Writing Authority Blog Posts using SME Interviews - Tips and Examples

Summarizing the first 3 or 5 posts that rank for your target keyword is keeping you from the SERP and making your content bouncy. Putting it in simple terms, it's the reason you’re not standing out from the crowd.?

You see most content out there is just a frankenstein-ed version of its former counterparts. This is why building trust and a strong connection with visitors is the key to turning them into loyal customers.?

This requires authoritative content, content that adds to the conversation and doesn’t just repeat it.

Importance of authoritative content

Content is the glue that holds you, all your efforts, and your customers together.

With the dark funnel on the rise and social media becoming the primary source of information for customers, they already know what they want, what options they have, and where to look. They’re already deep in their buyer journey when they arrive at your website. What they want is motivation and assurance to take the final leap.

Depending upon where the buyer is in the buyer journey, your blog posts have an opportunity to act as lamps illuminating the path and guiding the buyer’s way.??

It’s safe to say traditional forms of writing that drone on about how great your product is is a big no-no. Your content needs to position you as an authority and for that it should strike all the right chords and hit all the right notes.?

What makes a blog post authoritative?

Blog posts need to do more than just educate people on a topic. They need to have an edge; bring in a strong viewpoint and give the reader all the information required to make the final decision.?

Authority blog posts do exactly that. In addition to building trust and respect with the reader, they demonstrate expertise, provide accurate and reliable information, and give actionable steps and takeaways. This makes your reader believe in your claims, gives you credibility, and looks to you for advice and ultimately ‘a solution’.?

Some factors that contribute to the authority of a blog post are:

1. Expertise - Authority blog posts exhibit deep knowledge and expertise on the subject matter.
2. Credibility and trust - Information is always supported by data and credible sources. This includes references, links to research, and quotes from recognized experts in the field.?
3. Accuracy - Everything is accurate and factually correct.?
4. High-quality content - Includes an in-depth analysis of the topic, explores different viewpoints or a strong single perspective, has tried and tested insights, and addresses the pain points of the reader.
5. Unique and original content: It always helps if a blog post offers a unique and original perspective which makes it cut through the noise.?

In this post, we will explain how you can use SME interviews for blog posts to position your content as an authority in your niche.

Why do SME interviews matter??

SMEs or Subject Matter Experts have in-depth knowledge or experience in a niche or on a topic. They provide first-hand information making your content more engaging, authentic, credible, and reliable.?

Plus, customers like hearing what experts have to say. Knowing that the information is coming directly from an expert gives your content an edge and wins your reader’s trust.

Having said that, you should also know that the influence of expert opinions on buying decisions varies with the types of products and services. For instance, 44% of customers take expert opinion into account when buying electronics. However, that number plunges to a mere 5% when it came to apparel purchases.?

Still, customers look forward to knowing what the expert opinion is, even if it doesn’t affect their buying decision directly.?

Benefits of using SME interviews in blog posts

Incorporating SME interviews in your writing gives it weight and credibility. More often than not, SMEs bring a whole new perspective to the topic giving your reader a breath of fresh air.??

Some benefits of using SME-driven content are:

1. Theory vs reality - SMEs bridge the gap between theory and what really takes place. Your content becomes more than a conjecture enabling the reader with actionable takeaways.?
2. Viability - Experts elaborate on what's been done and what works. By using one or several expert interviews you can create a roadmap for new businesses/startups or even old ones who wish to set up new strategies or systems in place.???
3. Identify Mistakes - SME experience helps identify and skip ineffective methods, and mistakes and saves time and costs.?

One brand that uses SMEs regularly for producing content is HubSpot. They are known for collaborating with SMEs to produce valuable resources and high-value content for their customers.

Where to find SMEs?

There are plenty of places to look for SMEs. Start with these three:

Within your organization

The best place to start is at home. When you’re creating content for an accomplished organization, there will likely be quite a few people who fit the bill of an SME within that organization. Start by asking around, and talking to HR, tenured employees, and upper-level management to help find these hidden gems.?

The Internet

If you’re a startup, you may find SMEs on social media or the internet. LinkedIn, Twitter, and Youtube are great hunting grounds for finding SMEs. Use hashtags and search filters to find top voices in your industry or topic. Look at their past content to see their experience and expertise in your area.?

Blogs

Another great source for finding SMEs is ‘blogs’. Explore the blogs of the top companies in your field and see which experts they collaborate with to produce guest posts, podcasts, or thought-leadership pieces.?

Once you’ve identified your SME, you can start your wooing efforts. But remember to strategize first. Don’t just jump in unprepared. Find a mutual connection if possible and ask them to introduce you to the SME.?

If there is no mutual connection, send them an email introducing yourself, your purpose, and how you plan on collaborating with them. Offer an incentive or some benefit they might get from collaborating with you.

How to interview an SME:

1. Educate yourself on the topic and the background of the SME.?
2. Explore all the questions you want to ask. Cut down to the important ones and only ask qualifying questions. Make sure to choose questions that; i) extract valuable insights regarding the problems/ topic, ii) add value to your content by directly addressing your reader’s pain points, and iii) showcase the SME’s experience.?
3. Set up a time suitable for the interview. Clearly communicate the time and how long the interview is expected to last. Also, let the SME know the topic and your questions in advance to make sure they come prepared.?
4. The interview: Introduce yourself and thank them for taking out the time for the interview. Share a brief summary of the project. Make yourself and the interviewee comfortable.
5. Ask permission and record the interview.?
6. Ask open-ended questions and stay on topic.
7. Keep an eye on the timer.
8. Transcribe the interview. If you decide to go for an online interview, there are apps you can use that record and transcribe the interview for you.?
9. After the interview, organize the information into sections to give your post a proper structure.

Writing the blog post:

1. Create an outline. Choose an appropriate title, headings, and subheadings for the post.
2. Select the parts you want to include in your post.
3. Start your post by introducing the SME. Give context to the readers by talking about the SME’s experience and background.?
4. Give a brief overview of the interview and the key points discussed.
5. Add to the body of your post. Be authentic and add as much value from the interview to your post as possible. Include quotes and insights for each key point.
6. Make it relevant. Make sure you stay on topic and don’t include irrelevant details.?
7. Break up the text by adding infographics, images, videos, visuals, and charts.?
8. Conclude your post by summarising the main takeaways from the interview (but don’t repeat).?
9. After you’re done with the piece follow up with the SME and share your draft with them to check for accuracy and clarity.?

Explore more tips on How to write a blog post .

Ready to start creating thought leadership pieces?

Writing authority blog posts using only self-research can get a bit tricky, especially for outsourced marketing companies and writers. Make it simple by interviewing SMEs and bringing in their value.?

Remember to ask qualifying questions and extract insights that truly address your reader’s pain points and problems.