How to make your podcast heard through the noise to achieve your business goals.
As a medical communications agency, TVF have been using a range of digital formats for creative marketing. With the increasing use and popularity of podcasts, we have been creating them for our clients, including for healthcare professionals as part of a webinar series, in our learning and development services, and for raising disease awareness.
Turning Up the Volume of Podcasts
Podcasts are being increasingly used within the medical industry. Listeners of podcasts vary throughout a wide range of learning-levels across the medical community, including practitioners, educators and students.1 They are quickly becoming a core component of medical education.1 In a survey of 390 participants from different countries across four medical professions, participants frequently listened to podcasts to review new literature, learn core material and refresh their memory.2
Selective Hearing and Learning
The convenience of podcasts appeals to listeners; they can listen when multitasking to fit into busy schedules.1 Listeners also find podcasts an efficient and enjoyable way to keep up to date.1 The benefits of podcasts align with Knowles’ learning theory of andragogy; adults want to choose their own learning content.1 Read more about andragogy here.
Listen Up to Brush Up
There have been multiple studies that have investigated knowledge acquisition from podcasts. A randomised controlled trial of 130 medical students showed a significantly higher gain of knowledge from an orthopaedic podcast compared to a comparative book text.3 Another randomised controlled trial of medical students found that both podcasts and blog posts were useful for extracurricular knowledge acquisition with no significant difference between the two.4 Podcasts are generally thought to be useful in supplementing course-related material.
A few studies have also investigated how podcasts are being listened to. Students listened to podcasts whilst multitasking, such as driving, completing chores, and exercising.4 Driving whilst listening did not meaningfully affect knowledge acquisition and retention in one study.5 Another study hypothesised that exercising whilst listening to podcasts could boost cognitive function.4 Further studies are required to investigate how knowledge retention is affected when listening to podcasts and performing other activities.
7 Tips for Your Podcast Series
Here are our top tips for a successful podcast series:
- Define success. Success is different to everyone but this needs to be defined by you to fit your business goals. This could be by maximising listenership, subscribers, downloads, shares, ratings, or other metrics that matter to you. At TVF, we are key performance indicator (KPI)-driven; we regularly review our metrics enabling us to continue to develop and build on success.
- Quality content. The content of your podcasts really matters to the listeners; think about the value of what they are hearing and have defined themes to clearly communicate your key messages.
- Sound check. Quality audio is essential for listener experience and this is easier to produce with quality equipment. TVF has a recording studio and production team to ensure our podcasts are of the highest audio quality.
- Know your target audience. Ensure content is tailored for your intended audience, using the right level of language and relevant practical advice to enrich their listening. This can establish a loyal listener following that may share your podcast series and help build a digital community.
- Be our guest. Invite guest speakers, such as prominent figures in the field to attract listeners and extend the reach of your podcast.
- Right on schedule. Consistency is key to keeping listeners engaged; give them a reason to keep tuning in by promising and maintaining regular episodes.
- Supplement the supplemental resource. Consider supplementing your podcast with summary notes or infographics to drive engagement and filter your audience to your other media channels. Read more about creating infographics here.
These are just 7 tips to help get you started with your podcast series. If you would like to know more about creating a successful podcast series or using our services, please contact us.
By Zoe Wong
