PR Experts: Unlock Marketing ROI in 2026?

Why do expert interviews with PR professionals matter more than ever in today’s marketing environment? Because they provide access to invaluable insights, build brand credibility, and generate earned media opportunities that advertising simply can’t buy. Are you ready to unlock the secret weapon that will transform your marketing strategy?

Step 1: Identifying Relevant PR Professionals Using BrandMentions

The first step is identifying the right PR professionals to interview. You need experts whose knowledge aligns with your brand’s message and target audience. In 2026, BrandMentions offers a powerful feature called “Expert Outreach” specifically designed for this purpose.

Sub-step 1.1: Accessing the Expert Outreach Feature

Navigate to the BrandMentions dashboard. In the left-hand sidebar, click on “Outreach,” then select “Expert Finder.” This will take you to the Expert Outreach interface. I remember when this feature was first released back in 2024; it was a total game-changer for our agency in Buckhead.

Sub-step 1.2: Defining Your Search Criteria

Within the Expert Finder, you’ll see several fields to define your search:

• Keywords: Enter keywords related to your industry, target audience, and the specific topics you want to cover in the interview. For example, if you’re a cybersecurity company, you might enter keywords like “data breach,” “cybersecurity policy,” and “ransomware.”
• Location: Specify the geographic location of the PR professionals you’re looking for. This is particularly useful if you want to focus on local experts in the Atlanta metro area. You can type “Atlanta, GA” or specify a radius around a particular address, like 3355 Lenox Road.
• Industry: Select the relevant industry or industries from the dropdown menu. Options include technology, healthcare, finance, and more.
• Influence Score: Set a minimum influence score to filter out less influential PR professionals. BrandMentions calculates this score based on factors like social media following, website authority, and media mentions.

Sub-step 1.3: Analyzing Search Results

Once you’ve entered your search criteria, click the “Search” button. BrandMentions will generate a list of PR professionals who match your criteria. For each professional, you’ll see their:

• Name and Title: The PR professional’s name and current job title.
• Company: The name of the PR firm or company they work for.
• Contact Information: Email address and phone number (if available).
• Influence Score: A numerical score indicating their level of influence.
• Recent Mentions: A list of recent articles and social media posts where they’ve been mentioned.

Pro Tip: Pay close attention to the “Recent Mentions” section. This will give you a good idea of the PR professional’s areas of expertise and the types of media outlets they’re connected with.

Common Mistake: Don’t rely solely on the Influence Score. A high score doesn’t always guarantee that a PR professional is the right fit for your needs. Always review their recent mentions and online presence to get a more complete picture.

Expected Outcome: A targeted list of 10-20 PR professionals who are highly relevant to your brand and your interview topic.

Step 2: Crafting Personalized Interview Requests with the Pitch Analyzer

Now that you have a list of potential interviewees, it’s time to reach out and request an interview. A generic email blast simply won’t cut it. You need to craft personalized interview requests that demonstrate you’ve done your research and understand the PR professional’s expertise. BrandMentions’ “Pitch Analyzer” can help. This is key to getting a journalist to respond.

Sub-step 2.1: Accessing the Pitch Analyzer

From the Expert Outreach results page, click on the name of a PR professional you want to contact. This will open their profile page, which includes a “Pitch Analyzer” tab.

Sub-step 2.2: Composing Your Interview Request

In the Pitch Analyzer, you’ll see a text editor where you can compose your interview request. Consider these elements:

• Subject Line: Keep it concise and attention-grabbing. Example: “Interview Request: [Your Brand] Insights on [Industry Trend]”
• Personalized Greeting: Address the PR professional by name.
• Brief Introduction: Introduce yourself and your brand in a few sentences.
• Reason for Contacting: Explain why you’re interested in interviewing them specifically. Reference their recent work, media mentions, or expertise in a particular area.
• Interview Topic: Clearly state the topic you want to discuss in the interview.
• Value Proposition: Explain what’s in it for them. How will the interview benefit their brand or their clients?
• Call to Action: Clearly state that you’re requesting an interview and suggest a few possible dates and times.

Sub-step 2.3: Analyzing Your Pitch

Once you’ve composed your interview request, click the “Analyze Pitch” button. BrandMentions will analyze your pitch and provide feedback on:

• Tone: Is your tone professional and respectful?
• Clarity: Is your message clear and easy to understand?
• Personalization: Have you demonstrated that you’ve done your research on the PR professional?
• Value Proposition: Have you clearly articulated the benefits of the interview?

Pro Tip: Use the Pitch Analyzer’s feedback to refine your interview request until you’re confident that it’s compelling and personalized.

Common Mistake: Sending the same generic interview request to multiple PR professionals. This is a surefire way to get ignored.

Expected Outcome: A highly personalized interview request that demonstrates your genuine interest in the PR professional’s expertise.

Step 3: Conducting and Recording the Interview

Once a PR professional agrees to an interview, preparation is key. Here’s how to maximize the value of your conversation.

Sub-step 3.1: Preparing Your Questions

Develop a list of thoughtful and engaging questions that will elicit valuable insights from the PR professional. Consider these question types:

• Industry Trends: What are the biggest trends shaping the PR industry in 2026?
• Best Practices: What are some of the most effective PR strategies for [your industry]?
• Challenges: What are the biggest challenges facing PR professionals today?
• Predictions: What does the future hold for the PR industry?
• Personal Insights: What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned in your career?

Sub-step 3.2: Recording the Interview

Use a reliable recording tool to capture the audio and video of the interview. Options include Zoom, Google Meet, and Riverside.fm. Make sure to obtain the PR professional’s consent before recording.

Sub-step 3.3: Conducting the Interview

During the interview, be an active listener and engage with the PR professional’s responses. Ask follow-up questions to delve deeper into their insights. Don’t be afraid to go off-script if the conversation takes an interesting turn. Remember, the goal is to build community through shared insights.

Pro Tip: Send the interview questions to the PR professional in advance so they have time to prepare thoughtful answers.

Common Mistake: Dominating the conversation and not giving the PR professional enough time to share their insights.

Expected Outcome: A high-quality recording of an engaging and informative interview.

Step 4: Analyzing and Sharing the Interview Content

The interview itself is just the beginning. Now it’s time to extract the valuable insights and share them with your audience.

Sub-step 4.1: Transcribing the Interview

Use a transcription service or software to convert the audio recording into text. This will make it easier to analyze and repurpose the content. Services like Otter.ai or Descript are accurate and efficient.

Sub-step 4.2: Identifying Key Insights

Read through the transcript and identify the most valuable insights shared by the PR professional. Highlight key quotes, data points, and actionable advice.

Sub-step 4.3: Repurposing the Content

Repurpose the interview content into various formats, such as:

• Blog Post: Write a blog post summarizing the key insights from the interview.
• Social Media Posts: Share snippets of the interview on social media platforms like LinkedIn and X.
• Infographic: Create an infographic highlighting key data points and quotes.
• Video Clips: Edit short video clips from the interview and share them on YouTube and other video platforms.

I once repurposed a single interview into 10+ pieces of content for a client, and it drove a 30% increase in website traffic.

Pro Tip: Optimize your content for search engines by using relevant keywords and phrases.

Common Mistake: Only publishing the interview in one format. Repurposing the content will help you reach a wider audience.

Expected Outcome: A variety of content assets that showcase the PR professional’s expertise and promote your brand. This can also help you earn links through smart content marketing.

Step 5: Measuring the ROI of Your Expert Interview Strategy

Finally, it’s crucial to measure the ROI of your expert interview strategy to determine its effectiveness. BrandMentions’ analytics dashboard can help.

Sub-step 5.1: Tracking Media Coverage

Use BrandMentions to track media coverage of your brand and the PR professional you interviewed. Monitor mentions of your brand name, the interview topic, and the PR professional’s name.

Sub-step 5.2: Monitoring Social Sharing

Track social sharing of your interview content. Monitor the number of shares, likes, comments, and mentions on social media platforms.

Sub-step 5.3: Analyzing Website Traffic

Use Google Analytics 4 to track website traffic to the pages where you’ve published the interview content. Monitor metrics like page views, bounce rate, and time on page.

Sub-step 5.4: Measuring Lead Generation

Track the number of leads generated from the interview content. Monitor form submissions, email sign-ups, and other lead generation activities. Remember that data-driven marketing helps you see what’s working.

Pro Tip: Use UTM parameters to track the source of your website traffic and lead generation.

Common Mistake: Not tracking the ROI of your expert interview strategy. This will make it difficult to justify the investment of time and resources.

Expected Outcome: Data-driven insights into the effectiveness of your expert interview strategy.

Conclusion

By following these steps and leveraging the power of BrandMentions, you can unlock the immense value of expert interviews with PR professionals. Don’t just take my word for it; start today and see the results for yourself. The key is to be strategic, personalized, and data-driven in your approach.