Tips on How to Conduct an Interview for Content Marketing
By: Kimberly Grant
It’s time for a chat. Not about marketing necessarily. It’s time to chat about content. There are various types of content that include blog posts, videos, social media posts, and even interviews. Most people think of an interview as similar to those sit-downs with Barbara Walters and Diane Sawyer. And they would be correct. But there’s more that goes into an interview than sitting down with talent and looking pretty on camera. You still have to get the story.
Experience is the Best Teacher
I promise. Interview skills are not something that people acquire in one sitting. It’s a practiced skill. There are specific things that I like to take into consideration when conducting an interview. My experience came over an eleven-year period of interviewing actors, authors, and important people for South Florida Times. I’ve interviewed people like, Idris Elba, Anthony Mackie, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx, William Levy, and Adam Rodriguez. All great interviews.
Now, I didn’t start out being the best interviewer. Although, my first interview (Columbus Short) was great because it was more like a conversation. I’ve also had my fair share of bad interviews (actors will remain nameless). I’ve dealt with talent that was uncooperative, angry, impatient, and even on something that wasn’t coffee. Quelle horreur.
Tips of the Trade
Now that you’ve seen my experience here are some things to consider when preparing for an interview for your content:
- Preparation
- Have a back-up
- Ask good questions
- Be adaptable
Preparation is Key
Preparation includes doing your research as soon as you know who you’re interviewing. Wikipedia and the talent’s social media accounts are a good place to start, but that should not be your only research. Anyone worth interviewing has a website with an “About Me” page and there are news articles about that person.
If you’re interviewing someone in the TV and film industries, like me, then you could use Google.com and IMDb.com as a part of your research. Once you have a good amount of research, then you develop your questions. Typically, a 15-minute interview equates to ten questions.
Save Yourself!
Having a back-up is a lifesaver. Most interview content is recorded in real-time; during the interview. However, you’re not guaranteed that the recording will be viable after the interview. Most interviews are a one-time thing; which means you won’t have the luxury of asking the person to come back to re-do the interview. You have one shot to get this done.
I recently did an interview with Mariama Diallo, who directed Amazon Prime Video’s Master. This interview was recorded on my behalf. While interviewing Mariama, I had my phone recording the interview as a back-up. The next day, I sat down to review the recording to start my transcription of the interview. Unfortunately, I was given a drive that was corrupted. Thankfully, I had my phone recording as a back-up and I was able to transcribe the interview and write my article.
The Good and the Bad
Asking good questions isn’t just asking about the talent’s current project. When I interview an actor or director, it’s during a press junket. By the time I interview the talent, they’ve been interviewed by 20 to 50 reporters. They’re probably being asked the same or similar questions, which means that 20 to 50 other reporters have the same quotes for their articles. You don’t want to be lost in a sea of reporters.
You want to ask more pertinent questions based on the extensive research you’ve done. Ask the talent about their side jobs or upcoming projects. That said, make sure your good questions focus on the talent’s work and not their personal life. A bad question would be asking about their recent divorce. Yikes.
Adapt and Overcome
Being adaptable has two sides: 1) fake it until you make it and 2) be cool. Some years ago, I attended an Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater show on behalf of South Florida Times. I was there to do a review and nothing more. Luckily for me, I sat next a couple who had backstage passes. After chatting with them, they told me to stay in my seat after the show and someone would come and get us. When I mentioned that I didn’t have a backstage pass, the wife commented that no one would know unless I broadcasted that. Needless to say, I got to go backstage and get more insight on the dancers for my article. No other reporter had that opportunity.
Being cool is another facet of adaptability. This is a little different from the scenario above. In my over a decade of experience, I have had some not so good interviews in which I had to sit and wait hours for a talent because they were running late. I’ve had to adapt to a talent who had probably enjoyed an edible or two before the interview. And, I’ve been told that I had a 15-minute interview that turned into a 5-minute phone conversation at the last minute.
As an interviewer, you have to be flexible enough to adapt to the changing wind without breaking a sweat. Yes, these things can be inconvenient, but you will not be at the advantage of complaining. What I have done in the past was be professional, conduct my interview, thank the PR/publicist/marketer for inviting to do the interview, and make myself available for the next opportunity. Once I got into my car by myself, I would then call a friend and complain that I had to wait four hours for an interview.
In Content
Content marketing is ever evolving. The number of interviews as content marketing is rising at a steady pace. Before you start using interviews for your content marketing, consider the above tips. You want to put your most professional foot forward. That starts by being prepared, having a back-up, asking good questions, and being adaptable. If it doesn’t go according to plan, just keep your cool and complain to anyone who will listen on the car ride home.
Interested in seeing me in action? You can see my most recent interview with freelance publicist Andrea Salazar on my YouTube channel.
Don’t forget! Sharing is entertainment. See below.
