How to Conduct Expert Interviews That Make Your Articles Better

If you asked me to tell you why Lionel Messi is the GOAT 🐐, you’d better pull a chair because we’re going to be here for a while.

But if you asked me about personalizing email campaigns? I might stutter a little bit.

As a SaaS content writer, I’ve written dozens of articles on topics I knew nothing about before starting the research. Email personalization, SMS marketing automation, and HR analytics software. The list goes on.

How do I write articles on topics where I’m not the expert? Simple. I interview the people who are.

I’ve conducted 15+ expert interviews this year for clients such as Zapier, HubSpot, and SimpleTexting. The articles consistently rank well, audiences love them, and experts often message me afterward to say how smooth the interview was.

In this article, I’ll walk you through my exact process for conducting expert interviews that turn into content people want to read.

Why I started interviewing experts

I’ll be honest with you. Most of the articles I read in my niche sound the same.

Brooklin Nash of Beam Content aptly captures how most of them read.

They follow the same structure and talking points that have been bouncing around the internet for the past three years.

And it’s not that B2B writers are lazy. 

It’s because they’re all pulling from the same source: Google’s first page. 

Here’s what typically happens. A content manager assigns an article on, say, customer retention strategies. The writer opens five top-ranking articles, collates the common points, adds a few extra tips, and hits publish. 

While it’s not plagiarism, it’s not original either.

I caught myself doing this early in my career. I was cranking out articles fast, hitting my deadlines, and checking all the SEO boxes. But when I looked back at my work, I couldn’t remember writing half of it. Nothing stood out.

Readers notice it too. 

They’re tired of reading yet another article that summarizes what’s already out there. They need someone to cut through the noise and tell them what works.

Expert interviews do just that. They offer:

Original insights you won’t find on page one of Google. 

The subject matter expert shares what they’ve learned from experience, not what they read in another blog post. 

These expert insights also help you demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) for Google and other search engines.

Specific examples and real data

Instead of “personalization increases engagement,” you get “we saw open rates jump from 18% to 31% when we added the recipient’s company name in the subject line.”

Quotes that make your content feel alive

Nothing beats a direct quote from someone who knows what they’re talking about. It adds authority and breaks up the monotony of a single voice throughout the article.

Built-in credibility

When you feature an expert, their reputation extends to your content. Readers trust the information more because it’s coming from someone with proven experience.

What this means for content managers

If you’re managing a content team, you’ve probably felt the pressure to produce more content, faster. The temptation is to scale by hiring more writers or churning out more articles.

But volume doesn’t solve the problem if every article sounds like everyone else’s.

Expert interviews give you a different competitive advantage. Instead of racing to publish the 50th article on “customer retention strategies,” you publish the one article that actually has something new to say.

When you build expert interviews into your process, you can expect the following changes:

Your content stands out

Because of the unique insights shared, your article gets remembered and stands out in the sea of sameness.

You build relationships with industry experts

Every interview is a networking opportunity. The experts you feature become part of your network. They share your content, refer other experts, and sometimes become customers or partners.

Your writers deliver better work

When writers have access to experts, they learn from practitioners and produce content that reflects specialized knowledge and real expertise.

You protect your investment

Generic content has a short shelf life. It gets buried when competitors publish their version. Expert-backed content stays valuable longer because it contains insights that don’t exist anywhere else.

Expert-led content should be in the mix if you plan to build a content program that drives pipeline and positions your company as a leader in 2026 and beyond.

How do you go about creating such content? Glad you asked. Here’s my process.

Finding the right expert to interview

Who do you interview? How do you find potential experts?

To find the ideal expert, I first consider the type of content I want to create.

For example, for high-level strategy pieces, I look for executive-level experts or industry leaders with relevant experience.

Matching the expert to the article type saves everyone time.

Check for internal experts first

Every company has people who know their stuff. Product managers, customer success leads, sales engineers, and technical specialists.

These are excellent resources you can tap into.

Internal subject matter experts are super valuable because they have deep knowledge of both the product and the audience. They can speak to real customer problems and how the product solves them. Plus, featuring internal experts positions your client’s team as thought leaders.

I sometimes ask my point of contact: “Who on your team would be great to interview for this?” Most of the time, they know exactly who to connect me with.

Tap into your existing network

You’d be surprised how many subject matter experts are already in your network. Filter by company, job title, or industry to narrow it down.

For example, when I was working on this piece on product differentiation, I reached out to product marketing managers in my network.

 

You’ll notice how my message shares enough information for the expert to say yes. You don’t want to send a message like, “Hi Nathan, can I pick your brain about email marketing?” They’d be less likely to respond.

Use Slack communities

I’m in several Slack groups for B2B marketers, SaaS professionals, and content writers. These communities are goldmines for finding experts.

Many of them have dedicated channels for sourcing expert quotes and interviews.

For example, on Superpath, we have the #contentcollab channel. And #_networking_referrals_sources channels in the Top of the Funnel community.

I’ll typically drop a message like:

“Working on an article about [topic]. Anyone have 20 minutes to chat about their experience with [specific thing]?”

Half the time, someone responds within a day.

Cold outreach on LinkedIn or Twitter

If I can’t find anyone in my network or Slack groups, I’ll reach out cold on LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter).

On LinkedIn, I follow the same approach I use with my existing connections: be specific about the topic, reference something they’ve done, and keep the time commitment small.

Because I have LinkedIn Premium, I can send InMails and unlimited notes in my connection requests.

On X, I keep my messages friendly.

Here’s an example:

This works because it’s warm, specific, and low-friction. I’m asking for a few minutes via a questionnaire, not a full interview. I’m also opening the door for referrals, which sometimes leads to even better experts.

The key is to remove every possible barrier and make it as easy as possible for them to help.

Ask people in the industry

Sometimes the best way to find an expert is to ask someone who’s already in that space. If I’m writing about HR tech and don’t know anyone personally, I’ll ask my client’s team who they’d recommend.

They usually know someone. Or they know someone who knows someone.

Prepping for the interview

I don’t wing it. Ever.

The interview might feel conversational, but only because I’ve done the prep beforehand. Here’s what that looks like.

Create the article outline first

Before I schedule the interview, I create a rough outline of the article. This tells me what questions I need to ask.

If the article is about improving customer onboarding, my outline might look like:

• Common onboarding mistakes
• Framework for effective onboarding
• Metrics to track
• Tools that help

From there, I can shape my questions to fill in each section.

I’ve seen other writers say they like to create the questions first before the outline, and that’s fine too. I prefer to have something solid before heading into the interview.

Of course, this outline is flexible and can be adjusted based on information from the interview.

Research the expert’s background

I spend some time learning about the person I’m interviewing. I check:

• Their LinkedIn profile
• Recent posts or articles they’ve written
• The company they work for
• Any talks or webinars they’ve done
• Google Scholar to see if they have any published scholarly literature 

This helps me ask better questions. Instead of “What do you think about onboarding?” I can ask, “I saw you mentioned in your LinkedIn post that you overhauled [Company]’s onboarding process last year. What was broken before you stepped in?”

Specific questions get specific answers.

Experts also appreciate such questions because it shows you’ve done your research.

Write your questions, but stay flexible

I draft 5-6 core questions before the interview. These give me a roadmap, but I don’t treat them as a script.

The best interviews happen when you follow the conversation. If the expert says something interesting that I didn’t expect, I’ll ask a follow-up question even if it’s not on my list.

Think of your questions as guardrails, not a rigid structure.

My question framework

I don’t have a single framework that works for every interview. Just like Messi doesn’t play the same way in every match, I adapt based on the expert and topic.

But there are governing principles I follow.

Start wide and open-ended

The interview process works best when you avoid leading questions but start with broad questions to ease the expert into the conversation. These are warm-up questions that get them talking without putting them on the spot.

Examples:

• “Can you walk me through how you approach [topic]?”
• “What’s the biggest mistake you see people making with [topic]?”
• “How has [topic] changed in the last few years?”

These questions are easy to answer and help build rapport.

Narrow down to specifics

Once the conversation is flowing, I get more specific. This is where the good stuff comes out.

For example,

• “You mentioned you saw a 40% improvement. Can you walk me through what you changed to get that result?”
• “What does that process look like in practice? Can you give me an example?”
• “When you say [term they used], what exactly do you mean?”

The key is listening. Really listening. If they mention something vague, I dig into it and ask follow-up questions.

End with forward-looking questions

I like to close with questions about the future or what they’d recommend to someone starting.

For instance, I could ask,

• If someone’s just getting started with [topic], what’s the first thing they should do?”
• “Where do you see [topic] heading in the next year or two?”
• “What’s one thing you wish more people understood about [topic]?”

And my favorite question at the end of every interview, “Was there something I should have asked but didn’t?”

These questions often produce great pull quotes for the article.

Tools I use for interviews

I keep my setup simple. I don’t want to spend 20 minutes troubleshooting tech when I could be talking to the expert.

For live interviews

I use Google Meet or Zoom. Both work fine. I always record the call (with permission) and use an AI note-taker like Fathom or Fireflies to capture the transcript.

I also keep my phone’s voice recorder running as a backup. I’ve had tools fail mid-interview before, and the backup saved me.

For async interviews

Some experts don’t have time for a live call. Or we’re in entirely different time zones. In those cases, I send questions via Google Doc or Typeform.

I prefer live interviews because I can ask follow-ups, but async works too. The key is keeping the questions clear and focused so they don’t feel like homework.

Conducting the interview

Once I’m in the interview, my job as the interviewer is to make it feel like a conversation, not an interrogation. 

Good interview skills mean treating the expert as an interview partner. Here’s how I do it:

Build rapport first

I spend the first 2-3 minutes on small talk. 

“How’s your day going? I saw your post about [topic], that was interesting.”

Anything to make them feel comfortable. People give better answers when they’re relaxed.

Let them talk

This sounds obvious, but many interviewers talk too much. I know I used to.

They either fill the silence or interrupt to move on to the next question.

I’ve learned to shut up and listen. If there’s a pause, I wait. Often, the expert is just gathering their thoughts.

Ask follow-up questions

More often than not, the best insights don’t come from the questions I prepared. They come from the follow-ups.

If the expert says something like “We completely changed our approach,” I ask:

• “What did your approach look like before?”
• “What triggered the change?”
• “How long did it take to implement?”
• “What were the results?”

One question can turn into five minutes of valuable content.

Watch the clock

I always aim to finish early. If I said 20 minutes, I would wrap up at 18. If I said 30, I’m done by 28.

Respecting their time makes them more likely to say yes if I ever need to follow up.

Turning transcripts into content

After the interview, I have a transcript full of raw material. Now I need to turn it into an article.

Listen to the interview again

Before I look at the transcript, I listen to the recording once. This helps me remember the flow of the conversation and identify the most interesting parts.

I take interview notes on anything that stands out. It could be a great quote, a surprising stat, or something else.

Use the expert’s words to inspire sections

I don’t write the article and then randomly drop quotes in. I let the expert’s words shape the structure.

If they spent five minutes explaining a three-step process, that becomes a section. If they mentioned a common mistake people make, that’s a subheading.

The content flows better when the expert’s insights drive the narrative.

Quote directly, but edit for clarity

I quote the expert directly when they say something perfectly. But most spoken language doesn’t translate well to written content.

People repeat themselves. They use filler words. They start a sentence one way and end it another.

I clean up the quotes without changing the meaning. I remove “um” and “like.” I tighten sentences and make sure the quote flows.

As long as the meaning stays the same, light editing is fine.

Weave in your own voice

The article shouldn’t just be a Q&A. I use the expert’s insights to support the points I’m making, but I still write in my own voice.

I’ll add context before a quote, explain why something matters, and connect one section to the next.

The expert provides the expertise while I provide the structure and storytelling.

What makes a successful expert interview

I’ve done interviews that gave me everything I needed in 15 minutes. I’ve done others that felt like pulling teeth.

Here’s what separates the good from the frustrating.

Preparation

The more work I do upfront, the smoother the interview goes. If I haven’t researched the expert or thought through my questions, it shows.

Flexibility

Some of my best interviews went completely off-script. If I’m too rigid with my question list, I miss opportunities to go deeper.

Follow-up questions

The first answer is rarely the best answer. The second or third follow-up is where the gold is.

Respect for their time

I start on time, end on time, and send a thank-you note afterward. It sounds basic, but people notice.

Making it easy for them

I send calendar invites with clear meeting links, confirm the day before, and handle all the logistics. All they have to do is show up.

The easier I make it for them, the better the interview goes.

Common mistakes to avoid

I’ve made every mistake on this list. Learn from my pain.

Not recording the interview

Early in my career, I relied on taking notes during the call. I missed half of what was said and had to ask the expert to clarify later. Now I always record. Always.

Asking yes/no questions

“Do you think email marketing is important?” isn’t a useful question. It gets you a one-word answer.

Ask open-ended questions that require explanation. “What role does email marketing play in your overall strategy?” gives you content to work with.

Talking too much

The expert should be doing 60-80% of the talking. If you’re explaining your own thoughts or arguing with their answers, you’re doing it wrong.

Not following up

If something doesn’t make sense, ask for clarification during the interview. Please don’t assume you’ll figure it out later when you’re writing.

Skipping the thank-you

Always send a thank-you email after the interview. Tell them when the article will be published and offer to share the draft if they want to review their quotes.

Most experts don’t ask to see the draft, but offering shows respect.

You could even take it a step further by sharing the article with your network. Experts appreciate the extra visibility.

Making expert interviews part of your process

You don’t need to interview an expert for every article. But for the pieces where you want original insights and real authority, it’s worth the effort.

I prioritize expert interviews:

When I’m writing about a topic I don’t know deeply

An hour with an expert saves me days of trying to piece together surface-level knowledge.

When the topic is complex or technical

Readers can tell when you’re faking expertise. An expert’s voice adds credibility.

When I want fresh data or examples

Google can’t give you unpublished case studies or first-hand stories. Experts can.

When the client wants thought leadership content

Featuring experts positions your client as connected to the industry’s best thinkers.

What to expect if you hire me for this

Let’s fast-forward to the point where you’re considering bringing me on to create expert-led content. 

Here’s what the engagement looks like:

I handle the logistics

Finding experts, scheduling, conducting interviews, and managing follow-ups. You just connect me with your team and let me run.

Timeline is 1-2 weeks per article

This includes expert outreach, interviews, writing, and one round of revisions. Rush jobs (1 week) are possible but cost extra.

You don’t pay experts

Most experts contribute for the visibility and backlinks. If someone asks for compensation (which is rare), I’ll flag it, and we can decide together.

You get draft approval

I’ll send you the draft before it goes to the expert for review. If the expert requests changes, I’ll implement them and keep the content aligned with your goals.

Volume depends on availability

I can handle 4-6 expert-backed articles per month. Any more and the quality suffers.

Expert interviews cost the same as regular articles

The extra time I spend on interviews replaces the time I’d spend on deeper desk research. It’s a different process, not more expensive.

Want to see examples? Here are published articles where I’ve used this approach:

• Email personalization: What is it, how to do it right, and examples to learn from
• Product Differentiation and What It Means for Your Brand, According to Experts
• A/B Testing Your Website — All The Tips Devs and Marketers Need to Know

Let the experts lead the way

I started doing expert interviews because I had to. I was writing about topics I didn’t fully understand, and I needed help.

What I learned is that even when I do know the topic, interviews make the content better. They add depth, credibility, and originality that desk research alone can’t provide.

The process isn’t complicated:

• Find the right expert
• Prep with a clear outline and good questions
• Let the conversation flow naturally
• Turn the transcript into content that works

Clients love the results. Audiences engage with the content. Experts appreciate being featured. Everyone wins.

If you’re a content manager looking for a writer who can conduct expert interviews and turn them into content that ranks and converts, let’s talk. I write for B2B SaaS companies that want content backed by real expertise.