Subject matter experts are not content creators
How can we make it easier for experts to share their expertise while getting the material we need to create useful content?
How can organisations get useful content from subject-matter experts?
Ask experts for their knowledge, not a finished article. Send a focused brief, hold a prepared 30-minute conversation, turn the material into useful content, and make review straightforward. The communications professional owns the writing and editorial process; the expert checks that the substance is accurate and approves the core content before it is used.
Depending on subject matter experts (SMEs) to provide thought leadership material can be time-consuming. We need their knowledge. We need their contribution. We need their collaboration. But their time is scarce, and creating content is our job, not theirs.
As communications professionals, we cannot expect experts to think in terms of recurring content series, editorial calendars, content pillars, formats, and copywriting. So, how can we make it easier for them to share their expertise while getting the material we need to create useful content?
4 Routines for working with subject-matter experts
1. Make the ask
I use a simple template whenever I contact an SME: a clear, well-structured brief that is easy to scan for key information. I explain why I am reaching out, what I need from them, where the content might be used, and the questions I have in mind (after doing my research). I include deadlines for approval, delivery, and publication. I give concrete cues about what I am trying to understand rather than broad questions that can feel difficult to tackle. The more context I provide, the easier it is for the expert to give me specific, useful material during the conversation.
2. Make their time count
I schedule a short meeting (thirty minutes). That is all the SME needs to devote to the content creation process, apart from reviewing and approving the content later. I do my research beforehand, ask informed questions, listen carefully, and record the conversation with their permission. That way, I am not relying solely on notes or memory. I have their explanations, examples, choice of words, and nuances to return to when I start writing.
The routines, continued
3. Capture once, repurpose later
I usually begin by turning the conversation into a long-form piece. It becomes my source material. From there, the same expertise can be adapted for different platforms, audiences, and needs: an article can become a LinkedIn post, a quote, an intranet story, or a short video for social media.
4. Make approval easy
I try to keep the SME’s involvement simple. Rather than repeatedly returning to them every time the material is repurposed, I explain from the beginning where and how their contribution may be used. They review the core content, correct anything I have misunderstood, and approve it.
I see my role as a communications professional as creating the conditions for that expertise to become useful content — and making the process easy enough that they are happy to say yes the next time I knock on their door.
This is one of my favorite parts of working in communications: listening, gathering, making connections, and slowly seeing the content puzzle come together. I am looking forward to finding my next constellation; a team where I can help knowledge travel further and turn expertise into awareness, understanding, and engagement.
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