How to Choose an SME (Subject Matter Expert) for Sponsored Content Articles

Your business has expertise, and sponsored content articles let it shine. People are hungry for it, too. 70% of consumers want to study up on services and products through content, a report from Ascend Integrated Media says.

So it's natural to feel nervous about getting the right expert to speak for your company. In fact, it can feel intimidating. Where do you start? Who do you choose? What do you ask? And wait, what do you mean you want to ... interview me?

Here at Zoe Marketing & Communications, we get it. We've been in the journalism biz for 35+ years with our regional magazines, Metro Parent and Chicago Parent. That's rolled into our broad experience writing "spon con" articles. We've heard just about every worry in the book.

In this blog, we'll guide you through the process of picking an SME, or "subject matter expert":

• Who to pick as your subject matter expert

• How to prepare/deal when your expert is hard to pin down

• Putting experts' minds at ease when they're nervous or afraid of 'screwing up'

• How to get expert insight outside of your company (in the rare case you need it)

• Other savvy tips to drum up more in-house expertise

We'll take the pressure and stress out of finding SMEs. You'll discover what a natural fit it can (and should) be, how to get great insights — and we'll share some next steps, too.

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Who to pick as your subject matter expert

For starters: It doesn't depend on the person's seniority or status. Your goal is to provide prospective customers with answers to their questions.

Ground-level experts

Does it make sense, for example, to have the CFO talk about what happens in the therapy room? Nope. The therapist is the best expert.

'Boots on the ground' is the point here — the person who can directly answer questions.

Sometimes the CEO might be the best expert, but often not. Keep that in mind.

Choose only one

This is important. Select one expert. You might have six spectacular science teachers, for instance. But interviewing them all will clutter your story — and make it tough to keep it 600-900 words (roughly the range for branding content articles).

If you firmly believe you need six, four or even two experts? Your topic is likely too broad.

How to prepare/deal when your expert is hard to pin down

Make the work easy for them. Focus on working with them in these ways:

Send a concise list of questions in advance

Create a brief list and share it with your expert well ahead of time, at least a week. Be as short as you can. Five succinct questions are plenty — not 25.

Pro tip: The final question should always be, "What else do you want people to know about this topic?" You'll uncover things you hadn't thought of (and could get ideas for future content).

Schedule a wide range of meeting times

Your writer/interviewer should pull together a variety of options. If they're in-house and have access to the expert's schedule/calendar, all the better.

Ask for a short time commitment of about 30 minutes. When you talk, be prompt, honor their precious time and end when you say you will, especially for these super busy sources.

Putting experts' minds at ease when they're nervous or afraid of 'screwing up'

This happens a lot. People can get anxious when you ask for an interview. We prefer a less formal "grab your insight" or "have a conversation." 

It's a chat between two people — plain and simple. "I'm capturing your expertise, writing it down and sharing it with other people" is much less intimidating. And it's true.

These are some top tips that can help ease them into the process:

• Again, frame the interview as a conversation. And be friendly.

• Recommend they use your questions as a general guide. Encourage them to jot bullet-point notes in advance, but NOT write out their full responses. Reading "canned" replies feels more stilted and stiff; chatting in real-time is warm and relatable.

• Try alternative interview forms. Phone or video is classic, but if your source prefers, try email, text or instant messaging. In these cases, scale back your questions — and urge them to be conversational. Don't worry about grammar. That's the writer's job.

• Reassure them they'll have a final look. Before it's public, your expert should be able to read the article. Let them know they can tweak quotes/details in that draft.

How to get expert insight outside of your company (in the rare case you need it)

Now and then, you might not have quite the right in-house source for a topic. Or you might feel you need another outside expert to back you up. When that happens:

Dig into supportive, credible stats

The solution might be a bit of statistical information. Stats can help highlight the need to solve your prospects' particular problems.

You might have that data internally. Or you can pull data from unbiased regional, national or international organizations that are trusted in your field. Be scrupulous in citing your source.

Reach out to that outside source — but be clear

If you feel you must interview an outside source, pick one of those unbiased professional organizations. Be honest with them about why you need their expertise and the fact that it's paid content. That means their participation is an implied endorsement.

Interview your customers

Instead of going to another source, talk to folks who've had a great experience with you. This is a great way to get authentic insights — when it's ethical (for instance, due to privacy laws, this may not work for medical/therapy businesses).

Don't only ask about their outcome. Focus on their "pain point" and the problem they needed solved. Ask them what they want others in their shoes to know:

• What was their process like?

• How did coming to you and working with you solve their problem?

• What was their story?

Current and previous customers can speak more clearly to your future customers. 

Other savvy tips to drum up more in-house expertise

Still searching for experts? Try this advice to find the best fits you might not have considered: 

Tap into the expertise in your midst

By this, we mean: Reach out to people in each department of your company and find out their commonly asked questions. Again, think "boots on the ground." Ask them:

• Who answers the questions?

• How are these questions answered?

• What resources are available to customers to help them solve their problems? 

Then, check in with your experts weekly

When you do, ask them: "What are the top three questions you answered this week?" It's OK if some of those questions are repeats. That's how you know they're relevant questions.

Consider your 'company cheerleaders'

Who loves what you do? Talk to them — whether it's a customer or someone in-house. (One of my best interviews was with a janitor whose kids attended the very school she worked at.)

They likely have more insight than you'd expect and can offer great information about the topic.

Your next steps for choosing subject matter experts

Finding a subject matter expert, or SME, for sponsored content articles can feel overwhelming. But in this blog, you learned some effective, creative ways to make the process smoother.

We covered who makes a good SME (think "boots on the ground," and only one per article) — and tricks to deal when your expert is super busy. You also learned concrete steps to put nervous experts' minds at ease (avoiding the word "interview" can help).

Finally, we touched on finding experts outside your company and other top ways to pinpoint great in-house experts.

Where to head now? If you're looking for professional guidance, Zoe Marketing & Communications can help. We write hundreds of sponsored articles annually, and pinpointing SMEs is an organic part of what we do.

Still researching how to create your own sponsored content? Discover:

• How do I come up with great topics for sponsored content articles?

• How do I write a good sponsored content article?

Remember, you likely have more SMEs in your midst than you think. Keep talking to your "ground-level" staff and discovering the top questions they hear.