WESTPORT STUDIOS SUCCESS STORY
How Enrollify Doubled Its Podcast Network in Less than One Year
Giving back to your industry is important, especially when your industry values goodwill. But as Mallory Willsea, Chief Strategist and Producer of Enrollify—higher education’s largest and most trusted podcast network—points out, it can also be an effective business strategy.
In 2023, Willsea took charge after her company, Element 451, acquired the podcast network. Element 451 is an AI-powered CRM and student engagement platform that expanded Enrollify’s audience from just marketing professionals to all areas of higher education. Willsea quickly realized that to genuinely serve their audience, she needed to introduce shows that addressed the diverse needs of higher education professionals she recognized within their community:
“We are a complete CRM that covers the entire student cycle. We needed new podcasts to address these areas, so we launched one for community college professionals and another for those in grad and online schools. Since we’re an AI-powered platform, we also created a show on artificial intelligence. Now, we have two podcasts about AI.”
And Willsea did not stop with the addition of four new podcasts, adding eight new shows in less than twelve months. How did Enrollify double the number of podcasts they produced in just one year and significantly expand their audience?
They capitalized on their existing relationship with Westport Studios, a full-service podcast production studio founded by Robb Conlon. They also harnessed the influence of over a dozen new hosts—beloved industry professionals who, while not employed by Element 451, generously brought their networks along.
“If we didn’t have a partner like Robb at Westport Studios,” said Willsea, “We wouldn't have been able to launch new podcasts without hiring full-time staff to produce our shows, which wasn’t feasible for us. Our growth trajectory makes much more sense with a strategic partnership with Westport.”
Willsea’s best advice? Instead of seeking an industry expert, focus on finding a podcast expert.
Since 70% of podcast listeners are not in buying mode, according to Willsea, a show’s job is to educate, entertain, and develop brand awareness with the audience. Willsea felt confident that the network had the thought leadership to grow Element 451’s brand. But she also knew that the expansion required a partner who understood the landscape of podcasting from the inside out.
It’s one thing to be a subject matter expert, but it’s another to develop trust with listeners. In order to do that, each episode needs to sound crisp, each host needs to be clear. That doesn’t happen simply because someone presses the record button. “Robb at Westport goes so much farther than just delivering an audio file to us 50 times a month,” said Willsea.
Because Rob and his team listen to every single episode, they’re able to do more than fix recordings — they also coach hosts on how to make better shows. “I’m not listening to every single episode. That would be 50 episodes a month!” added Willsea. She added:
“We have so much peace of mind knowing that somebody with “the ear” for good content and audio quality is making each show stronger.”
The difference between a producer who just edits and one who actively listens and genuinely cares about a business's future is substantial. Willsea noted that in addition to Robb’s ability to mentor hosts on best practices in podcast production, he’s also a valuable contributor to their investments in tech. When they needed to review their tech stack last year, Robb provided industry insights that helped them make purchasing decisions with confidence.
Podcasting is the New Marketing
Podcasting may seem like an experiment to some companies. But to Willsea and her team, it’s a marketing engine that should not be ignored:
“Our shows position our individual team members and our company as an expert. Because we cover every topic related to our industry, someone may be looking for something totally different and discover Element 451. And that opens up a lot of opportunities.”
In the last year, Enrollify has celebrated their fifth birthday, launched their website, added five new employees, and partnered with 20 of the brightest minds in the higher ed industry through the Enrollify brand. “It’s been a big period of growth for the network,” says Willsea. “And there’s no way we could have done it without Rob and his team.”
Victoria Payne is a freelance writer and co-founder of Mission Flow. She writes about the good work businesses do to make the world a better place.
Westport Studios, founded by Robb Conlon in Port Washington, Wisconsin, is a B2B podcast agency dedicated to prioritizing clients' needs while fostering genuine relationships and community support.