Government websites are one of the most trustworthy sources of information on the internet. If you're looking for public data or searching for confirmation on certain legal matters, government websites are second to none in providing you with accurate and current information. They are frequently updated, and public announcements, instructions, and FAQs are written in such a way that every citizen can access and understand.
If you're looking to connect with credible experts to write about, I highly suggest using ProfNet. Input a question or sign up for a "expert alert" newsletter that features information sources for breaking news. Typed out your question? Specify the locations and organization's that will receive your message, and provide some information about the people you're trying to reach and when you need to hear back from them. Through this system, I've discovered a wealth of informational resources.
Besides the obvious HARO and Terkel platforms, journalists can reach out to expert sources via Muck Rack, Pr Newswire, Prowly, or Linkedin. Linkedin hosts a ton of content from various sources, CEOs, professionals, and like-minded individuals who share their knowledge on various topics daily. If you're a professional journalist on the hunt looking for more quotes from those with real-life experience, you may want to scour that site for credentials and content that could be useful in your next piece.
The best goldmine of expert sources depends on your subject. If you have a broad question and want to access a hivemind of connections and ideas, try the social media platforms you use most frequently, using the hashtag #journorequest. You can also ask your connections to share your question. This is a great way of getting an intro to potential sources. If your subject matter is very specific, try a website like https://www.expertsources.co.uk, which lists experts according to their subjects and interests.
Terkel is a platform that has succeeded in connecting journalists and bloggers with experts and is one of the best places to get expert sources for your article. All you need to do is signup and post your questions. Terkel will connect your question with experts in the field, and also narrow down the number of answers to the best ones. Then, you can decide to go with any of your preferred answers.
"Help a B2B Writer" is one of the best websites for journalists looking for experts in a given field. It connects them with knowledgeable sources who can provide them with reliable information for their stories. The big advantage of "Help a B2B Writer" is that sources have access to journalists' email addresses, which enables them to attach files such as images, screenshots, and so on.
Reddit lets you connect with communities that have experts in particular fields. To obtain a list of the communities related to your topic, type a generic term into the search engine. From there, you can find specialized Reddit communities that match your area of the article. There are more than 900 members in each group, and they discuss everything relating to a particular field. This helps journalists to find expert sources for articles.
I think sometimes it's better to use basic techniques to find a subject. You can use Google or other search engines. Go to Google, and simply write the topic you want to know about. For example, if your topic is 'Man's Best Daily Routines', simply search it on Google. You'll find the links about your topic on the first page where you can get expert sources for your article — or you can get help from Google recommendations. So, I think search engines are an easy, and simple way to find expert sources for your topics.
Finding expert sources is not as easy as it looks. But social media can be your best friend for expert sources. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and others you're using are best for finding expert sources. You can simply put a question on your story and ask for recommendations from followers. For example, if you want to know how a small business survived in pandamic, you can put a question in the story " Hey friends, any of you have a small business? I am writing an article on this topic, how small businesses survived, and what were their strategies". Moreover, you can join different groups and get expert sources for different topics.
University is a great place to find expert sources as universities have many experts who can give you many ideas for your topic. And these experts have a wide range of connections. So contact any of these experts who are the best for your topic. Even if the guy you're talking to doesn't understand what you're asking, he'll still provide you with expert sources.
Google Scholar is best for journalists who want to get expert sources for their articles. Google Scholar is a wide range article publishing site where leading experts share their views, you can get help from there for any topic — or get details of experts that are also available, from where you can contact them. You can easily get new ideas and information about your topic by contacting these experts.
It seems old-fashioned, but it is effective. Mailing or calling various institutions for any of your topics can easily provide you with expert sources for your topic. Therefore, it helps to create a strong relationship with different organizations from which you keep getting new ideas through emails or calls. Also, you get the benefit of strengthening bonding with different organizations as they get ideas from you on different topics, which is very beneficial for you.
HARO is a great platform that allows journalists to connect with expert sources. By sending out queries, various experts from all over the world give their responses. Journalists can also specify which type of experts they are looking for and limit the length of responses they'd like to receive.
ExpertFinder has a network with over 30,000 industry experts that journalists can contact directly. Each expert is categorized according to their niche, which makes it easy for journalists to locate sources with credentials and qualifications relevant to their article. They can narrow down their search according to the specific topic they are looking for, making the process more efficient. The platform’s database is mainly composed of professors and academics across the United States and Canada. The advantage of ExpertiseFinder is journalists are less likely to get pitches from bloggers or marketers with irrelevant credentials. It’s lesser work for them if they don’t have to scan through irrelevant pitches.
Its mission is to "match the appropriate journalists with the right message at the right moment" through its free online platform News-Basis. Journalists who sign up for the site's alert service can then receive "embedded point of views" in a sidebar, which are story suggestions from the site's users (often, PR people). Journalists can then get in touch with those users or "follow" the subject to get email updates on fresh article concepts. On the website, there is a search engine that journalists can use to find sources. To report for a blog committed to delivering news information to an audience (as opposed to the advertising of products and/or consulting services), journalists must be from recognized news organizations, demonstrate experience with a news organization, or report for a blog with a sizable readership. For journalists and customers, News-basis also offers a frequently updated blog.
Twitter is arguably one of the oldest journalist request platforms, with publishers, bloggers, copywriters, journalists and freelancers using the hashtag #journrorequest every day to find relevant sources for their article. I recommend searching #journorequest and then adding in a keyword related to your client or to your website, as many of the requests can be irrelevant. For example, if you're a marketing agency you may want to start with 'SEO' or 'PPC' to try and find more specific results.
If a journalist needs to source information from any niche or industry, they'd ideally go to Terkel. It's a great opportunity since it gets your name out there whilst getting good links for your personal brand and your sources. Everybody likes to have their brand mentioned on different online resources, so this could be a win-win situation.
Help a reporter out or HARO is the best platform for a journalist. This online platform provides expert knowledge and advice for the reporter. The information is based on facts and is powerful. Every niche and variety of topics related to politics or home are available. It is a vast network offering expert source information and can be trusted. HARO is helpful during deadlines and comes in handy. It gathers information from resources, Search engines, and professionals which makes it trustworthy to journalists. It also helps to find experts in those fields.
Terkel & HARO (Help A Reporter Out) are the best options for journalists to get expert sources for their blogs, and articles. To get its service, you have to register, and submit a free source request, including what you want to learn, and your reporting deadline. HARO will send your message to its networks, and the network brings expert sources for your topics to your inbox. Similarly with Terkel, you can sign up for free and answer the questions provided by journalists that will be picked by the corresponding website and get published!
Junior Digital Marketer at CyberPilot
Answered 3 years ago
It might sound like too much as it's a bit "Pineapple in own juice" (danish saying which means you're complementing yourself) But Terkel has really changed the game when it comes to finding expert sources compared to other "older journalist source sites". The UX and the availability of it all has really brought it into the next generation - making it more user-friendly, and easier than ever to find expert sources for your articles (and blogs). If not Terkel then another really great site is HARO (Help A Reporter Out) which is similar to Terkel, you just get the querys/questions on e-mail instead. Another thing you can do is to ask your network! I've experienced that especially LinkedIn and Facebook can be good for finding sources - There's always someone that know someone!