Most businesses can do with general content writers but sometimes you need content writers that are trained in a specific field. In industry parlance they are also called subject matter experts but just as all content writers are not subject matter experts (SMEs) all subject matter experts are not writers.

When do you need expert or industry-specific content writers?

You need them when your topic requires vertical knowledge of a subject and your audience is very particular about what is being published. They can easily make out that your content reeks of mediocrity when it is not written by a person who knows what he or she is talking about. Such content can be medical-related, highly technical subject, or a field that requires lots of background knowledge in order to operate profitably, something like share trading and forex. If you read something on these topics, you will require lots of background knowledge in order to fully grasp the concepts. In the same manner, unless you know the topic properly, it is very difficult to write content on it.

So you need an expert content writer; how to find one?

Here are a few things you can do to find the right content writer for your business:

• Educate the content writer you already have: As an experienced content writer I am used to learning concepts, assimilating them, and writing about them. You may not believe it, but for a trained person, this is not a very difficult feat to achieve. For example, I have recently attained a decent knowledge about the real estate industry because for a couple of years I have been writing for multiple real estate and realty clients. I have also written content for as diverse fields as law, hospitality industry, medical tourism, project management systems, Chip programming, mobile apps, fashion and photography, just to name a few. I let my clients know in advance that I will require some input from them but once I have all the needed information with me, I can do a fair job and barring a couple of incidents, the clients have been quite happy. Where I feel that I won’t be able to do justice, I let the client know within a few days of trying.
• Go through some industry-specific journals: Every major industry publishes journals and most of the articles, essays and reports in these journals are written by subject matter experts or the professionals who have been operating within that particular industry for many years. Note down the names and then try to contact them either through the publisher or other contacts.
• Interact in online forums: Professionals working in vertical fields have their tightly knit communities where they are constantly interacting with each other and exchanging their expertise. These can be nice places to find the right content writer for your business.
• Use social media and social networking websites: If you have a Twitter or Facebook account, perhaps you can post your requirement there and let people contact you.
• Get an expert content writer from some content writer you already know: Many clients contact me even when they are looking for an expert because they know that I’m constantly in touch with many content writers from all over the world. For instance, recently somebody needed a content writer who knew both Russian and English. I knew one.
• Spread the word around: If people know about your requirement they may also contact you on their own. Leave messages on bulletin boards, the comments sections of different blogs and online forums. You can also place advertisements in the classifieds section of your local newspapers and magazines. You can also use job websites to post your requirement.

What sort of expertise do I bring to the table as a content writer?

I must confess that with all these years of content writing, I have become a sort of Jack of all trades and master of none. Give me a topic, give me some background information and I can write you some decent content, although when something requires very deep understanding, you may be able to detect that I’m not from that specific field. But then, most of my content writing involves helping businesses sell more. So my clients don’t always require from me a very deep knowledge. As long as I understand their product or service properly and am able to communicate their benefits in best possible, compelling manner, the job is done.