Writing an insightful, engaging article on a topic that you’re unsure of is always a challenge, but getting readers to respect your opinions and ideas is even tougher.
If you don’t have evidence to show that you’re offering an informed opinion, then readers will check out, and your content won’t resonate in the way you expect.
An ideal way to enhance your content and back up any ideas you may have is to include expert advice and quotes.
So, if you’re writing about a topic on which you are not well-informed, or you just want to back up your theories, then asking professionals and experts for quotes and insight could be the ideal solution.
The majority of the article will be your own work, but adding short quotes from experts can give your writing gravitas.
Working with respected experts in their field can add prestige to your work, and if they agree to promote your work if they are included, then they will give you additional reach.
To find out more about how to source the best experts, and get quotes that benefit your content, carry on reading.
Send Out A Media Request
One of the easiest ways to get experts to send you quotes and collaborate on your writing project is to send out a media request.
Effectively, you’ll be getting them to come to you, saving yourself time and effort seeking them out.
Media request services such as ResponseSource, ExpertSources or Gorkana can give you access to a wide range of experts and PR representatives.
Some sites don’t need you to make an account, but if you’re regularly sending out media requests, then it might be an idea to make one so that you can keep an eye on your requests.
If you write on the same topic regularly, you can even repeat your requests to get a steady stream of responses.
For each request, you need to select relevant categories; try not to choose too many, so that you don’t end up with everyone responding to you.
At the same time, if you go too niche then you might find yourself with too few replies, so try to strike the right balance. It might take trial and error, but eventually, you’ll get there.
When describing your article, share very few details so that no one else can steal your idea, and you can vet experts before you ask them for a quote. You can inform experts once they respond and offer you a quote.
Tell them what you’re going to offer and then ask them to reach out to you if they’re interested in contributing, then send your request and work with the service provider to get it approved and up on their site.
Personally Reach Out To High-Ranking Experts
If you have specific experts that you’re interested in featuring in your article, or you just want to boost your chances of getting relevant quotes quickly, then you can do a little manual outreach alongside your media requests.
First of all, you need to find relevant sources. If you already know who they are, then you’re good to go, so skip ahead a few sentences.
If you still need to find them, then try putting keywords related to your chosen topic into Google to find organisations or businesses in your niche. You can then get in touch with them to see if a spokesperson would be happy to collaborate with you on your article.
Another great way to find relevant sources who will be willing to share information with you is to find experts who’ve already done it. Read articles on your chosen topic and identify any experts who regularly contribute, then seek out their personal websites to find contact details.
Once you have a list of individuals and companies to contact, reach out to them or their media spokesperson. Much like your media request, your email should be brief- once you have confirmation that they are willing to provide a quote, you can give them a definite topic to write about or a question to answer.
Offer A Link Back In Return
As you are asking for their time and expertise, most experts will want something in return, but it is uncommon to pay for this opportunity, and if your sources do get paid then you might need to disclose this to readers.
Usually, most expert sources will be happy to provide you with a quote, particularly if it’s only a short one, in return for a backlink to their website or professional profile.
Backlinks are crucial for any website’s SEO, but it can be time-consuming and expensive to build them yourself.
Offer all of the experts that choose to provide a quote, and whose information you use, full credit and a backlink. They can suggest the anchor text, and as long as it isn’t spammy you can use this.
You can also suggest that if they share the article on social media and tag your pages, then you will reshare their post. This approach incentivises them to share the content with their followers, giving you additional promotion for very little effort.
Check The Credibility Of Your Sources
When you receive responses from media requests, you need to verify that they are legitimate experts in your niche.
If they haven’t already provided one, then ask for a link to their website and review it to see how legitimate they are. Put their name into Google and look out for any reference to them, so that you can verify that they are, in fact, an expert in their field.
If possible, try to find some examples of work that they have contributed to, so that you can see what kind of quotes they provide and whether or not they will be a good fit for your article.
Be prepared to share examples of your own writing with experts; this verification process works both ways, and they will want to make sure that they are providing their expertise to a respected website and a writer who will create a high-quality article.
Get Approval For Any Edits You Make
When you’ve received a positive response, you can ask a question or request a quote on a particular topic which will fit into your article.
Every expert quote is different; some might be complete, proofread and ready to go, while others will be rough bullet points or long, run-on streams of thought.
As such, you might need to write up the quote. You can also remove any irrelevant information that’s been provided, and turn it into a professional quote that shows the expert, and you, in the best possible light.
It’s crucial that you send this amended quote back to the expert, and get written approval before you publish your article.
If you’ve just reworded their information and not changed what they say, just how they say it, then you should be fine.
Once it’s all approved, you’ve got at least one quote to add gravitas to your work.
Send A Link To Your Content To Contributors
As soon as the article is published, part of your promotional activity needs to be to tell all of the contributors and ask them to share the link.
As mentioned earlier, you can offer to reshare their posts if they tag you on social media. You could also ask for a link to their piece on their site if they are willing.
Remember to stay cordial and maintain the relationship; you never know when and where you might encounter them again. Even experts that you don’t put in your article should be treated with respect and manners.
Conclusion
Overall, any content creator or SEO that wants to write engaging, insightful articles that readers and algorithms love needs to be finding experts to back up their claims.
As this article proves, it’s easier than it looks to find these experts and many of them are more than happy to help. By providing a quid pro quo, you will both benefit from your association.
Hannah Stevenson is the Content Marketing Manager at UK Linkology, the UK’s highest-ranking link building agency. A former journalist and experienced blogger, she has written a wide range of articles and included experts from across the corporate and public sector landscapes in her writing.
