Predictions almost never work out like you think they will -otherwise we’d all be millionaires. As things have changed since I originally wrotethis post at the beginning of the year, I recently revisited it to accurately reflect what I’m currently listening to in order to stay on top of the latest and greatest in marketing, social media, and growth hacking.
Once seen as an out of favor medium, podcasts have hit a new renaissance due to the ubiquity of smartphones. For social media and marketing professionals, podcasts can serve as a great means for staying up on the latest trends in the fields or hearing about what is top of mind for industry leaders. Now you can listen to these conversations easily and routinely, whether it is during activities like the daily commute, working out, cooking, or something else.
This past year I started tapping into the power of podcasts for learning about what is being discussed in the larger marketing field and the return has been unbelievable. Now that we’ve kicked off a new year, here are 16 of my favorite podcasts for social media, marketing, and growth hacking in 2016.
1. This Old Marketing (Joe Pulizzi & Robert Rose/PNR)Average episode length: 1 hour
Updated: Weekly
Content Marketing Institute’s founders Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose tackle the latest news relating to content marketing in the weekly podcast. They also debate industry news in their ‘rants’ and ‘raves’ and provide an example of historic content marketing. Even if you aren’t involved in content marketing, there is great information that the pair talk about that can spring new ideas or, at the very least, entertain.
2. Sophisticated Marketers Podcast (Jason Miller/LinkedIn)Average episode length: 30 45 minutes
At one point in 2015, the Sophisticated Marketers Podcast was being delivered on a bi-weekly basis. But, it now seems host Jason Miller has pared the show back to a monthly offering. Either way, Miller interviews some of the best and brightest in the digital marketing field in each episode, and adds some great insights and flare himself.
3. The Science of Social Media (Buffer)Average episode length: 30 minutes
Updated: Weekly
Launched in September, the Science of Social Media is the newest podcast on this list. Buffer delivers a new interview with an expert in digital marketing, primarily in the area of social media. The series started with John Yembrick from NASA and has already included interviews with the likes of Rand Fishkin, Meghan Keaney Anderson, and Dorie Clark.
4. Flip the Switch (Uberflip) Average episode length: 30-40 minutesUpdated: Weekly
Every week the Uberflip team produces, Flip the Switch, which features conversations with professionals in the marketing and digital marketing fields. Episodes are released every Tuesday and can range from paid search to social to content marketing to c-suite insights.
5. Social Pros Podcast (Jay Baer & Adam Brown/Convince&Convert) Average episode length: 45 minutesUpdated: Weekly
Tagged as interviewing “real people doing real work in social media,” Jay Baer and Adam Brown talk insights with leading social media professionals. Current trends and ideas in the social media industry are introduced and debated ― although the inside and behind-the-scenes stories of how brands and organizations are utilizing social media are the show’s strength.
6. Marketing Nerds (Search Engine Journal) Average episode length: 30 minutesUpdated: Weekly
Marketing Nerds is primarily hosted by Kelsey Jones, but Brent Csutoras, Danielle Antosz, and Caitlin Rulien also take the reigns at times. Episodes are based around interviews with experts in SEO, paid media, social, entrepreneurship, and content marketing. The SEO and SEM focus of the show differentiates it from many of the others on the list.
7. Marketing Smarts (MarketingProfs) Average episode length: 30 minutesUpdated: Weekly
MarketingProfs release a new episode each week that feature in-depth interviews with a wide variety of marketing professionals. The podcast “delivers actionable insights and real advice to help you market smarter.”
8. The Growth Show (Kipp Bodnar/HubSpot) Average episode length: 20-30 minutesUpdated: Weekly
The Growth Show is hosted by HubSpot CMO Kipp Bodner (although others step in from time-to-time). In each episode, Bodnar interviews people who have instituted rapid growth on some level and discusses how the growth was achieved. The podcast is described as “a business podcast for leaders consumed with driving growth ― growing a company, growing a movement, growing an idea, growing a team.”
9. Content Pros (Randy Frisch & Chris Moody/Convince&Convert) Average episode length: 30 minutesUpdated: Weekly
Another podcast from Convince&Convert on the list comes in the form of Content Pros. The hosts interview leaders in the content marketing field to learn about strategy, operations, measurement, staffing and more.
10. The Marketing Companion (Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster) Average episode length: 30 minutesUpdated: Bi-Weekly
Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster team up to offer insights and perspectives on the latest trends in marketing. Schaefer and Webster both bring years of experience to the topics, while adding marketing data from Webster’s work with Edison Research. Each episode begins with some satirical dialogue on the current state of marketing, which offers something different than most podcasts, but also can be a little bit tough to get through at times.
11. Six Pixels of Separation (Mitch Joel/Mirum) Average episode length: 40 minutesUpdated: Weekly
Mirum President, Mitch Joel, brings insights on digital marketing from his extensive agency background. Episodes can range from hot topics in digital marketing to business leadership, which offers a well-rounded collection of important marketing themes.
12. Duct Tape Marketing (John Jantsch/Duct Tape Marketing) Average episode length: 20 minutesUpdated: Weekly Duct Tape Marketing is a short and direct podcast produced by John Jantsch. Jantsch dives into interviews with authors, experts and thought leaders sharing business marketing tips, tactics and resources. The emphasis of the show is on helpi