If you work in a STEM brand, you already know where the content gold is: in your experts’ heads.
But good luck getting them to share it.
Your engineers, developers, analysts and researchers are doing the work that sets your brand apart, but they’re not writing content. They’re busy, deep in technical problem-solving, and they probably don’t care much for marketing.
So how do you get them to share what they know?
Answer: You make it easy, and worth their time.
This guide is how you do that – how you run expert interviews that pull out the stuff no one else is publishing – the insights that fuel truly engaging, search-optimised content.
Let’s get into it.
Why getting expert insights matters
Before we go into the how, let’s tackle the why, and do you know what, let’s do it damn good rock and roll style…
In an incredibly tenuous attempt to liken two of our favourite topics, SEO and classic rock, let’s go ahead and pretend we’ve coined something established, and heck, let’s give it name…like the “Free Bird” effect.
(Wish us luck on this…)
If you’re into classic rock, you’ll know that the guitar solo from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird is considered one of the toughest solos to learn. It’s long, complex, and technically demanding, so naturally, guitarists often look for online tutorials to figure out how to master it.
On their quest, they might find two blogs:
- One written by a beginner guitarist.
- Another shaped by the insights of a professional with 20+ years’ experience as the lead guitarist of a classic rock band.
Sure, the beginner’s blog might follow a familiar structure and hit a few keywords, but does it really carry the same weight? The second one, even if it’s written by someone else, is built on lived experience – it goes beyond telling you to “hit the right notes”; it explains how to flick your finger just right to nail the rapid-fire pull-offs that make the solo sound fluid and authentic. It tells you to dig in with your pick for those gritty bends that give it that raw, Southern rock feel.
That’s what makes it credible, and waaay more useful, as it’s practical, nuanced guidance from someone who has actually mastered the solo.
Now swap the “Free Bird” solo for your R&D process, your approach to fintech infrastructure, or your methodology for testing structural materials. Just like the solo, creating credible STEM content is tough to get right. If the content you’re putting out there doesn’t reflect real expertise – if it’s just rehashed versions of what’s already online – Google knows. And your audience definitely knows.
That’s why getting expert input is so important.
And here’s how you do it…
1. Frame the interview as an opportunity
If you want strong input, the key is framing. Your experts don’t care about “content goals” or “SEO deliverables.” But they do care about their work being seen and respected.
So instead of saying:
“Can we pick your brain for a blog post?”
Try this:
“We’d love to showcase your insights on [TOPIC] – your input is essential to getting this right.”
Show them you’re positioning them as an industry voice. If they know they’ll be credited (via bylines or mentions), and the outcome reflects well on them, they’re far more likely to engage.
And if you get pushback? Get a senior stakeholder to endorse the request. A quick, “Hey, leadership sees this as a great opportunity to raise your profile,” often works wonders.
Hot House Hot Tip…
“When we create project plans for new clients, we build this into the onboarding process. We set the expectation from day one that expert involvement is essential. And yes, sometimes it takes persistence, but the difference in content quality is night and day.”
– Paddy, Hot House Digital
2. Make it stupidly easy for them
You’re asking for time, so it’s in your best interests to respect it, which means doing the prep work for them.
Here’s how:
- Send questions in advance (specific ones – more on that next)
- Keep interviews short: 15–20 minutes max
- Record the session so they don’t have to repeat themselves later
- Offer flexibility: let them respond by voice note or email if they prefer it.
The easier you make it, the more likely they are to give you the good stuff. And as well as saving their time, you’re increasing your chances of getting real, original insights that aren’t floating around elsewhere on the web.
3. Ask smart, specific questions
Generic questions = generic answers.
If you ask, “What are the current trends in [industry]?”, don’t be surprised when they shrug. Instead, ask like a peer:
Bad: “What were the challenges on this project?”
Better: “What specific limitations did you face when integrating X into Y and how did your team overcome them in a way others might not have?”
Or:
Bad: “What makes this product interesting?”
Better: “How does your approach to [specific feature] solve a problem other platforms in our space haven’t cracked yet?”
Specific questions lead to focused, insightful answers. But don’t be afraid to leave some space for rambling too – that’s often where the real gems come out.
Hot House Hot Tip…
“One of our fintech clients regularly exhibits at events, so we’ve started giving them targeted questions to ask on the day. That ‘on-the-ground’ insight gives us brilliant real-world material we can turn into high-impact content.”
– Paddy, Hot House Digital
4. Give them control, but not the steering wheel
Experts value accuracy, and rightly so. But if they feel misrepresented, they’ll either shut down or rewrite everything in dense, unreadable language.
The sweet spot is to involve them in fact-checking, not wordsmithing.
- Let them review for technical accuracy, but make it clear you’re managing tone and engagement
- Use Google Docs with comment-only permissions to prevent full rewrites
- Give them a deadline, and nudge gently if needed
- Credit their input clearly, whether it’s a byline, quote, or LinkedIn tag
It just shows respect and keeps the process efficient.
The result should be original content that actually works
When your content is fuelled by the minds of your experts, it’s:
- More trustworthy to readers
- More authoritative to search engines
- More unique than anything your competitors are publishing
Because modern SEO is about finding the right keywords, of course, but it’s also about credibility and real-world insight, aka: originality. No one else has your perspective, your process, or your people, and that’s your competitive edge.
Check out the next article in this 3-part series: How to turn expert insight into SEO content that actually performs.
In Part 3, we’ll show you how to take the raw input from your interviews and transform it into SEO-friendly content that truly engages your audience and ranks well in the SERPs. We’ll cover everything from site structure to metadata and content formats to ensure your expert-driven content supports your broader strategy.
