HARO Journalist Response Evidence Pack Template

Journalist Response Evidence Pack (fill-in)

When to use: One row per request with the question, expert credential, original evidence, short quote, approval, owners and a completion check.

Journalist response evidence pack

One row per journalist request. Fill it before anyone drafts an answer. If a cell stays empty, don't respond.

Expert: [name, role] - Pack owner: [name] - Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]

Per-row detail (fill for every request)

• Requirements in the request: [name, title, headshot, website, location, word limit]
• Fit: [inside the expert's field: yes / no, skip if no]
• Conflicts to disclose: [clients, products or payments linked to the answer, or none]
• Evidence source: [link, file or record, and who can verify it]
• Permissions: [client or data owner consent, or not needed]
• Written by: [expert / team member with expert review]
• Sent at: [date and time, before the deadline]
• Outcome: [no reply / follow-up question / published, URL]

Next action

• Request scout: [name] - task: log fitting requests with deadlines by [time each day]
• Expert: [name] - task: answer the question and supply the evidence by [time]
• Approver: [name] - task: approve exact wording and disclosures by [time]
• Sender: [name] - task: send before the deadline and log the outcome by [date]

Completion check

• The answer responds to the exact question, not a nearby topic.
• The credential is something the journalist can check: a bio page, licence register or published work.
• Every number or example has a source you could send if asked.
• The quote is short, plain and written or reviewed by the named expert.
• Approval covers the exact words sent, with a name and date.
• The response follows the platform's current rules, including any rule on AI-written text.

Platform Check (November 2026)

When to use: What HARO, Connectively, Qwoted and Source of Sources are now, and their rules that affect your answer.

Platform check (as of 11 November 2026)

Journalist request platforms changed hands and rules over the last two years. Read the current terms before you answer.

What this means for your pack

• Write the answer yourself, or have the named expert write it. Some platforms ban AI-written pitches.
• Qwoted bans experts who comment outside their expertise, per Press Gazette (27 July 2026).
• Answer only requests that fit your expert. Off-topic replies get sources removed.
• Rules change. Re-read each platform's terms every quarter and note the date in the pack.

Expert Credential and Original Evidence

When to use: Show who is talking and what the answer rests on, with evidence types and what never to send.

Expert credential and original evidence

Journalists quote people they can stand behind. The pack proves who is talking and what the answer rests on.

Credential fields

• Role and organisation: [title, company]
• Why this person: [years in the field, qualification, licence, or published work on this topic]
• Where a journalist can check it: [bio page, professional register, LinkedIn, publications]
• Topics outside their field: [list them, and don't answer those]

Original evidence types

Never send

• Statistics you can't trace to a source.
• Client stories without consent.
• Quotes from people who did not say them.

Point journalists to a bio page that loads and is indexable. Check your site with a Website Audit.

Short Quote and Response Emails

When to use: A three-sentence quote builder and three response emails: standard, data and tight deadline.

Short quote and response emails

Lead with the answer. Keep the quote to two or three sentences the journalist can paste without edits.

Quote builder

• Sentence 1, the answer: [direct answer to the exact question]
• Sentence 2, the evidence: [the number, case or source behind it]
• Sentence 3, the takeaway: [what readers should do or watch for]

A. Standard expert response

Subject: [request title]: [expert name], [role]

Hi [journalist name], here is an answer to your question on [topic].

"[short quote]" - [expert name], [role], [organisation]

Credential: [one line]. Evidence: [source link or note]. Happy to answer follow-ups before [deadline].

B. Data contribution

Hi [journalist name], we have data on [topic] that may help. [one-line finding].

Method: [sample, dates, how collected]. Full table available. [Expert name] can comment: "[short quote]"

C. Tight deadline

Hi [journalist name], quick answer for your piece: "[one-sentence quote]" - [expert name], [role]. Source: [link].

Rules for every response

• Answer the question asked. No pitch for your product.
• Include only the details the request asks for.
• Don't ask for a link. The journalist decides how to credit you.

Approval and After-Publication Log

When to use: Who signs off which part, then how to check and log the quote once the article runs.

Approval and after-publication log

Approve the exact words before sending. After publication, check the quote and log what ran.

After publication

• Read the article. Check the quote, name and title. Ask politely for a correction if they are wrong.
• Log the URL, date and whether it links to you. A mention without a link still counts.
• No link but your brand is named? Use the Unlinked Brand Mention Request Template, once, and only if it fits the outlet.
• Never pay for a link in coverage. Google's spam policies list buying links for ranking as link spam.
• In the US, the FTC Endorsement Guides say an expert you pay to promote a product should disclose that connection clearly.

Sources: Google spam policies and the FTC Endorsement Guides FAQ, checked 11 November 2026.

Later, see whether AI answers name your brand or cite your site with the AI Visibility Checker. Your domain's strongest links, with first-seen dates, are in the Backlink Analyzer.

Want help setting up a journalist response routine? Book a free consultation with Anatolii Ulitovskyi.

Spreadsheet Header (CSV)

When to use: A paste-ready header row and allowed values to run the pack in Google Sheets or Excel.

Paste-ready spreadsheet header

Paste this row into cell A1 of Google Sheets or Excel, then split text to columns by comma. One row per request.

request_id,platform,outlet,journalist,request_title,exact_question,requirements,deadline,time_zone,expert,credential,credential_check_url,fit,evidence_type,evidence_source,permission,conflicts,short_quote,written_by,approved_by,approved_date,sent_at,outcome,article_url,published_date,quote_accurate,links_to,owner,status

Allowed values

• fit: yes, no
• evidence_type: own_data, documented_case, public_source, experience
• written_by: expert, team_with_expert_review
• outcome: no_reply, follow_up, published, declined
• status: logged, drafting, approved, sent, closed

Sheet tips

• Sort by deadline. Many requests close the same day.
• Filter fit = no out before anyone drafts.
• Highlight rows with an empty approved_by. They can't be sent.
• Reuse approved evidence, but write each quote for its question.

Worked Example (fictional accounting firm)

When to use: Three filled rows for an invented accounting firm: one published answer, one skip and one pending.

Worked example: Mirelow Accounting

Example only. Mirelow Accounting is an invented small-business accounting firm. The requests, journalists, people, numbers and dates are made up to show a filled-in pack.

Expert: Priya Halden, tax partner - Pack owner: marketing lead - Date: 5 Nov 2026

How the pack was used

• Row 1: the client data was counted in aggregate. No client is named.
• Row 1 outcome: published on 10 Nov 2026 with name and title correct, no link. Logged as a mention.
• Row 2: skipped, because answering outside her field breaks platform rules and trust.
• Row 3: quote written by Priya herself, waiting for compliance review.

Why this works

• Each answer rests on evidence the firm can show.
• The approval covers the exact words that went out.
• Skipping off-topic requests protects the expert's standing on every platform.