Do you want your content to be able to capture attention amidst the deafening digital noise? If your content’s impact is falling flat, harnessing the expertise and insight of subject matter experts could be the answer.

With 90% of organisations now running content marketing, differentiation is essential. Leveraging industry experts can set your brand apart. The unique perspectives they offer make your content more informative, authoritative, and relevant to your target customers.

Partnering with the right subject matter experts does require effort. Juggling schedules and navigating sign-off can be tricky. However, once you make it happen, you'll discover that the payoff was well worth the extra effort.

If you're struggling to make subject matter experts part of your marketing strategy, it might be time to refine your approach. We're here to walk you through every step, from selecting experts to how partnering with content marketing agencies can help ease the way.

The Value of Subject Matter Experts in B2B Content Creation

Subject matter experts provide deeper insights, data-backed opinions, and industry forecasts that your marketing team can't generate on their own. They appeal to a more informed and discerning audience, driving growth and allowing you to more effectively promote your products or services to your target audience.

Building Credibility and Trust

According to the 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer, people trust businesses more than the media and the government. On top of that, over 75% of respondents say they trust scientists and technical experts, compared to only 48% who trust CEOs.

In practical terms, that means relying solely on organisational leaders to share your brand message puts you at a disadvantage. Turning to subject matter experts is more likely to foster a sense of trust with existing and prospective customers.

Industry Insights

Subject matter experts bring a depth of knowledge that goes beyond generalist content. They often have insider perspectives and can share insights gained from their experience, rather than from a Google search. Their analysis of developments and changes in the industry boosts the relevance and value of your material for your B2B audience.

Reach and Digital PR

Many experts are visionaries. They are forward-thinking industry leaders who bring a unique approach to people’s problems. The thought leadership they provide inspires and gets people talking on LinkedIn.

And they don't just offer high-quality information and give people something to think about. They also come with a built-in audience of industry connections.

When a subject matter expert shares your content to promote their involvement, they also amplify its reach. Pick the right collaborations and you can get your content in front of a much more diverse and senior professional network.

People are more likely to engage with your content when it contains expert information and is being promoted by an authoritative voice. It might also generate industry press and gain the attention of journalists, conferences and panels looking for input.

SEO Enhancement

If you understand Google's search priorities and want to improve your content strategy, subject matter experts are a great resource.

They contribute experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (EEAT) to your content. Google uses EEAT to evaluate whether its search ranking systems are providing helpful results. While it doesn't directly influence your ranking, it's a good way to measure and upgrade the quality of your content.

Client-facing subject matter experts can also tell you what’s interesting to your prospects right now, and the language they’re using to talk about their issues. This provides you with the inside track on the keywords and phrases your prospects probably use when they use search engines. This data is key to optimising your content.

Deciding What Kind of Content You're Going to Create

Defining the focus and intent of your content is the first step to deciding which experts to approach. When you reach out, you can paint a clear picture of the impact their contributions will make.

Identify the Proposition

Make sure you’re clear on how the proposed piece of content will benefit everyone and everything involved, including:

The expert(s) you plan to approach: Forming a partnership with experts allows them to gain exposure. Contributing to an article or exciting piece of original research strengthens their profile in the industry and boosts their online presence, such as their LinkedIn profile.
Your internal team: A single session with an expert can yield a hefty piece of content that your team can spin into multiple assets for an ongoing campaign, easily filling up their calendar with interesting, weighty material.
Your marketing objectives: Decide whether this piece will back a business development campaign, tie in with a conference speech, serve as part of a lead generation effort, or connect to your marketing strategies in another way.
Your overall business goals: Expert input increases your brand’s authority and trust and has the potential to help you break into a new industry sector.

Remember that the content you create with a subject matter expert should always align with your broader content strategy and objectives.

Explore Diverse Formats

The type of content you create will ultimately guide which experts you work with and how you get their input. There are plenty of ways to get people involved aside from a sit-down conversation. For example, you can invite them to provide written answers to quote in an article, right through to asking them to collaborate on live-streamed social events that allow viewers to interact and ask questions.

Don't discount the benefit of sharing expert contributions in multiple ways. Consider these examples of how you could transform a single conversation into different types of content marketing:

Webinars: Create an educational webinar that incorporates clips of the expert's input with additional slides, graphics, and data.
Whitepapers: Use the expert's insights as the basis for a whitepaper that addresses an important issue in your industry.
Podcasts: Post the audio of your conversation so your audience can listen to it in the car or while making dinner.
Videos: Pepper your email marketing or social media feed with short clips that speak to specific pain points or challenges for potential customers at different stages of your customer journey.
Blog posts: Highlight key issues and insights with pull quotes and summarise the information you received.

When you weigh the pros and cons of each type of content, take your expert's skills and comfort level into account. Someone who has experience speaking on camera might excel at video content. On the other hand, an expert who prefers to stay off-screen might prefer to answer questions that you later summarise in a blog.

Identifying the Right Subject Matter Experts for Your Content

One-third of marketers say that they struggle to access subject matter experts. There might not be a magic formula to guide you to the right expert for each content piece, but there are ways to simplify your search.

Selection Criteria

You might be tempted to throw out a few random requests to experts and hope you get a bite, but that would be a mistake. Evaluate each option with a set criteria, such as:

Position and influence: Depending on the focus, your marketing might make a bigger impression if your expert is a recognisable and respected figure.
Industry relevance: Look at how a potential expert's area of expertise connects with the subject of your content.
Location: You can probably work with an expert from anywhere, but take into account whether they need to have localised knowledge.
Level of expertise: Evaluate each prospective expert's education, career, and publications to see what they can offer your audience.

An expert's enthusiasm for your business and content can also help narrow down your choices. While it might not be the deciding factor, it can give you a glimpse into what your collaboration will look like.

Different Types of Subject Matter Experts

You could rely exclusively on experts from inside your business, but balancing your content between internal and external voices is ideal. Combining in-house expertise with real-world applications and success stories provides you with a well-rounded perspective and helps minimise concerns about bias.

Internal Subject Matter Experts

Start with the talent in your company. When you include internal subject matter experts in your content, it showcases your business's depth of skills and expertise.

Featuring your own experts reinforces your brand's authority and position in the industry. It also has logistical advantages. Scheduling meetings and getting clearance is generally easier when working with people within your organisation.

As you search for internal talent, talk to representatives from different departments. Senior leaders have a lot to contribute and advance your thought leadership strategy. In addition, seek out team members with hidden talents, specialised knowledge, or exceptional skills.

Client Subject Matter Experts

Your clients also have a wealth of information to share. Featuring client subject matter experts is an excellent way to demonstrate the caliber of the companies you work with. It also underscores the nature of your working relationships, which can be particularly appealing to prospective clients.

When you select client experts, consider their influence, the uniqueness of their use case, and the success of your past collaborations. To get them on board, emphasise why you feel that they would be a good fit for an article, video, or case study.

Broader Network Subject Matter Experts

Don't forget to look outside your business walls and find experts in the wider community. They can provide fresh, research-based perspectives and a unique point of view that enlightens your audience and yourself.

If you're struggling to come up with names, think back to industry peers and professionals that you've met through conferences, networking, or academic circles. Additionally, get in touch with former colleagues who still have strong ties to the industry.

Collaborating with Subject Matter Experts for Content Development

After you find the right subject matter experts, the real work begins. Forming a successful collaboration is a delicate dance that can quickly fall apart if you don't plan ahead.

Possible Challenges

When you work with a subject matter expert, you should go into the situation with open eyes, recognising that some problems are inevitable. Time constraints, for example, can be a deal-breaker. Aligning calendars, especially if an expert has limited availability, can be a nightmare.

Another issue our clients regularly cite is gaining sign off. Make sure you understand what approvals an external collaborator will need and the timelines involved. Using your client's views and experiences without their approval could damage a key client relationship.

Even if you’ve spent a long time working on a piece together, if a client is uncomfortable with being featured you will need to step back and look for an alternative expert. When you do share client experiences, make sure your representation is accurate and ethical.

Another important issue to consider is how an expert might affect your brand. If someone with questionable behaviour or business practices contributes to your content, it could tarnish your own reputation. Ensure your brand safety by doing your due diligence and researching the expert before you begin working together.

Effective Communication and Building Relationships

The success of your content rests largely on the quality of your interactions with the subject matter expert. Nothing erodes a relationship with a subject matter expert faster than poor communication. Sharing ideas, feedback, and questions is key to creating effective content marketing and maintaining a positive relationship.

To make that happen, set clear expectations in the earliest stages of your relationship. Discuss what methods you'll use to communicate and how often each of you will provide updates — then stick to that agreement. Consistency and follow-through will make the process smoother.

When you’ve set time to talk, make the most of it by setting a realistic schedule and communicating an agenda. If possible, provide the expert with guiding questions so they can come into the conversation feeling confident, prepared, and on-point.

Depending on the expert's skill set, you may also need to provide them with training. For instance, an expert might need guidance about software or technology that you use during your conversation.

To maintain and nurture your relationship, give them regular updates on how the final piece is progressing. Show the expert that you value their time and their contributions, but don't let their input override your content calendar and editorial guidelines. When able, give them the opportunity to share their thoughts through feedback sessions, where you hear their concerns or suggestions for improvements.

Most importantly, show your appreciation for all their hard work publicly by openly acknowledging their contributions.

Content Development Process Management

While your subject matter expert's personality and professionalism can affect how well you work together, it's ultimately your responsibility to manage the collaboration.

Creating content shouldn't be a burden for a subject matter expert. Tap into their knowledge but make the process as painless for them as possible. No one will want to work with you if you make the process frustrating, so upfront planning is essential. Before you make initial contact, think through the end to end experience carefully.

Develop a strategy for your document flows, approvals, and sign-offs, and make sure you communicate that information clearly. Avoid having excessive or unnecessary meetings that drain your expert's time and energy.

This extends to considering how you can help your collaborators to amplify and promote their involvement when the content is launched. Offer them branded social media graphics and video clips, social caption and email templates to make it as easy as possible for them to share with their network.

Thinking through and streamlining the process of incorporating expert input into your content creation makes the demands on your end less labour-intensive too. For instance, you might be able to use artificial intelligence (AI) to mine your notes or finished article for spin off content ideas for a supporting social campaign.

Make sure to hit the right balance of expert insights with your marketing objectives. Don't feel you need to cram everything your expert says into a single piece. Unless it sticks to the point and directly contributes to your overall narrative, be ruthless. If your conversation goes off on a particularly juicy tangent, you can always use that as an excuse for a follow up collaboration.

Working with external suppliers, especially if you’re not practiced at information gathering and interviewing, can help. In our own thought leadership writing services, we regularly handle the scoping interviews, construct master briefs, and develop article ideas. We can then connect our clients with content creators who specialise in talking about their subject matter expert's ideas.

Help with Expert Insights

If you aspire not just to inform your customers but to galvanize them into action, the answer is clear: you need to give them something to be inspired by.

It comes back to creative that cuts through.

For content to stand out today, it needs to offer something more than your buyers can find with a quick Google search or by talking to ChatGPT. The way to do that is to tap into unique voices that spark intrigue and provide irreplaceable insight.

By relying on subject matter experts, B2B organisations can craft content that rises above - capturing both buyers’ attention and imaginations with a preview of what's next.

However, we recognise that elevating your content marketing efforts is easier than it sounds. Get in touch to see how 1827 Marketing can help make tapping into expertise easier and more enjoyable.

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How to Use Subject Matter Experts to Differentiate B2B Content