How do you make money with a podcast? That’s a common question for those who are new to podcasting or interested in starting out. After all, how is it possible that some creators make podcasting their full-time job?
There are various ways to monetize a podcast, but you’ll need to grow your audience first. Then, you can partner with brands to secure advertisement and sponsorship deals. Or, you might prefer to stabilize your earnings by selling podcast memberships.
In this post, we’ll show you how to make money with a podcast. Let’s dive right in!
1. Advertising and Sponsorships
Advertising is one of the most popular ways to make money from podcasting. That said, it’s only suitable if you’ve already put the work into building a sizeable audience.
While you can reach out to brands directly, many creators join podcast advertising networks that match you with companies looking to increase exposure. However, you’ll usually need at least 1000 monthly listeners to qualify.
Ads are typically a short-term monetization solution. You might want to try establishing long-term sponsorship deals with brands that share your audience, niche, or values. This offers more stability, but since it involves a contractual obligation, it can restrict your creativity and freedom.
Ads can be frustrating for listeners, so that’s something to bear in mind. You can minimize disruption by using post-roll ads that play right at the end of your episodes. Plus, it’s a good idea to stick with advertisers that sell products or services that are relevant to your listener base.
2. Subscriptions and Memberships
Subscription-based models like podcast subscriptions memberships provide a predictable source of income, so it’s a great option for podcasters seeking more stability.
The best way to execute this monetization strategy is to offer multiple membership tiers that contain different perks and benefits. For example, you might provide exclusive content like bonus episodes or behind-the-scenes footage with one membership.
For higher-paying listeners, you could offer discounts on merch or access to private communities.
If you expect people to pay for your content, you have to make sure that it packs enough value. It’s also a good idea to keep some content freely accessible to attract new subscribers.
Podcast directories like Spotify and Apple have their own subscription programs (which you can opt into). But setting up a membership website with Beamly.com can be a more profitable solution:
This is because you’ll retain full control over your content and prices. Plus, you can leverage SEO best practices to improve online visibility.
With Beamly, you’ll get access to beautiful website templates, automatic episode imports, and a customizable audio player. The platform also integrates seamlessly with Stripe, so you can start taking payments right away.
Beamly offers a full suite of membership/subscription features that are optimized for your podcast. There are 0% transaction fees (Stripe fees still applicable)
3. Custom Merchandise
How do you make money with a podcast? Well, another popular option is to sell custom merchandise like posters, tote bags, journals, and sweatshirts:
Although you don’t need a massive listener base to sell merch, it certainly helps if you’ve established a loyal audience (which can be easier when you occupy a specific podcast niche).
What makes this a great monetization option is that it doesn’t impact content creation at all. You can continue to record episodes as usual but sell your merch on the side.
You’ll find that most podcasters use third-party platforms like Printful to print and ship items to customers. This also makes the process hassle-free and lowers the financial risk.
Note that if you use an ecommerce provider (like Shopify), you can embed your products on your Beamly website. You might also be able to directly integrate the relevant app or service.
4. Affiliate Marketing
If the idea of selling products is appealing but you don’t want to create your own, affiliate marketing is a viable option to make money from podcasting.
This involves working with brands that pay you to direct listeners to their websites. Most companies will only pay commissions when a purchase is made. But some programs offer more flexibility, crediting you for email signups, link clicks, downloads, etc.
For those new to affiliate marketing, it can be easier to get started using affiliate networks. But you can also apply directly to affiliate programs like Amazon Associates:
The only snag is that there are fewer opportunities for including affiliate links when you produce audio content.
Naturally, you can add links in show notes or RSS feeds. But it might also make sense to set up a podcast blog where you can share posts based on your audio/video episodes.
Another good option is to add a simple signup form to your website and integrate it with an email marketing provider. This way, you can create content that contains affiliate links and send it to members on your email list.
5. Digital Courses
We’ve already discussed the potential to sell physical goods, but it’s probably easier to sell digital items like online courses.
This is especially true if you have a specific type of expertise or you’ve established yourself as an authority within your niche. For instance, the Money For the Rest of Us podcast offers a range of investment courses:
Most courses take the form of step-by-step guides, but you can also record video courses/lessons that enable you to share personal experiences. But you might be wondering: how do you make money with a podcast via online courses?
Well, you can start by charging a one-time fee for your product. You might also include the course in your podcast memberships. For example, you can restrict access to course materials so that they’re only available to paying subscribers.
6. Listener Support
If you’re just getting started with podcasting, listener support can help cover the costs of running your show. However, you’re unlikely to make a business out of collecting donations alone.
We recommend focusing on building a loyal audience and nurturing a community first. Then, you can add a simple donation button to your podcast website using services like Patreon, PayPal, or Buy Me a Coffee:
Keep in mind that Beamly.com can also be used to get direct listener support, without the fees.
Conclusion
Podcasting has become a lucrative side hustle in recent years. But with a substantial listener base, it’s even possible to make podcasting your full-time job by using the right monetization methods.
So how do you make money with a podcast? Well, here are six popular options:
- Advertising and sponsorships
- Podcast memberships
- Custom merchandise
- Affiliate marketing
- Digital courses
- Listener support
The easiest way to sell memberships, promote affiliate links, and collect donations is to set up your own podcast website. With Beamly, you’ll get ready-made templates to design your pages. Plus, it comes with built-in monetization features, multiple integrations, automatic episode imports, and a dedicated audio player. Get started for free today!
