Position yourself as the expert in your field

adminApril 18, 2018

Expert PR is a tool we often reach for when creating PR strategies for our clients. It adds tremendous brand value and automatically creates more publicity if an employee is the go-to person in their field. Read here how you can become an expert.

You may not think of yourself as an ‘expert’ – few experts refer to themselves that way. But if you have particularly broad knowledge and experience in your field, it can benefit your company if you are more widely recognized for what you are good at.

Once you’ve positioned yourself as an expert, the media will start calling you for comment when they write a story in your field.

You need to be precise when defining your position. You are more likely to achieve expert status in the “ransomware” niche than to become “Denmark’s IT expert”.

1. Debate post: Point out the problems in your industry

If you have a sharp comment on a new trend in your industry, you can write an opinion piece. You can attract attention by making concrete suggestions or sharp, well-founded and objective criticism – for example, on ‘sustainability in the public sector’ if you come from a company that is trying to streamline the waste sector.

Send the post to a media outlet that writes about your area – typically a major media outlet or a trade publication. Contact the newspaper before you write to see if they are interested in a feature on the topic.

Remember that opinion editors love sharp-angled content. Your chances of getting in the media are better if you are direct in your headline – for example: ‘Expert: Reform overlooks recycling’, where you clearly state your opinion.

Be careful not to step on the toes of your peers: you can point out elements of the industry that don’t work without criticizing individuals or sounding shrill. Write a professional and well-argued text and avoid unfounded complaints – you’ll be on your way to positioning yourself as an expert.

2. Blog posts: Focus on yourself through industry blog posts

You can use blogs about your niche area to position yourself as an expert. Write informative and engaging blog posts on your company website and share your writing with the world.

You can also write blog posts on various media websites. Everything from general media to industry media has expert bloggers – contact the opinion editor and link to your previous texts. As a blogger, you can share your knowledge and position yourself as a broad and solid expert in your field.

If you don’t have time to produce texts even though you have a lot on your mind or just want a professional writer, you can outsource the writing task.

A good writer can interview you for 20-30 minutes and write a draft for you to give feedback on content, tone and style. As long as the professionalism and opinions are yours, it’s legitimate.

2A. Video

You can also make your blog posts on video. A well-known example is Thomas Bigum, who makes 5-10 minute videos where he talks sharply about the use of social media – something he is known as an expert in and sells courses on.

Prepare thoroughly, do some tests and show your videos to someone and get feedback before publishing. There are plenty of guides online – otherwise contact Jakob Hessellund for help with both video and content.

3. SEO optimize: You are the expert in your field

When journalists need an expert in, for example, “online shopping”, they call the person they know or Google “online shopping expert”. So you can make it easy for journalists to find you by SEO-optimizing yourself as an expert in your field.

The basic thing is to create pages on your own, and preferably other people’s, websites where your name and your expert status appear together several times: “Jens Jensen, expert in online shopping”. Write about half an A4 page about why you are an expert in online shopping so the journalist can see that you are qualified.

4. “Proactive media monitoring”: Follow news about your industry

Instead of starting with opinion pieces and blogs, you can take a shortcut by offering your services when the media writes about your field.

With proactive media monitoring, you can stay on top of new initiatives and issues in your field. Keep a close eye on relevant media websites and sign up for their newsletters – stories may emerge that you can use to position yourself as an expert. For example, use a tool like Talkwalker to monitor specific keywords.

When a relevant story comes up, you can – instantly! – contact the journalist behind it and offer an expert comment. Or you can contact a competing media outlet and give them the opportunity to write a different angle on the story.

More strategic: Make a list of journalists who write about your industry, contact them and let them know that you cover the topic and are happy to provide a quote for the next story.