Platform Guide

Reference for platform requirements, constraints, and account setup across reporter-source and journalist outreach platforms.

Platform Requirements

Qwoted

• Accounts must be tied to a single verified individual (no shared or generic inboxes)
• Each user must sign up with:
  • A named email address
  • A domain-associated email (e.g., @roisociety.com)
• Additional team members can create their own accounts and be verified individually
• Free-tier query limit: ~3-5 queries/month

HARO (Help a Reporter Out)

• More flexible account structure than Qwoted
• Higher query volume on free tier relative to other platforms
• Still benefits from domain-associated email for credibility

Other Platforms (Connectively, SourceBottle, ProfNet, etc.)

• Most limit free accounts to 3-5 queries/month
• Many require LinkedIn profiles for signup and credibility verification
• Journalists use LinkedIn as a trust signal — lack of a profile impacts response rates

Account Setup Strategy

Recommended: Client-Based Accounts

Create separate accounts per client:

1. Set up a dedicated email for each client (e.g., press@clientdomain.com)
2. Create a LinkedIn profile for the attorney or firm contact person
3. Register platform accounts under the client’s identity
4. Manage accounts internally from the agency side

Why this works:

• Higher credibility with journalists (pitches come from the source, not an agency)
• Full access to platform features and query limits per client
• Lower risk of account restrictions or flags
• Each client gets their own query allocation

Fallback: Centralized Agency Accounts

Use upgraded/paid agency accounts with unlimited pitching:

• Consolidates management
• Requires paid plans (higher cost)
• Less personalized — may reduce response rates vs. client-branded outreach
• Use only if client-specific accounts aren’t feasible

Key Constraints

Constraint	Impact	Mitigation
LinkedIn required for verification	Limits signup without client LinkedIn profiles	Create client LinkedIn profiles before platform registration
3-5 queries/month on free tiers	Splits limited volume across clients	Separate accounts per client; upgrade high-priority accounts
One email per account	Multiple accounts under one email risks flagging	Use unique domain emails per client
Journalist trust signals	Low-profile pitches get ignored	Client-branded accounts with complete profiles