Scott Vogel oversees all aspects of the U65 health insurance business at Digital Media Solutions, including sales, search and social marketing and operations. With more than a decade of experience in business development, ad technology and lead generation, Scott helps DMS deliver effective brand strategy, implementation and high-performance marketing in the U65 health insurance space.
Q: What makes the DMS approach to U65 health insurance lead generation stand out?
Scott: Many companies in our space rely on affiliate networks and hope something sticks. At DMS, we’ve spent years building and refining our own paid media campaigns, especially on Google and social, so we’re not guessing. Our model is search-first and first-party, which means the traffic we generate is ours from the beginning. That gives us more control over quality and scale. Because our campaigns are segmented and targeted, we can go broad to fill demand or zoom in to reach specific audiences. It’s that blend of precision and performance that sets us apart.
Q: You’ve said agent sentiment plays a big role in client retention. How does DMS support a positive experience for agents?
Scott: At the end of the day, the agents are the ones picking up the phone and closing the business. So if they’re not having a good experience, everything else falls apart. We hear time and time again that our leads are a bright spot in their day — they’re actually connecting with real, interested people. Our contact rates are consistently high and the intent is real. That means stronger close rates, better retention and higher lifetime value for our clients. We can’t control every market fluctuation, but we aim to be as consistent and predictable as possible when it comes to delivering high-quality conversations.
Q: As OEP approaches, how is DMS helping agencies and carriers connect with high-intent, non-ACA shoppers?
Scott: We’re already ramping up media spend based on what’s working across our client base, from the biggest national carriers to smaller regional players. Thanks to real-time performance reporting, we can fine-tune our media buying to zero in on the next best customer for each buyer. That kind of targeting is critical as shoppers explore alternatives like supplemental plans or COBRA-adjacent products. By the time OEP officially kicks off, we’ll have the data to support a full-court press no matter your size or strategy.
Q: How are tools like Mastodon helping smaller agencies compete in today’s market?
Scott: Mastodon is our proprietary distribution engine, and it’s a game-changer for buyers who want more control. You can filter by demographics, pricing, source — you name it — to match your ideal customer profile. Whether you want to be fully hands-on or prefer a managed experience, we can support you. Our team helps with implementation, optimization and intake performance to make sure you’re getting the results you need. Mastodon allows smaller agencies to act like big ones by targeting smarter and spending more efficiently. It’s flexible, powerful and built for performance.
Q: How does DMS owned-and-operated site Health Market Advisor help agencies find more high-intent prospects?
Scott: HealthMarketAdvisor.com connects advertisers with consumers actively shopping for health insurance plans. Unlike our competitors who depend exclusively on affiliate networks, DMS is a first-party media company. Our paid media, across search, social and other channels, drives traffic directly to our flagship domain. That gives us more control over quality, compliance and scale, so agencies can tap into a steady flow of high-intent prospects who are ready to take the next step.
Q: With search trends and consumer expectations shifting, what makes the biggest difference in converting leads today?
Scott: Compliance is tightening and rightly so, which means advertisers need partners who do things the right way. That starts with owning your own media and being able to scale it. At DMS, we run our own paid media at scale, which gives us the reach and agility to adapt fast. Whether you're looking to target broadly or go ultra-specific, we can adjust in real time. That’s the kind of support agencies and carriers need right now: compliant, high-intent traffic that turns into real results.
Want To Take Your U65 Campaigns To The Next Level?
Download Scott Vogel’s whitepaper, “Maximize Your OEP Success With High-Intent Under-65 Health Insurance Shoppers,” for actionable strategies to drive leads and improve results. Or, take the next step and partner with DMS to boost your Open Enrollment performance.
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