| It seems that the health podcast sector has been experiencing a resurgence over the past two years, especially in Saudi Arabia. The episode of "Finjan" with psychologist Hazwa Al-Ajmi reached 900,000 views within two months of its release. According to experts, the growth of Saudi podcasts has not yet reached its peak, meaning that viewership numbers are still on the rise. Health podcasts can be divided into two types: one directed toward the general public interested in public health, serving as a tool for health awareness, and another directed toward healthcare practitioners, often featuring specialized information, serving as a tool for educating practitioners and enhancing their general knowledge. In this month’s newsletter, we discuss the Saudi experience in health podcasts, also taking a look at the global experience, and concluding with tips for healthcare practitioners on how to launch their own podcasts. -------------------------------- First: Saudi Health Podcasts Directed for the General Public According to a statistic published by the Dubai Press Club in May 2024, there has been a noticeable increase in viewership of health podcast episodes, which now account for 14% of all listens across the Arab world. Most of these episodes cover topics related to nutrition, fitness, general health, and mental health. The same study indicated that mental health ranked at the top, and it seems the pandemic played a significant role in driving this heightened interest, given the stressful conditions it created. One of the prominent health podcasts in the Arab world is Adam, hosted by Dr. Mohammed Al-Hajji, who works at the Saudi Ministry of Health. This podcast simplifies scientific knowledge on various topics, including psychological aspects related to thought processes, behaviors, and personalities to help listeners build a quality, meaningful life. Another notable example of a health podcast aimed at the general public is Najat on the Mics channel, hosted by Dr. Abdullah Al-Alawi. It discusses critical cases, such as the episode titled “A Year Without Movement.” Here, we share some health episodes that cover public health topics: -------------------------------- Second: Saudi Medical Podcasts Aimed at Healthcare Practitioners Here, we showcase some Saudi health podcast experiences targeted at healthcare professionals: Dal Podcast : A conversational podcast featuring guests from the medical field, focusing on the behind-the-scenes of doctors' lives and their professional and personal challenges. Most-watched episode:“The Charisma of a Doctor” with Dr. Ali Majki. Health Specialties Podcast | Mind Channel: A conversational podcast with guests from various specialties, focused on medical disciplines. Most-watched episode: “What They Didn’t Tell You About Medicine” - Dr. Salman Al-Qasim. -------------------------------- Does Podcasting Help Healthcare Practitioners Build Their Personal Brand as Experts? Podcasting provides healthcare practitioners the opportunity to clearly showcase their expertise in their field, enhancing their credibility as medical experts and broadening their reputation. Additionally, podcasts facilitate the sharing of personal stories and real-life experiences, creating a compelling human connection that helps the audience understand the realities faced by medical practitioners and fosters empathy. Notably, podcasts have successfully empowered healthcare professionals to discover one another and build a network of experts, enabling the development of exciting collaborative projects aimed at spreading awareness and knowledge in engaging ways. -------------------------------- What You Need to Know Before Starting Your Health Podcast? Despite the common belief that attracting people to scientific content is challenging, it is a fact that science has compelling narratives that can compete with other types of content. There are fascinating discoveries, facts, and topics that many people are still unaware of, making it fertile ground for investment. 🎧 Steps to Create Your Podcast 1. Identify Your Audience 2. Choose Your Topics 3. Use Storytelling Whenever Possible 4. Select the Right Podcast Format (Solo, Narrative, Interview) 5. Determine Your Publishing Frequency 6. Start with Simple Equipment and Increase Professionalism as You Progress 7. Consistency is the Key to Success 8. Avoid Unappealing Humor 9. Promote Your Episodes Effectively 10. Monitor Your Performance and Analyze It -------------------------------- How Does Podcasting Help Medical Institutions Build Their Brand in the Health Market? Podcasts provide medical institutions with the opportunity to present themselves as part of the medical solution for the community by discussing the latest medical research, offering preventive tips, and promoting health awareness. This enhances their image as a trusted partner dedicated to improving community health and providing effective solutions to health problems. Furthermore, it can be part of a broader marketing strategy that helps raise awareness of the institution's brand through the continuous production of engaging and informative episodes. The podcast market in hospitals has notably flourished over the past two years, and we have attempted to list hospitals or medical companies that have launched their own podcasts. Here are some of them: - Fakeeh Podcast | Dr. Suleiman Faqih Hospital Channel | Saudi Arabia
This is a dialogue-based podcast where each episode discusses a specific disease with an expert to educate and inform the audience. The host is Suleiman Mazen Faqih. - Doktor Podcast | Al-Moosa Health | Saudi Arabia
- Dallah Hospitals Podcast | Saudi Arabia
This dialogue-based podcast discusses a specific disease in each episode with an expert to educate the audience, hosted by Dr. Omar Al-Rahbini. - Doctor Files Podcast | Saudi German Hospital | Saudi Arabia
- Nabd AlMana Podcast | Saudi Arabia
-------------------------------- What About Arab and Global Experiences? | 
