I use this macro to highlight text in html/latex(pdf):

#+MACRO: COLOR @@html:<span style="color:
$1">$2</span>@@@@latex:\textcolor{$1}{$2}@@

This is from https://github.com/fniessen/org-macros/blob/master/README.org

Example use:
{{{COLOR(red, This information is important.)}}}

It doesn't though highlight the text in red in org-mode.

On Fri, Mar 10, 2017 at 3:49 PM Doyley, Marvin M. <m.doyley@rochester.edu>
wrote:

> Hi there,
>
> When revising manuscripts, I usually highlight the changes (response to
> reviewer) in red. I use typically do this as follows:
> (1) #+latex_header: \newcommand{\response}[1]{\textcolor{red}{#1}}
> (2) \response{changes)
>
> Is there a more elegant way to do this ?  It would be nice if I could
> change the color of the select text in both org and the exported latex file
> to red. Seeing the highlighted text in org would be a huge plus.
>
> Thanks
> M
>
-- 

Kaushal Modi