Never 'Expert available for comment'.
Should I attach anything to a HARO pitch?: No attachments. Journalists on deadline rarely open them, and some inboxes filter them. Link to one relevant published piece or profile instead, as plain text.
How quickly do I need to respond to a HARO request?: Within the hour beats within the day. Many requests fill the same morning they are posted. Speed is the cheapest advantage you have, and it is why matched alerts beat a daily digest you read at leisure.

Want the strategy behind the structure? Read how journalists actually pick HARO replies →

And if reading 150 requests a day to find the five worth answering sounds like work: QuotedExpert matches them and drafts from your words →

Last updated 9 November 2026.