TechSense Solutions, Inc.

Increase Customer Engagement by Empowering Your Subject Matter Experts

September 21, 2023

In today's dynamic and interconnected digital landscape, building meaningful connections with your audience is paramount. One of the most potent tools at your disposal is to empower your Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) within your Digital Experience Platform (DXP). Harnessing their expertise can improve customer experience and increase internal efficiency.

The Power of Authenticity

One of the essential elements of engaging with today's audience is authenticity. Customers seek genuine, credible voices in the digital cacophony. When your experts take the on the role of content authors in your DXP, they bring with them a level of authenticity that is impossible to replicate. It's like inviting your audience to sit at the table with the masters - a personal and genuine experience that builds trust.

Knowledge as a Catalyst for Engagement

SMEs are not just knowledge keepers; they are also knowledge catalysts. Their insights can serve as the fuel that ignites customer engagement. Here's how:

1. Content Creation: Empower your SMEs to create rich, engaging content within your DXP. Whether it's thought-provoking articles, webinars, or videos, their expertise can breathe life into your platform.
2. Interaction and Education: SMEs can be educators, addressing questions, explaining complex concepts, and providing guidance. This educational role draws customers closer to your brand, transforming casual visitors into committed learners.
3. Humanizing the Brand: In the digital world, brands can often seem distant and impersonal. SMEs bridge this gap by offering a human face to your audience. They add a personal touch that fosters a sense of community.

Turn Your Experts into Powerful Content Authors

A digital experience platform (DXP) built for enterprise content operations and governance gives your SMEs the capabilities they need to drive more engaging customer journeys even when they do not have a background in digital. Carefully configuring the platform so that it’s easy to use and fuels the customer experience is an important step on the path to increased customer satisfaction at a reduced cost.

Here are some strategies for turning your SMEs into content authors and getting them actively involved in managing customer experience on the in your DXP.

1. Highlight the Importance of Customer Experience
   Start by emphasizing the crucial role customer experience plays in today's digital landscape. Help SMEs understand that their expertise can directly impact how customers perceive and interact with the brand online. Ask your SMEs to give examples of exceptional online experiences they have had and to detail what makes them noticeable. Thinking of those experiences will help SMEs think like a customer and curate content that’s engaging.
2. Clearly Define Roles and Responsibilities
   Establish clear roles and responsibilities for SME content authors in managing content. Outline their specific tasks, such as creating blog posts, articles, or video content, and set expectations for quality, consistency, and timeliness. Clear guidelines prevent confusion and ensure everyone is on the same page.
3. Facilitate Collaboration
   Promote a collaborative environment where SMEs can work closely with content creators, designers, and product owners. Encourage regular meetings or brainstorming sessions to align content strategies with the SMEs' expertise. Collaboration enhances the quality of content and ensures it resonates with your target audience.
4. Set Up a Feedback Loop
   Establish a feedback mechanism that allows SMEs to share insights on customer inquiries, trends, and frequently asked questions. Regularly reviewing this feedback loop can help fine-tune content strategies and improve the overall customer experience.
5. Measure and Communicate Impact
   Use analytics tools to measure the impact of SME involvement on web content performance. Share the results with your SMEs to demonstrate the value of their contributions. Concrete data can be a powerful motivator and guide for improvements.
6. Provide Ongoing Support
   Offer ongoing support and guidance to SMEs as they navigate their roles in managing customer experience on the web. Be responsive to their needs as the embrace content authoring, provide assistance when required, and address any challenges that arise promptly.
7. Establish Governance
   Guardrails in the software such as workflow, permissions, and templates help SMEs focus on content. Effective governance within a DXP ensures that content creation and management are streamlined, consistent, compliant, and aligned with the organization's goals.
8. Focus on Reusability
   Content reusability maximizes efficiency and consistency. By creating content that can be reused across various digital touchpoints within the DXP, SME content authors can save time and effort, ensuring that valuable knowledge and messaging remain consistent throughout the user journey. This not only streamlines content creation processes but also enhances the overall user experience, as users encounter coherent and on-brand content, regardless of where they engage with the platform. Additionally, content reusability supports scalability, as SMEs can easily adapt and expand their content offerings as the DXP grows and evolves.
9. Create a Style Guide
   A content style guide is a document that defines the tone, style, and formatting of all content on a website. This can help to ensure that all content is consistent and meets the company's branding guidelines.

A Strategic Imperative

Empowering your SMEs within your DXP isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a strategic imperative. The symbiotic relationship between knowledge holders and the digital stage of your DXP is a powerful asset, one that can elevate your brand, foster lasting connections, and drive sustained customer engagement.

By following this strategy, you're not just offering a product or service; you're offering a holistic digital experience that customers will actively seek out. It's about more than content; it's about creating a dynamic and meaningful customer journey that positions your brand as an indispensable part of their lives.

Disclaimer: This article was created with the assistance of AI technology using tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, WordTune and Quillbot. We use AI as part of our proof of concept and to gain practical experience with these content tools. While AI can provide valuable insights and aid in content creation, the views, opinions, and information presented in this article are solely those of TechSense Solutions, Inc.