Special UB column about podcasting: Interview with Lori Schmidt at Lime Twig Group

1) In your opinion, what kind of return on investment can colleges/universities expect from podcasting? Should they podcast because everybody talks about it or is there other tangible benefits to podcasting?

Good question! Since podcasting has been in the mainstream of communication for such a short amount of time, it’s really too early to track significant outcomes related to podcasting, especially when used as a recruitment initiative. Clearly, podcasting is getting lots of buzz and we’ve been amazed at the speed in which consumers are finding and becoming comfortable with it. Our initial entree into the world of podcasting and education marketing has been extremely promising. For instance, the series of recruitment podcasts we produced for Caltech—two have released so far—has had over 5,000 hits in just a couple of months. They have been “blogged” about and have grabbed the attention of several national media sources.

2) You’ve just launched your service. What kind of feedback have you received so far from your current/prospective clients about podcasting ? How many episodes do you usually recommend to your clients?

Everyone we talk with is extremely intrigued by podcasting. They generally have an understanding that podcasting is something they should know more about, so we find ourselves doing a lot of educating.
The clients for whom we’ve produced podcasts have commented on how easy it is on them…it really requires very little work on their part, which they’ve appreciated. They’ve also been impressed with how the podcasts have played well to multiple audiences. A podcast we produced as an audio newsletter for alumni brought accolades from current students. Podcasts that we’ve done as recruitment initiatives have caught the ear of alumni directors who want to send them to their alumni pool.
As for the number we recommend, that all depends on the purpose for which a podcast is being used. On the alumni front, we like the idea of quarterly audio newsletters. For admissions, approximately once a month seems right in some cases. If used as a tool to take an applicant to a deposit to a matriculant, a series of three or four timed to drop on a more aggressive schedule over a couple of months may be more appropriate. Like all marketing initiatives, they need to be strategic in content and in delivery.

3) In your opinion, what role podcasting can play in the higher ed marketing mix? How do you think it will evolve over the next five years?

What do we think podcasting brings to the marketing communication table? It allows for fresh content to be put in front of an audience in an inexpensive and extremely timely fashion. Consider the time and financial expense related to the development of print collateral or video. One of the greatest challenges in the recruitment world is keeping relevant, timely content in front of a recruit. These days, it’s not uncommon for a college or university to recruit a prospect for three or more years. Once they’ve seen the publications, website and DVD, what does a college/university have to throw at a student to keep them interested? That’s the benefit of podcasting. And, the delivery system is free! We do believe, however, that podcasting doesn’t replace collateral or a web presence in any way—it enhances. As we like to say, it’s just another tool in the communication toolbox.
And, how will it evolve in the next five years? It’s a bit like looking into a crystal ball. The obvious answer is the ability to add video, but the bandwidth issue needs to be solved. We also believe that like any new communication tool that arises from the technological mist, it will catch on faster than anyone can imagine and students will become inundated with the medium.