This guest post is by Srinivas Rao of The Skool of Life.
The idea of interviewing people might give you the jitters. It might make you feel like you're standing naked in front of your elementary classroom with nothing intelligent to ask or say. But the only way you're ever going to find out is if you put yourself out there.
I took a gamble and started interviewing people as part of a weekly series on my blog. That eventually became my calling card in the blogosphere. David Siteman Garland built his show The Rise to the Top through interviews and went on to publish a book. And Andrew Warner at Mixergy has interviewed some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world and built his own brand in the process.
Interviewing experts in your field is a gold mine waiting to be cashed in on, and it offers many benefits to the blogger.
1. Create killer content
Interviewing other people, especially those who are experts in their field, is a great way to create killer content for your blog.
When you interview an expert you end up creating highly educational, valuable content that your audience can learn from. It brings a different perspective to your audience, and gives them ideas they may not have considered before. The key to turning your interview into killer content is to put the spotlight on your interviewee.
2. Build lasting relationships
The greatest benefit I've received from interviewing people is the relationships that I've formed with them. The people I've interviewed have become some of my biggest supporters and greatest friends.
When you interview somebody you have an opportunity to have a conversation that goes beyond what you might have via email, Twitter, or blog comments. As a result you have an opportunity to form a stronger connection with that person.
The benefits of interviewing people have extended far beyond blog traffic for me. When one of the bloggers I interviewed...
