Introduction:

If you’ve ever joined an expert interview and walked away thinking, “That was fine, but we didn’t get much we can use,” you’re not alone.

In theory, expert interviews are one of the best tools in are searcher’s toolkit. But in practice? The difference between a decent conversation and a truly valuable one often comes down to how that conversation is run.

At Nextyn, we’ve facilitated thousands of expert calls for clients across industries. One thing we’ve learned is that a great moderated call isn’t just about having the right expert or the right questions, it’s about how the conversation unfolds, moment by moment.

So what actually makes a moderated expert interview great? Let’s break it down.

A Great Moderator Doesn’t Just Follow a Script

There’s a big difference between hosting an interview and moderating one.

Professional moderators bring a few key things to the table:

• Active     listening – picking up on subtle cues or offhand comments worth     digging into
• Contextual     understanding – enough industry knowledge to know what matters and     what doesn’t
• Comfort     with ambiguity – able to shift gears when the conversation goes     somewhere unexpected

While having a guide or discussion outline is helpful, the best moderators use it as a map, not a script. They adapt in real time based on the expert’s responses, pushing deeper where needed and moving on when something isn’t useful.

Great Calls Start Before the Call Begins

What happens before the expert even joins the call is just as important as the interview itself.

Strong preparation includes:

• Clear     alignment on research goals – What are we trying to learn? What will     this call be used for?
• A     thoughtful interview structure – Opening questions, deep-dive areas,     closing reflections
• Expert-specific     prep – Reviewing the expert’s background, company experience, and     likely knowledge zones

This prep ensures the moderator knows where to spend time and where not to. It also allows them to build rapport early, which can be the key to unlocking deeper insights later in the call.

Depth > Breadth

Many teams make the mistake of trying to cover too much in a single call. But insight driven research comes from depth, not volume.

A great moderated call might only explore two or three themes in detail, but the insights gathered will be far richer than if you skimmed over ten topics.

Great moderators know how to:

• Prioritize follow-ups when an expert says something meaningful
• Ask layered questions that build on each other
• Stay focused, even if the expert drifts or tangents

This doesn’t just improve research quality it saves time in synthesis later.

Follow-Up Questions Are Where the Insight Lives

Most experts don’t start the call intending to offer game-changing insights in the first five minutes. Often, the most valuable responses come after a bit of warm-up and the right prompt.

Examples of effective moderator follow-ups:

• “Can you walk me through a specific example?”
• “What did that look like in your experience?”
• “Why do you think that approach didn’t work?”

These aren’t magic phrases, but they help bridge the gap between generic commentary and practical insight.

Tone and Flow Matter

Great moderated calls feel like conversations, not interrogations.

That comes down to:

• Pacing– not rushing from one question to the next
• Tone– professional but conversational
• Engagement– making the expert feel like their input matters

Experts are far more likely to open up when they feel like they’re speaking to someone who understands the space and genuinely wants tolearn from them.

This kind of trust-building is often overlooked, but it’s one of the most valuable soft skills a professional moderator brings tothe table.

Good Moderators Know When to Get Out of the Way

Sometimes, the best thing a moderator can do is say nothing at all.

When an expert is in the flow, sharing a story or walking through a process, the worst thing you can do is interrupt with a tangential question.

Knowing when to pause, when to let someone speak, and when to circle back that’s the kind of judgment that turns a good moderatorinto a great one.

Consistency Across Calls Drives Comparative Insight

If you’re doing a single expert call, flexibility is fine. But when you’re doing multiple interviews, consistency becomes critical.

A skilled moderator ensures:

• Each call covers the same core themes
• Insights can be compared cleanly across interviews
• You’re not reinventing the wheel on each session

This makes post-call synthesis faster, more reliable, and more useful to downstream stakeholders.

At Nextyn, we provide structured moderation support across entire research projects so the learning compounds across each session, rather than getting lost in fragmentation.

How You Listen Matters, Too

Moderation isn’t just about asking good questions it’s about listening well. This includes:

• Noticing what isn’t said
• Recognizing patterns across different experts
• Being curious enough to ask, “Why?” or “Can you explain that again?”

These small choices during a call often determine whether your notes are filled with insights or just quotes.

When It’s Worth Bringing in a Professional

Not every expert call needs a professional moderator. But in these situations, it’s often the smart move:

• When the topic is complex or unfamiliar to your team
• When the project involves multiple interviews or stakeholders
• When you're short on time but need high-quality insights
• When the outcome of the call is strategically important

At Nextyn, we partner with clients across sectors to moderate calls that actually move the needle not just check a box.

We also work closely with tools like Transcript IQ to ensure everything is documented, searchable, and easy to act on.

Final Thoughts

A great expert call doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of thoughtful preparation, skilled moderation, and real-time adaptability.
Yes, the expert matters. But so does the person asking the questions. When the stakes are high and the insights matter, investing in a well-moderated call is one of the most effective ways to level up your research. And at Nextyn, that’s exactly what we’re here to help with.