Episode Summary
In the relaunched episode of Tech Qualified, hosts Justin Brown and Meredith Metsker dive deep into the evolution of the podcast. Justin reminisces about the podcast’s earlier days, where they interviewed VPs of marketing and CMOs, emphasizing the shift towards creating more targeted and meaningful content.
Both hosts highlight the significance of addressing core audience issues when crafting content. Meredith, drawing from her journalistic background, underscores the importance of starting with the most pressing information and genuinely adding value to the audience. She champions the idea of facilitating genuine subject matter expertise rather than feigning it.
From an agency standpoint, Justin elaborates on the centrality of content in effective marketing. He believes that understanding the customer, producing content tailored to them, and then amplifying that content are the pillars of successful marketing. The episode serves as a rich exploration of content creation from both in-house and agency perspectives.
Key Insights
The Evolution of Tech Qualified
The “Tech Qualified” podcast has undergone a significant transformation. Initially, with around 200 episodes, the show focused on interviewing VPs of marketing and CMOs. However, Justin Brown reflects on the need for a more refined approach. The podcast’s evolution was driven by a desire to produce content that was not just broad conversations but more meaningful and resonant with the audience. This shift represents a broader trend in content creation, where specificity and relevance are becoming increasingly crucial.
The Journalistic Approach to Content Creation
Meredith Metsker, with her roots in journalism, brings a unique perspective to content creation. She emphasizes the importance of starting with the most critical information, a method known in journalism as the “inverted pyramid.” For Meredith, genuine value addition to the audience is paramount. Instead of pretending to be a subject matter expert, she believes in facilitating and channeling real expertise. This approach ensures authenticity and relevance in the content, making it more impactful for the audience.
Content as the Heart of Marketing
Justin Brown, from his agency vantage point, underscores the indispensable role of content in marketing. He posits that effective marketing begins with compelling content. For Justin, the process involves understanding the customer, crafting content that appeals directly to them, and then amplifying that content through various channels. This holistic approach ensures that marketing efforts are not just about promotion but genuinely resonate with the target audience, leading to more meaningful engagements.
Episode Highlights
The Relaunch of “Tech Qualified”
Justin Brown introduces the relaunch of the “Tech Qualified” podcast, highlighting its history and the journey it has taken. He touches upon the initial episodes, the focus of the podcast, and the reasons behind its evolution. The relaunch signifies a renewed commitment to delivering more targeted and impactful content to the audience.
“Tech qualified was around for about 200 episodes where my previous co host Tristan and I would interview VPs of marketing and CMOs. This was 2018 to 2020. It was a big part of our, not only like demand gen strategy and thought leadership and what have you, but also a big part of our lead gen strategy at the time.”- Justin
The Power of Problem-Centric Content
Both Meredith and Justin dive into the essence of creating content that addresses real problems. They believe that starting with genuine issues and challenges faced by the audience makes the content more resonant and impactful.
“Starting with problems and issues and actually having a podcast that meant something and content that meant something was just so much more valuable…” – Justin
The Intersection of Journalism and Marketing
Meredith shares her background in journalism and how it influences her approach to content creation in marketing. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity, value addition, and the journalistic method of prioritizing crucial information.
“In journalism, we call this the inverted pyramid. You start with the most important information up top. So I still take that approach.” – Meredith
The Role of Content in Amplifying Marketing Efforts
Justin discusses the pivotal role of content in all marketing endeavors. He outlines how every marketing strategy, whether it’s paid media, ABM, or social media, needs to start with a solid content foundation. This approach ensures that marketing messages are not just promotional but genuinely connect with the target audience.
“If you want to do paid media, ironically, we have to start with content. If you want to do ABM, we have to start with content. If you want to do social media, we have to start with content.” – Justin
