Let me tell you about the most common problem I hear from marketing and communications professionals across every knowledge-intensive industry I work with.
“Our subject matter experts don’t have time to write content.”
Whether it’s a university trying to update programme pages, a hospital system showcasing specialist expertise, or a financial services firm explaining complex investment strategies—the challenge is identical:
The people with the knowledge are teaching, treating patients, managing portfolios, conducting research, advising clients. They simply don’t have time to sit down and write for the website.
So what happens? Content goes stale. Or someone uses AI to generate something generic just to have something there. Neither option serves your organization well.
There’s a better way. And it doesn’t require your experts to write a single word.
The Content Bottleneck Crisis
Here’s the traditional content creation model, the one that’s failing organizations across sectors:
- Marketing team emails subject matter expert: “Can you write 500 words about your new programme/service/offering?”
- Expert thinks: “I don’t have time for this. I have lectures to prepare / patients to see / clients to advise.”
- Marketing team waits. Sends reminder. Waits more.
- Six weeks later, nothing has arrived.
- Content stays outdated. Or generic AI-generated text appears just to fill the gap.
Sound familiar?
The problem isn’t that your experts don’t care about your organization’s online presence. The problem is the assumption that they need to be writers.
In a computer science department I worked with, the head of department hadn’t updated their programme page in 18 months. Not because they didn’t want to – they were passionate about their innovations in machine learning and quantum computing – but because every time they thought about writing 500 words, they had ten other priorities that couldn’t wait.
In a major hospital system, specialist physicians had groundbreaking approaches to patient care that could differentiate the institution. But asking them to “write something up” during their packed clinic schedules? It never happened.
In a wealth management firm, senior advisors had nuanced perspectives on market volatility and long-term strategy. The marketing team needed this expertise for thought leadership. The advisors were too busy managing client portfolios to draft articles.
Same problem. Different sectors. Universal bottleneck.
The Paradigm Shift: From Writing to Talking
Here’s the insight that changes everything:
Your experts can’t spare 3 hours to write. But they can spare 15 minutes to talk.
And with AI as your assistant, a 15-minute conversation becomes the raw material for authentic, compelling content—without requiring your experts to write anything.
This isn’t about using AI to generate generic content. This is about using AI to capture, transcribe, and structure genuine expertise that already exists in your organization—and then having you add the polish, verify the facts, and infuse your institutional voice.
The workflow shifts from:
- Old model: Expert writes → Marketing edits → Published
- New model: Expert talks → AI transcribes → Marketing crafts → Published
The time commitment from your expert drops from hours to minutes. The quality improves because you’re capturing their authentic voice and specific knowledge. And you, the communications professional, maintains editorial control and strategic direction.
Let me show you exactly how this works.
The 15-Minute Interview Workflow
Step 1: Schedule the Conversation (5 minutes)
Don’t ask for “content.” Ask for “15 minutes to talk about what’s new.”
Email template:
Hi [Name],
I know you’re incredibly busy, but I’d love to capture your expertise for our [website/thought leadership/communications].
Could we schedule just 15 minutes where I ask you three questions about [specific topic]? I’ll record it (with your permission), and handle all the writing from there. You won’t need to write anything—just talk about what you know best.
When works for you this week?
Notice what you’re not asking: “Can you write something for me?”
You’re asking for a conversation. Most experts will say yes to 15 minutes when they’d never commit to hours of writing.
Step 2: Prepare Your Three Core Questions (5 minutes)
This is critical. You need focused questions that elicit specific information, not generic responses.
Generic questions produce generic content: “Can you tell me about your programme?”
Specific questions produces authentic content: “What’s the one thing about this programme that surprised you most in the past year—something that made you realize students are getting an experience they couldn’t get anywhere else?”
For the computer science department:
- “What’s changed in the past 18 months that students and faculty are most excited about?”
- “Can you walk me through a specific example of a student project that showcases what makes this programme distinctive?”
- “If a prospective student asked you ‘Why here, not another university?’—what’s your honest answer?”
For the specialist physician:
- “What’s the most common misconception patients have about [condition] when they first come to see you?”
- “Can you describe a recent case where your approach made a significant difference to patient outcomes?”
- “What makes your team’s approach different from what patients would receive elsewhere?”
For the financial advisor:
- “What question are clients asking you most frequently right now?”
- “What’s a common financial planning mistake you see people making, and what do you recommend instead?”
- “What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone planning for retirement that most people don’t consider?”
See the pattern? Each question asks for:
- Something specific (not “tell me about…”)
- Something recent or real (not theoretical)
- Something only they can answer (not generic industry knowledge)
Step 3: Conduct the Interview (15 minutes)
Use your phone’s voice recorder or a tool like Otter.ai to record.
Start by getting explicit permission: “I’m going to record this so I can capture everything accurately—is that okay?”
Then ask your three questions. Listen actively. Follow up with:
- “Can you give me a specific example?”
- “What was the outcome?”
- “How did that make a difference?”
Don’t worry about perfect answers. You’re capturing raw material, not final copy.
Aim for 15 minutes total. Respect their time. Three good questions with follow-ups is plenty.
Step 4: AI Transcription and First Draft (30 minutes – AI does most of this)
Upload your recording to an AI transcription service:
- Otter.ai (accurate, built for interviews)
- ChatGPT (can process audio files directly)
- Claude (paste transcript, ask for structure)
Prompt example for ChatGPT or Claude:
“Here’s a 15-minute interview transcript with [expert] about [topic]. Please:
- Create a structured summary highlighting the key points
- Pull out the most compelling quotes
- Identify specific examples, names, and data mentioned
- Draft 400-500 words of web content in a professional but accessible tone
Focus on what makes this [programme/service/expertise] distinctive and specific to this institution.”
AI produces the first draft. You now have structure and content—usually in 5-10 minutes.
Step 5: Human Polish (60-90 minutes – this is YOUR critical work)
This is where you add the value that AI cannot:
Verify facts: Did they mention 89% placement rate? Check it. Professor Ndlovu won an award? Verify the year and title.
Add institutional voice: AI won’t know your brand guidelines. You do.
Insert specific details: If they said “Joziburg Innovation Hub” but AI transcribed it as “innovation hub,” restore the specific name.
Check for authenticity markers:
- Proper names (people, places, programs)
- Verifiable data (percentages, timeframes, outcomes)
- Specific examples (not “our students do projects” but “third-year students built an AI-powered retail analytics tool for a Johannesburg startup”)
Add context: If this is going on a programme page, add application deadlines, entry requirements, links to related information.
Format for web: Short paragraphs. Subheadings. Pull quotes. Scannable.
You’re editing perhaps 40-60% of the AI’s output, but that’s still dramatically faster than starting from scratch or waiting six weeks for content that never arrives.
Step 6: Quick Review with Expert (10 minutes)
Send the polished draft:
“Here’s what I created from our conversation. Can you quickly review for accuracy? I just need to confirm facts—you don’t need to rewrite anything.”
Most experts will reply quickly when they’re just checking facts, not expected to write.
Step 7: Publish (15 minutes)
Upload to your CMS. Add images. Schedule or publish.
Total time investment:
- Expert: 15 minutes
- You: ~2 hours (mostly editing and polishing)
- AI: ~30 minutes (transcription and structuring)
Compare to the old way:
- Expert: 3+ hours they didn’t have
- You: 6 weeks of waiting
- Result: Content that never gets written
Three Sector Examples: Why This Works Everywhere
Higher Education: Computer Science Programme Update
The head of department talks for 15 minutes about:
- New partnership with Google DeepMind for student internships
- Fourth-year students building AI models for South African retail companies
- 89% placement rate, R485k average starting salary
- New quantum computing lab opening next semester
Result: The programme page goes from generic (“our programme offers cutting-edge curriculum preparing students for technology careers”) to specific, compelling, and distinctive. Prospective students see real outcomes. AI systems can cite accurate information.
Healthcare: Cardiology Specialist Expertise
The cardiologist talks for 15 minutes about:
- Most common patient misconception: “a stent means you’re cured”
- Recent case where early intervention through their clinic’s advanced imaging prevented major cardiac event
- Why their multidisciplinary team approach differs from standard cardiology clinics
Result: The health system’s specialist directory goes from “Dr. Jones treats heart conditions” to showcasing specific expertise with patient-centered outcomes. Patients choosing specialists online see why this doctor, this team, this hospital.
Financial Services: Investment Strategy Thought Leadership
The senior advisor talks for 15 minutes about:
- Clients’ biggest concern right now: market volatility amid inflation
- Common mistake: overreacting to short-term market movements
- Recent client case (anonymized): couple age 55 who panic-sold, missing the recovery
- Advisor’s framework: “10-10-10 rule” for investment decisions
Result: The firm’s thought leadership blog features authentic expertise, not generic financial advice. The content could only come from this firm, this advisor. It builds trust and demonstrates real-world experience.
Your Action This Week
Day 1: Identify Your Subject Matter Expert
Pick one high-priority piece of content that’s been stale or stuck in the queue. Who has the knowledge?
Day 2: Send the 15-Minute Request
Use the email template above. Book the conversation.
Day 3-4: Prepare Your Three Questions
Write questions that elicit specific, distinctive answers. Avoid generic “tell me about” questions.
Day 5: Conduct the Interview
Record it (with permission). Ask your three questions plus follow-ups. Keep it to 15 minutes.
Day 6: AI First Draft
Upload recording. Get transcript. Use AI to create structure and first draft.
Day 7: Polish and Publish
This is your critical work. Verify facts. Add institutional voice. Ensure authenticity markers are present. Format for web.
Measure success:
- Did your expert give you 15 minutes? (Probably yes)
- Did you produce authentic, specific content? (Check for proper names, data, examples)
- Could your competitor copy-paste this and just change the institution name? (If yes, it’s too generic, add more specifics)
The Path Forward
The communications professionals who master this workflow aren’t waiting for content anymore. They’re extracting content from the expertise that already exists in their organizations.
AI isn’t replacing the writer. AI is replacing the bottleneck.
You’re still the strategist. The editor. The voice. The verifier. But instead of waiting for experts to write, you’re having conversations—and turning those conversations into authentic, compelling content that serves both human readers and AI systems.
Next week, I’ll show you how to structure that content so both humans and search engines can find, understand, and cite it accurately. (Strategy 3: Structured Content for Both Audiences)
But for now: book that 15-minute interview.
Want to Go Deeper?
At addGlue, we help organizations implement AI-powered storytelling workflows that respect your experts’ time while producing authentic, distinctive content at scale.
Next week: I’ll share the technical framework for making your content machine-readable—schema.org, JSON-LD, and LLMS.TXT—so AI systems cite you, not your competitors.
This article is part of a 6-week series on building websites for the AI era. Whether you’re in higher education, healthcare, financial services, or any organization where expert knowledge drives your value proposition—this series is for you.
Tags: #AIStrategy #ContentStrategy #ContentMarketing #Storytelling #AuthenticContent #DigitalMarketing #HigherEducation #Healthcare #FinancialServices
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jonathan Taylor is a founder of addGlue, an AI-focused storytelling consultancy, and ActiveLink Media. He specializes in helping organizations with complex user journeys navigate the intersection of AI technology and authentic human storytelling. In 2016, he led the rebuild of the University of the Witwatersrand website, which won the MACE Platinum Award of Excellence and Chairperson’s Award—the highest-scoring entry across all divisions. He writes on marketing strategy, AI, and digital experience at activelinkmedia.co.za/hype/.
The views expressed herein are personal and do not reflect the views of any clients, partners, or affiliated organizations. Some links may be affiliate links, indicating an endorsement of the referenced product or service.
Photo by Skye Studios on Unsplash
Original article: https://www.activelinkmedia.co.za/15-minute-interview-to-extract-authentic-stories/