What Is an Expert Source?
An expert source is a person a journalist quotes or interviews because their training, role or experience lets them explain a topic with authority.
Reporters find sources through their own contacts, through search, and through source-request platforms where they post what they need and by when. The SPJ code gives the standard that governs the reporter's side: “Use original sources whenever possible” and “Verify the provenance and authenticity” of sources (SPJ). It also asks journalists to consider motives; a source who can show credentials and has no hidden interest is easier to use. This guide is for people who want to be a source, not for pitching a story; for that see how to pitch a journalist by email.
How to Get Quoted as an Expert Source at a Glance
| Step | Action | Expected result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Choose two or three topics you can answer with evidence | A short expertise list |
| 2 | Build a source profile page | One URL with credentials, contact and topics |
| 3 | Set up request monitoring | Alerts from the platforms you chose |
| 4 | Screen each request for fit and deadline | A shortlist of requests you can answer well |
| 5 | Write a short, quotable response | A reply a reporter can use without rewriting |
| 6 | Follow up and handle fact-checks | A working relationship, not a one-off reply |
| 7 | Log results and reuse the material | A record of what led to quotes |
Time: two to three hours to set up; 20 to 30 minutes per response (our estimate). Tools: a source profile page, one or more request platforms, a spreadsheet. Cost: platform plans vary; check current pricing, see the Qwoted vs Featured comparison. Skill level: beginner.
What You Need Before Starting
- Credentials a reporter can check: title, employer, degrees, licences, publications.
- Permission from your employer to speak publicly on the topics, and a media policy you have read.
- A phone number you answer and an email address you check during working hours.
- A current headshot and a 50-word bio; see how to write an executive bio for media.
- Any conflict of interest you would need to disclose (client, investment, sponsor).
Step 1: Choose Two or Three Topics You Can Answer With Evidence
Pick narrow topics where you can give a specific, checkable answer. Platforms and reporters match on topic, so a vague profile loses to a precise one.
Qwoted says its matching looks at topics listed in a profile and prior pitching history (Qwoted). Process: write each topic as a phrase a reporter would search for, and list one fact or experience that backs it. Expected result: a short list such as “payroll compliance for remote teams” with support. Common mistake: listing a whole industry.
Step 2: Build a Source Profile Page on Your Own Site
Create one public page with your name, role, topics, credentials, previous coverage and contact method. Reporters verify sources before quoting them, and a page you control is the first thing they find.
Process: use a stable URL; add an author or person page as described in how to create an author page and, if useful, Person schema. Link to published pieces and to a press-ready photo. Expected result: a page that answers “who is this and can I trust them”. Common mistake: a marketing page that lists services but no credentials.
Step 3: Set Up Request Monitoring
Register on one or two source-request platforms and set topic alerts. Do not spread across all of them; relevance beats volume.
HARO publishes submission guidelines for the reporters who post, including outlet and format requirements (HARO); Featured describes a single feed that includes HARO and Connectively requests (Featured); Qwoted has its own calls for experts (Qwoted). Whichever you pick, read its terms first. Expected result: alerts for your topics. Common mistake: signing up for everything and answering nothing.
Step 4: Screen Each Request for Fit and Deadline
Answer only when the request matches a topic on your list, the outlet is identified, and you can respond before the deadline. A late or off-topic reply is ignored.
HARO's guidelines require the outlet's name in the submission and prohibit requests for guest posts or backlinks (HARO); treat a request without an outlet, or one that asks for payment or links, as a warning sign. Process: check the outlet exists and publishes on the subject, then confirm the deadline. Expected result: a shortlist. Common mistake: answering a request that is really a sales lead.
Share of journalists (%) who say they would like more of each resource, global survey, Cision 2026 State of the Media Report
Source: Cision, 2026 State of the Media Report (released May 13, 2026), as charted by PR Daily, Data, experts and early access: What journalists want in 2026.
Vendor survey of nearly 2,000 journalists in 19 markets; respondents could choose more than one resource. Access to experts ranks third, well ahead of ready-made spokesperson quotes.
Step 5: Write a Short, Quotable Response in Your Own Voice
Lead with the answer to the reporter's question in the first sentence, add one specific supporting fact, then one line of credentials and a contact method.
Process: keep it to the length the request asks for; write two sentences the reporter could quote verbatim; state where numbers come from. Qwoted warns that even light AI editing can trigger a flag and that journalists run pitches through AI checkers (Qwoted), so write it yourself. If a statement is opinion, say so. Expected result: a reply of about 100 to 200 words (our guideline). Common mistake: pitching your company instead of answering.
Step 6: Follow Up and Respond to Fact-Checks
If the reporter writes back, reply the same day. SPJ asks journalists to “verify” and to take responsibility for accuracy (SPJ), so expect questions about your claims.
Send the source for any number you gave. After publication, thank the reporter and add the reporter to your media list. Do not ask for a link or for changes beyond factual errors; if there is an error, use the approach in requesting a correction. Expected result: a contact who may call again. Common mistake: asking to approve the story before it runs.
Step 7: Log Results and Reuse the Material
Record each request, response date, outcome and URL. Over a few months you see which topics and outlets respond.
See how to measure whether placement worked for what to track. Link published quotes from your source profile. Expected result: a log you can use to drop low-yield topics. Common mistake: counting replies sent as results.
How to Verify It Worked
- Profile live: your source page loads without a login and is indexed; see checking indexing.
- Alerts arriving: at least some requests per week match your topics.
- Quote published: your name and credentials appear in an article, or the platform you used shows the response as used or featured.
- Log complete: every response has an outcome entry, including no reply.
How to Choose Where to Look for Requests
| Situation | Recommended method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New, no media history | One request platform plus a source profile page | Low cost way to start and show credentials |
| Specialist in a narrow niche | Direct outreach to trade reporters | Reporters in the beat need niche sources; see the pitch guide |
| Agency with several clients | Platform with team features and a media list | Volume and routing; check terms on representation |
| Already quoted several times | Relationship follow-up with those reporters | Reporters reuse sources they trust |
| Request asks for payment or links | Decline | Breaks the codes and platform rules cited |
Common Problems and Fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Never hear back | Topic mismatch or late reply | Answer fewer requests, earlier and more precisely |
| Account flagged for AI | Pitch edited by an AI tool | Rewrite by hand; add a human-authored note if the platform allows |
| Quoted without credentials | Reporter did not have them | Put credentials in the first and last lines of every reply |
| Misquoted | Paraphrase or edit error | Ask for a factual correction with the exact words |
| Request looks like a link sale | Platform abuse | Decline and report it to the platform |
What Not to Do
- Do not offer money, gifts or links for a quote. Consequence: reporters are told not to take them and platforms ban it. Correction: offer information only.
- Do not claim expertise you cannot document. Consequence: a failed verification ends the relationship. Correction: restrict claims to what your profile supports.
- Do not send AI-generated answers. Consequence: flags and lost trust. Correction: write your own.
- Do not ask for story approval. Consequence: reporters refuse. Correction: offer fact-checks.
- Do not use a quote to push a product. Consequence: it is cut. Correction: answer the question asked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HARO still around?
Yes, as a Featured-owned platform. Featured says it owns and operates HARO and Connectively. Check the current sign-up pages, because platform terms and features change; our Qwoted vs Featured comparison covers how the platforms differ as of October 2026.
Can I get quoted without paying for a platform?
Yes. Reporters also find sources through search, published research and direct outreach. A clear source profile and a relevant pitch to a beat reporter cost nothing. Platforms can help you find requests, but they are not required.
How many requests should I answer each week?
Few, if they match your topics. A small number of fast, specific answers is more useful than many generic ones. Track outcomes for a month and adjust.
Should I ask for a backlink when I am quoted?
No. In our view, asking for a link makes a source look like a link seeker rather than an expert, and HARO's guidelines prohibit link exchanges and backlink solicitation in queries. If a link appears, treat it as a bonus.
What if the reporter wants me to be anonymous?
SPJ says to reserve anonymity or confidentiality as a last resort for sources who may face harm. Experts quoted on business topics are normally named. Agree terms in writing before the interview.
Does being quoted help my website rank?
There is no guarantee, and quotes should not be pursued for links: Google's spam policies cover link spam. Treat a quote as credibility and awareness rather than a ranking tactic.
Sources and Methodology
This guide is built from the platform help pages, submission guidelines and ethics code listed below, read on October 9, 2026. We did not register on, pay for or test any platform for this guide, and we did not measure response rates. Vendor statements are labelled as vendor claims. Platform rules, pricing and ownership change; check the current terms before relying on them.
- standards Society of Professional Journalists, SPJ Code of Ethics. Read October 9, 2026.
- vendor Help a Reporter Out (HARO) Blog, HARO Submission Guidelines & Requirements, posted November 26, 2025. Read October 9, 2026.
- vendor Qwoted Help Center, How Qwoted Calls for Experts Work, June 19, 2026, and Can I Use AI to Craft My Pitch?. Read October 9, 2026.
- vendor Featured, Journalist Requests. Read October 9, 2026; ownership and volume statements are the vendor's own.
- guide Media Morpheus, Qwoted vs Featured, for platform pricing and policy comparisons.
- vendor research Cision, PR Emerges as the Primary Source for Journalists in High-Pressure Newsrooms (2026 State of the Media Report), press release, May 13, 2026. Read October 10, 2026.
- trade press PR Daily, Data, experts and early access: What journalists want in 2026, chart of Cision 2026 State of the Media data. Read October 10, 2026.