Okay, so I was doom-scrolling through local business websites last week (yeah, that’s what I do for fun, bite me) and I noticed something super depressing. Everyone’s content looks exactly the same. like, EXACTLY. The same.
You’ve got your “5 tips for choosing a plumber” posts. Your “why professional carpet cleaning matters” articles. And don’t even get me started on the “spring cleaning checklist” posts that every single business, from dentists to accountants, somehow thinks apply to them. It’s like everyone got the same content marketing playbook from 2015 and just… never moved on?
Anyway, I was about to close my laptop and go touch grass or whatever when I stumbled across this bakery in Spokane that was doing something completely different. They weren’t writing about “the perfect croissant technique” or whatever. Instead, they’d gotten together with like six other local food people and created this roundup about weird food trends that started in their city. And boy, people were ACTUALLY READING IT. Sharing it. Talking about it.
And that’s when it hit me. Local expert roundups. That’s the thing nobody’s doing right. Or doing at all, really.
What the Hell Is a Local Expert Roundup Anyway?
So here’s the deal. Instead of pretending you’re the only expert in your field (spoiler: you’re not), you reach out to other smart people in your area and ask them interesting questions. Then you put all their answers together in one piece of content that doesn’t suck.
Like, imagine you run a yoga studio. Instead of writing another post about “benefits of downward dog” or whatever, you hit up the local physical therapist, that CrossFit coach everyone loves, the running store owner, maybe that sports medicine doc who’s always at the coffee shop. You ask them something people want to know. Maybe “what’s the one exercise most people do wrong that’s hurting them?”
Boom. Now you’ve got interesting content. All those experts? They’re gonna share it. Because people love seeing their name in lights (or you know, in a blog post, whatever).
Why This Works Better Than Whatever You’re Doing Now
Look, I get it. You’re busy running a business. Writing content feels like homework. So you either:
- Don’t do it at all
- Outsource it to some content mill that churns out garbage
- Write the same boring stuff everyone else writes
But here’s the thing. (and I learned this the hard way after watching way too many businesses fail at content)… You don’t have to be THE expert. You just have to know how to find them.
It Builds Real Relationships
Last year, I was working with this pool company in Vegas. Yeah, pools in the desert, I know. Anyway, they were struggling hard to get any traction. So we tried this expert roundup thing.
They reached out to landscape designers, outdoor furniture people, a local architect who specialized in outdoor spaces, couple of real estate agents who sold luxury homes. Asked them about creating the perfect backyard oasis or whatever.
You know what happened? Two of those experts started referring clients. The architect included them in a project proposal. The real estate agents started mentioning them to new homeowners.
It wasn’t just content. It was networking disguised as content. Sneaky, right?
Google Likes This Stuff
Now, I’m gonna talk about SEO for like two seconds, and then we can move on. Promise.
When you create content with multiple local experts:
- You’re naturally using local terms and locations
- Other local sites might link to you (gasp!)
- People spend time reading it because it’s not boring
- You look like you know what you’re talking about
That’s it. That’s the SEO portion. We can all breathe now.
It’s Content That Gets Shared
Remember that bakery I mentioned? Their roundup got shared 400+ times. FOUR HUNDRED. For a local bakery. In Spokane.
You know how many shares their “our sourdough process” post got? Seven. And I’m pretty sure five of those were employees.
How to Pull This Off
Alright, so you’re sold on the idea. Cool. But now you’re probably thinking, “This sounds like a lot of work, and I barely have time to answer emails.”
Fair. But it’s not that bad if you don’t overthink it.
Step 1: Find Your Local Experts
You probably already know most of these people. seriously. Think about:
- That person who’s always speaking at chamber of commerce things
- Other business owners you’ve met at those terrible networking breakfasts
- People your customers mention
- Local bloggers or social media people (yes, even the annoying ones)
- Instructors at the community college
For that pool company in Vegas, we literally started with businesses they’d worked with before. The landscape guy who always sent referrals. The contractor who built the cabanas. Super simple.
Step 2: Ask Questions That Matter
This is where everyone messes up. They ask boring questions and get boring answers.
Bad question: “What’s your top tip for homeowners?”
Good question: “What’s the dumbest thing you’ve seen a homeowner do that cost them thousands?”
Bad question: “How do you stay successful?”
Good question: “What’s the one thing clients never budget for that always bites them in the ass?”
See the difference? One gets you corporate speak. The other gets you stories.
Step 3: Make It Easy for Experts to Participate
Busy people don’t have time for your vague requests. When you reach out, be super specific.
Here’s what worked for me:
“Hey Sarah, putting together a quick piece about expensive mistakes Phoenix homeowners make in summer. Would love your take on this: What’s the most expensive AC disaster you’ve seen that could’ve been prevented with basic maintenance? Just need 2-3 sentences. Publishing next week on our blog, happy to link to your site.”
Short. Specific. Tells them exactly what they get out of it.
Step 4: Add Your Own Voice
This is crucial, and everyone forgets it. You can’t just slap quotes together and call it content. You need to actually… you know… write.
When that pool company did their backyard oasis roundup, they didn’t just list quotes. They grouped ideas, added their own experiences, threw in some pricing reality checks. Made it really useful.
The Technical Stuff
Make It Look Good
Walls of text make people want to die. So don’t do that.
- Get photos of the experts (just ask, most people have headshots)
- Pull out the juicy quotes
- Break things up with subheadings
- Maybe add a tldr box at the end for lazy people
Optimize for Local Search
This happens naturally when you’re talking about local stuff with local people. You’ll mention neighborhoods, landmarks, local weather patterns, whatever. It’s like SEO on autopilot.
Just don’t force it, “as a Phoenix pool builder in the Scottsdale area of Maricopa County,” makes everyone want to punch you.
Get the Experts to Share
Sending them a link isn’t enough. Make it super easy:
- Create graphics they can post
- Write sample social posts (yes, do their homework for them)
- Tag them when you share
- Maybe send a Starbucks gift card as a thank you (five bucks goes a long way)
Real Examples That Worked
I’ve seen this work for the most random businesses…
The Dentist in Milwaukee: did a roundup with a nutritionist, sleep doctor, and fitness trainer about “weird ways your mouth affects your whole body.” Got picked up by two local health blogs. The sleep doctor now refers patients with teeth-grinding issues.
The Plumber in Seattle: Created “What your house is trying to tell you” with an electrician, HVAC tech, roofer, and foundation specialist. Still gets traffic three years later. seriously.
The Dog Groomer in Austin: “Keeping your pet cool in Texas heat” with a vet, dog trainer, pet store owner, and doggy daycare operator. Became their most shared content ever. Led to a bunch of corporate grooming contracts.
Common Mistakes That’ll Kill Your Roundup
I’ve watched people mess this up so many times…
Asking Too Many People: Five to seven experts max. Any more and people’s eyes glaze over.
Being Weird About Competition: Featuring other businesses doesn’t hurt you. It helps you. Stop being weird about it.
Making It All About You: Nobody cares about your business. They care about solving their problems.
Not Following Through: Create it, promote it, thank people. Don’t just dump it on your website and hope for the best.
Overcomplicating Everything: This isn’t rocket science. Ask questions, compile answers, add value, publish. Done.
Why Most Businesses Won’t Do This
Real talk? Most businesses won’t do expert roundups because:
- They think it’s too hard
- They’re scared of rejection
- They don’t want to “help competitors”
- They’re lazy
Which is EXACTLY why you should do it. less competition in the “actually useful content” space.
Plus, when you’re the business that brings experts together, you become the expert by association. It’s like credibility through proximity or something.
Making This a Regular Thing
Once you do one roundup and see how well it works, you’ll want to do more. Resist the urge to do one every week. You’ll burn out and annoy everyone.
Quarterly works great. Tie it to seasons or local events, or whatever makes sense.
That Milwaukee dentist now does:
- Spring: “Getting your health ready for wedding season”
- Summer: “Health tips for Wisconsinites who actually go outside”
- Fall: “Survive the holidays with your health intact”
- Winter: “Why everything hurts when it’s cold”
Each features different experts. They’ve become known as the connected dentist. Which is way better than being known as… just another dentist.
Is This Just Another Thing You’ll Read and Never Do?
Look, I know this sounds like more work than just cranking out another “10 tips” post. But here’s the thing… those posts don’t work anymore. Nobody reads them. Google doesn’t rank them. They’re pointless.
Local expert roundups work because they solve actual problems:
- Boring content that nobody reads
- Struggling to come up with ideas
- Needing to build local relationships
- Wanting to stand out from competitors
You create something people want to read. You build relationships with other professionals. You position yourself as connected and credible.
And honestly? It’s just more fun than writing about the same boring stuff everyone else writes about.
So stop procrastinating. Stop making excuses. Pick up your phone, reach out to five local experts, ask them one interesting question, and create something that doesn’t suck.
Worst case? You waste a few hours and meet some new people. Best case? You become the go-to business that everyone knows and refers to.
Seems like pretty good odds to me.