Listed as one of TopRank’s 50 influential women in content marketing in 2017, Mariah Obiedzinski has been making major waves in the realm of healthcare content marketing. As the Director of Content Marketing at Medtouch, Obiedzinski utilizes the breadth of her creative and professional content creation skills to lead a team of globally recognized content experts and creators who work with healthcare clients across the United States.
A natural storyteller, Obiedzinski’s ten year background in creative writing, journalism, ghost-writing, editing, news reporting, and content marketing management has allowed her preserve the authentic voices of her clients as she helps them develop their own integrated marketing strategies. She started my career at MedTouch in April 2015 as a content strategist. From there, she was promoted to senior content strategist, then to manager of content marketing. She became director in August 2017. Obiedzinski earned a B.A. in Journalism and a B.A. in English from Mount Mercy University.
We were fortunate enough to chat with Mariah about her background, the world of healthcare content marketing, her role at MedTouch, and the importance of keeping up with tech trends. Read on to get an influencer’s perspective on the state of the industry.
When did you know you wanted to get into content marketing?
I went to school for journalism and quickly realized I enjoyed talking to people who want to talk to me much more than I enjoyed chasing down people with a microphone. I got into the healthcare content marketing niche because I want to help people understand their conditions and options in lay terms on the media they already know how to use; blogs, podcasts, video, and social media.
Can you tell me a little more about your role at MedTouch?
My team includes some of the best and brightest content and digital strategists in the industry. We work with academic medical centers, hospitals, home health organizations, and health plans to develop content marketing pieces and prioritize the user journey in service line content.
You've been listed as one of TopRanks 50 Influential Women in Content Marketing. (Kudos by the way!) What influencers have influenced you over the years (marketing or otherwise)?
So many! Here are a few of my top influencers of recent years: Sandra Fancher and Angie Toomsen are my go-tos for content strategy and user experience pathways. Christoph Trappe has taught me so much about content marketing strategy and distribution. And I have to give a shout out to the wonderful people who moderate and participate in the Healthcare Leadership blog and weekly Twitter chat (#hcldr). These folks offer thoughtful conversation and workable solutions for current and continual healthcare challenges.
How has your background in creative writing influenced your current work; developing integrated marketing strategies for healthcare clients?
Healthcare content is a realm that – although it’s full of controversy, science, and intrigue – easily can become stiff and boring when not written with the reader in mind. Creative writing is all about the reader, as content marketing/service line content writing also should be (in support of business goals, of course).
We'd love to hear some of your insights regarding industry trends and your thoughts on the future of content marketing.
Podcasts are becoming relevant across many industries, including healthcare. We’ve seen a marked increase in partners asking for podcast production and also for distribution strategies and best practices. Check out the MedTouch blog article we wrote on podcasting basics.
Technology is always changing and one of the latest trends that content marketers are just starting to explore is virtual reality and augmented reality. Do you think this type of tech can be utilized in healthcare marketing? More importantly, how do you, as a communicator, adapt to changing tech trends?
Absolutely. Tech is so important in advancing the good work our clients do every day, and it’s fascinating when new tools are developed that potentially can change how patients receive care. VR is one of those tools that has the potential to be used in so many capacities, from provider training to real-time provision of care. A large portion of my job is keeping up with not only healthcare tech trends, but also content tech trends. Obviously, none of us has the time to research everything we want to everyday. I rely on and appreciate my relationships with healthcare professionals and content industry experts to collectively pool our knowledge through email, podcasts, articles, and Twitter chats. Healthcare and content combine uniquely in this way – two industries that are ever-changing, and two that require collaborative thinking.
We're living in a pretty hectic world and sometimes we find ourselves 'skimming' content instead of reading it in full. I know I'm guilty of this. How do you keep people engaged in a world that just won't stop?
There’s nothing to feel guilty about! I think the key is to be realistic. I advise my partners to never expect that someone will read every word. Instead, support how the user engages with your content:
Make your pieces easy to scan
Provide clear user pathways
Offer relevant, non-salesy conversion points strategically throughout your content
Your specialty is in healthcare marketing. What digital marketing trends do you hope healthcare organizations like MedTouch will adopt in 2018?
I’d love to see an industry-wide focus on revising and revamping currently existing content. So few organizations practice good content governance, and healthcare information can become outdated quickly. Cyclical content and strategy updates take time and human power, I know – I do it all day long! But it’s a worthwhile investment to improve your content relevance and user experience, which can trickle down over time to increase search rankings and patient acquisition.
Social media outreach is an integral part of content marketing. How can content marketers best utilize social media in 2018 and beyond?
The way people use social media changes over time, as does the way platforms allow users to interface with your content. I encourage organizations to think outside of social. What’s worked for years isn’t necessarily working like it used to, and depending on your goals and your market, 2018 might be the time to expand to different platforms or distribution methods, such as native advertising.
I've noticed that a lot of brands are so focused on pushing out endless streams of content that authenticity is lost and writing quality slips. What tips can you give to content marketers who are struggling to tell stories that matter?
I had a fascinating conversation with one of our clients this winter. The organization is working toward making “buckets” of content:
- Branding: Feel-good patient stories, awards, generally helpful healthcare information. Pieces that could encourage readers to engage deeper in the site or sign up for their e-newsletter.
- Conversion: Content focused on consumer-centric topics related to service lines they particularly want to grow. Pieces that could spur calls or online appointment requests in the current or subsequent session.
This sounds simple, but it’s not. It can be easy to slide into the “why isn’t my blog converting?” trap. Setting expectations like those above help to level-set the goal of the blog: top of the sales funnel awareness, and conversion as a happy byproduct.
Creating content is easier said than done and as content creators, we all fall victim to writer's block every now and then. How do you fight the dreaded writer's block demon on the day-to-day?
Ahh, writer’s block. Often, I find that if I simply walk away from the piece I am stuck on and come back later, I can attack the piece with a different mindset. But never feel like you’re working in a vacuum. Get opinions from colleagues – I especially like to ask people on our team who don’t consider themselves to be writers. They often have a consumer perspective for wording or structuring a piece I might not have considered.
What are some of your favorite content marketing and design tools? What tools would you recommend to content marketers just starting out?
I love SocialOomph. It’s one of my favorite scheduling tools. Super easy, super intuitive. Upload a tweet once, and schedule it out to inequity if you so desire. Mega timesaver.
What piece of advice would you give to creative writers and young marketers who want to get into content marketing?
Always be willing to learn, take constructive criticism, and ask questions. If anyone tells you they know it all, they’re liars. Even content industry leaders learn something new everyday.
Never close the door to a learning or growth opportunity. Also, learn about digital marketing 🙂
Connect with Mariah on LinkedIn and Twitter
