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Last week, my colleague, Liz, and I had the pleasure of visiting the Hampton Roads American Marketing Association for a presentation titled, “How Marketers Can Win with Podcasts.” The speaker, Douglas Burdett, is the principal of Artillery, a B2B marketing agency in Norfolk and host of The Marketing Book podcast. His weekly podcast, which became the #2 business podcast on iTunes two months after launching, interviews best-selling authors about their books and marketing concepts.
Podcasts have been around for decades but ever since the launch of the show, Serial, podcasts have seen a huge growth in popularity, and more companies are starting to see the value they can have in the business world.
To add some perspective, Douglas explained to us that roughly 15% of the population is on Twitter, but 17% of the population listens to podcasts weekly. That means that one of the biggest social media platforms we utilize daily actually has less of a following than that of podcasts! The ease of being able to subscribe to a series and listen on your daily commute makes it a convenient platform and a simplified way to digest content.
Fortune 500 companies are on the cutting edge of using podcasts to enhance their business. But, few healthcare brands are creating their own channels. The good news is, with the many healthcare podcasts already available, companies can still take advantage of them in numerous ways without having to create one of their own. For example, many healthcare series host Q&A sessions with doctors, insurers and providers. By pitching one of your experts as the headliner, you can broadcast a voice for your brand and a thought-leader in the space, while controlling the conversation and gaining direct insight from your audiences.
For those considering podcasting, here are some of the key tips from Douglas’s presentation to keep in mind:
- Post at least once a week
- 8-15 minutes is a good length (the average U.S. commute is 27 minutes)
- Interviews are great when you’re struggling for topic-based content
- Know your niche and have realistic expectations
- Be willing to invest time and expect a slow ROI
- Consider pairing with news releases
If you are interested in dipping your toe in the podcast waters, start to consider them a media outlet. Pitch them. Consider sponsoring content. And, here’s a free podcast course Douglas recommended if you’re interested in finding out more information on podcasting! Health communicators, how are you using podcasts in your PR and marketing strategies? Are they on your radar?
Photo credits: HRAMA and AmericanaMusicShow.com