Some fun HARO Stats, 17-ish months later.
When I started HARO in March of 2008, I never, ever predicted that we’d get so big that we could create a press release on the statistics of where HARO is now vs. where we were when we launched. Yet that’s exactly what happened.
Despite how much I hate press releases, the group that manages HAROs PR suggested that it could be a good idea to issue one stating the differences between what HARO was, and what it now is. I reluctantly agreed. The release is at the bottom of this blog post. Some of the key takeaways, though:
HARO’s Growth Figures Include:
In August 2008, there were 1500 journalists using HARO, sending out 650 queries per month to about 20,000 sources.
Today, there are 30,000 journalists who have used HARO, sending out more than 3000 queries per month to over 80,000 members.
The number of advertisers for HARO’s free-for-both-subscribers-and-journalists service skyrocketed 3900% from August 2008 to August 2009. The HARO staff rose 400 percent in the past year. (in Non-PR-speak, that means we hired four people.) Revenues over the past year have leaped from $15,000 as of August 2008 to just over $1MM as of August 2009 with advertising inventory on HAROs already sold out for 2009.
That’s the part that really blows my mind. from virtually nothing to over $1,000,000 in revenue. I mean, damn, right?
Back then, we had one list. Now we have HARO and the Gift Bags… But the coolness of all of this is what’s to come in a bit under two months:
Future expansion will include additional break-outs with specific HARO notices for specific industry verticals.
My COO is fond of saying sound-bite-y things like “Today, we’re powering a PR, marketing and sales eco-system for the engine of our economy – small and mid-sized businesses.” and attributing the quotes to me. Which is fine. He also calls us a social media success story. I agree. I do think though, that in the end, it comes down to this: We’ve created something here that people like. Something people use, something that saves time, helps people and companies grow, and helps journalists better do their job. We’ve kept it fun, had a good time creating it, always listened to the feedback of every single member, and tried to run it less like a business, and more like a family. It was always about good karma. It will continue to be.
So enjoy the press release below – and watch this space… Cool stuff be-a-coming.
HELP A REPORTER OUT (HARO) RELEASES 2009 GROWTH FIGURES
Second Year for HARO Social Media Service Produces Dramatic Growth in
Members, Advertisers and Revenue
New York, August 18 – Proving that good deeds can be both rewarding and lucrative, Help A Reporter Out (HARO) today revealed significant growth figures since their 2008 launch.
HARO is a widely-used social media service that enables journalists to connect with the right source, and grants everyone – from home-based entrepreneurs to large businesses – access to reporters who may write about them. Entirely free to reporters and sources, HARO is supported by a simple, but powerful advertising business model where small and mid-sized companies promote their brands, products and services through simple, text-based ads at the top of each HARO.
“What a difference a year makes,” said Peter Shankman, Founder and CEO of HARO. “What started 21 months ago as a Facebook Groups Page and good karma experiment has turned into what is now a fast growing and profitable social media company. HARO is a classic case of a company doing well by doing good. I see HARO differently today than I did when I founded the company. Over a year ago, we matched reporters and sources. Today, we’re powering a PR, marketing and sales eco-system for the engine of our economy – small and mid-sized businesses.”
HARO’s Growth Figures Include:
Aug-08
Aug-09
Journalists Subscribed with HARO
1,500
30,000
Sources Subscribed with HARO
20,000
80,000
Monthly Journalist Queries on HARO
650
3,000
The number of advertisers for HARO’s free-for-subscribers service skyrocketed 3900% from August 2008 to August 2009. The HARO staff rose 400 percent in the past year. Revenues over the past year have leaped from $15,000 as of August 2008 to just over $1MM as of August 2009 with advertising inventory on HARO already sold out for 2009.
HARO’s initial expansion included a break-out email offering gift bag opportunities for public relations professionals (gift bag opportunities were originally included in the main HARO notice.) Future expansion will include additional break-outs with specific HARO notices for specific industry verticals.
“In one of the most troubled economic times in half a century HARO is seeing significant growth,” commented Thom Brodeur, COO of HARO. “HARO has helped thousands of small businesses around the world grow their brands, promote themselves and sell their products. In the coming six to twelve months; you will see even more innovation, powerful strategic partnerships and new services from HARO to support the reporters, sources and small businesses we connect every day.”
HARO’s simple and effective harnessing of social networking improves the process by which Journalists find the best sources for their story and small businesses drive their own growth. To register as a source or a journalist, visit www.HelpAReporter.com.
###
About HARO
Founded in 2008 by serial entrepreneur Peter Shankman, Help A Reporter Out (HARO) is one of the fastest-growing social media companies in North America. Every day, HARO brings nearly 30,000 bloggers, reporters and journalists, over 80,000 news sources and thousands of small businesses together to tell their stories, promote their brands and sell their products and services. Since its inception, HARO has published more than 60,000 journalist queries; has facilitated nearly 7,000,000 media pitches, and has marketed and promoted over 2,500 brands to the media, small businesses and consumers. HARO is entirely free to sources and journalists and unlike a majority of social media companies, is independently owned and funded and has been profitable since day one. For more, www.helpareporter.com.
August 18th, 2009 at 5:24 am
Peter,
HARO has been amazing to you… and to all of us members as well.
Thank you for such a wonderful resource. And keep up the early morning jogs.
Izzy Ginzberg
Via HARO: Crains, Readers Digest, and several others so far….
August 18th, 2009 at 7:16 am
That is awesome, Peter! If only more people would realize where good karma can take you! Great job!
August 18th, 2009 at 7:31 am
Congratulations Peter on a job well done and deserved!!
August 18th, 2009 at 7:40 am
Wow! Love it that good karma can help so many people, and be profitable!
August 18th, 2009 at 7:43 am
A pat on the back, Peter!
You are the developer of this social media niche.
August 18th, 2009 at 7:54 am
I remember having to sign up on the website as the group had gotten too large for Facebook. Congrats Peter on a great idea to fruition.
August 18th, 2009 at 7:58 am
Great stats, Peter! You’ve done something amazing with HARO and I’ve gotten quite a few press mentions from your wonderful service. Can’t wait to see what 2010 looks like for you.
August 18th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Peter and the HARO team,
Congrats on this achievement!
August 18th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Congratulations. This inspires me to push forward and keep believing in my vision. This is the FIRST site where help is offered in both directions and the results are IMMEDIATE and still coming in! TRULY fantastic! Keep up the AWESOME work.
August 18th, 2009 at 8:09 am
“Serial Entrepreneur.”
He’s GrrrrrRRRRRRRREEEEEEeeaaaaaaat!
August 18th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Well deserved success! Congrats!
August 18th, 2009 at 9:03 am
WOOT!
I live in a little cabin at the end of the road near the top of a mountain in Montana…and HARO found me.
Your commitment to simplicity and a sincere desire to help along with the friendly daily connection to YOU makes HARO what it is…an inspiring success story and a great service to many.
Thanks and CONGRATS!!
August 18th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Congrats on HARO’s success. HARO is a great resource for PR folks, journalists, and ordinary people who just want to share their knowledge.
Thank you,
Heidi
August 18th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Congratulations, Peter, on a great job. Love the good karma thing and follow it myself. Good luck to your growing team. See you all on twitter.
Looking forward to yet more information and entertainment three times a day!
August 18th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Mazel tov Peter!! You and your team are GREAT! Thanks for all you do
August 18th, 2009 at 10:01 am
[...] This post was Twitted by Rlc14444 [...]
August 18th, 2009 at 10:08 am
You are a true “HARO”! Congratulations! Thanks again for this amazing resource.
August 18th, 2009 at 10:28 am
HARO’s growth is the modern day version of that shampoo commercial from the 70s “I told one friend and she told a friend and so on and so on and so one.”
I’ve lost count on how many people I told about this service and they were astonished…I’m sure everybody that’s receiving the e-mail can say the same thing.
Great work!!
August 18th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Congratulations Peter. Awesome stats! Thanks to HARO, we got several media mentions in the past year that would not have happened without your service. We love you!
August 18th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Congratulations! Wow … what an inspiration (and true tale about karma). We’re always happy to HARO.
@kelcymarie
August 18th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Fantastic read Peter… applause to you and your team. The genius in HARO is its simplicity and clarity in concept. And what good timing – when all us entrepreneurs need help spreading the word!
August 18th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
ah lets see: fills a need? CHECK, its simple and easy to use? CHECK, its a brand with a purpose? CHECK – savvy with social media? CHECK CHECK CHECK….not surprised but very pleased for you! I am sure you’ll keep growing!
August 18th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
Wowee. Seen lots of HARO-like services popping up but there’s nothing like the original. Congratulations Peter!
August 18th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
Even without the numbers I could tell HARO was growing like crazy. Througout 2008 I would tell people about HARO and it was usually news to them. This year I hear multiple people talking about the success they’re having with HARO at every event I attend. It’s such a win-win for the media, sources and advertisers – a model of how to do things right. Congrats Peter and team!
August 18th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
How awesome is that! Way to go Peter. I tell everyone about HARO, but I better stop or my query responses will get lost in the crowd. Just kidding – I will keep promoting! It is well-deserved!
August 18th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
You are a god-send for small businesses. Have gotten two print interviews from HARO in 3 mos. Unbelievable. Please keep up the good (simple, clean) work!
August 18th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
[...] Keynote speaker Peter Shankman posted a press release about his company, Help A Reporter Out and the fantastic growth they have experienced over the past 17 months. It’s amazing how HARO started out as a Facebook group and has rapidly expanded to earning over $1 milion in revenue. Read his post and the press release here. [...]
August 18th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Congratulations to you and your HARO team, Peter. Your e-mails are like little presents in my inbox that I look forward to opening 3 times/day. Even when they don’t apply to me they’re always so amazingly interesting to read!
August 18th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Peter – hats off to you and your team for creating (and I love the quote): “a PR, marketing and sales eco-system for the engine of our economy – small and mid-sized businesses.” A real gift for all of us. Thank you.
August 18th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Peter- I’ve landed some big time media placements through HARO and appreciate the service. I’ve also used HARO to find sources for a book I’m currently working on- the response was overwhelming.
Congrats on your success and I look forward to the exciting things to come!
August 18th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
champagne for everyone!!
August 18th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
[...] does a great job of dissecting HARO press release stats, so I don’t need to, but I do want to point out that it is an amazing social media success [...]
August 18th, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Congratulations, Peter. I look forward to reading about your continued successes a year from now!
August 18th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
You are a HARO Stud!!!!
August 19th, 2009 at 12:33 am
Congrats Peter! Well deserved success. I never thought I would get into BusinessWeek this early, but you made it happen!
August 19th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Wonderful, awesome, exciting! You folks are the best!
August 19th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Big congrats Peter, love it all…but, I thought you didn’t believe in the term “social media,” did you change your mind?
Best from Sabina, Beth & Katie from Collective-E, who knew you when…
August 21st, 2009 at 1:10 pm
HARO is fantastic. You deserve a lot of respect for making it happen. Thank you.~RW
August 29th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Peter… Read interesting article about Craigslist in WIRED mag. Point: HARO has a really cool VIBE without to much Bling. I think it is one of the Secret’s to the sauce. Careful on PR getting to intense on you.
August 31st, 2009 at 10:09 am
Karma online! I love it, great job Peter!
September 1st, 2009 at 6:36 am
What a story. What an accomplishment. My congratulations to a real thought leader. Actually, I guess we’ll have to come up with a whole new term for this . . .