Learning how to create a private podcast can be easier than you’d imagine. At least, that is, if you use the right tools and services. But, if you’re new to podcasting software, you might not be sure how to do this.
There are a lot of ways to create a private podcast. You can password-protect episodes, create subscriptions, and even send links via a private channel. In any of these scenarios, only a select group of people will have access to the podcast.
In this article, we’ll talk about how to create a private podcast and monetize it. Before we get to that, we’ll discuss why you might want to keep a podcast private. Let’s dive right in!
Why Create a Private Podcast
The concept of a private podcast is simple. It’s a show where all or some of the episodes are only available to a select few. Often, listeners pay for access to the podcast through a subscription or membership:
This should come as no surprise, since the goal of most podcasters is to find ways to monetize their shows.
Charging for subscriptions is right up there among the best monetization methods, alongside selling merchandise, affiliate marketing, as well as advertising and sponsorships.
Usually, it’s smart to have a sizable audience before launching a private podcast or deciding to publish episodes for subscribers only. This will make it easier to convert enough listeners to a premium subscription, making it worth your while to record new episodes or a completely new and private show.
How to Create and Monetize a Private Podcast (In 3 Steps)
Now, let’s go over the basics of how to create a private podcast on Beamly.com and monetize it!
Step 1: Create your membership website
When you create your membership website on Beamly, you can import an existing (free) podcast or create a new one from scratch. Beamly is cool since it not only imports and syncs your website from the free RSS feed (if you have one), but it also imports all your podcast reviews. It can sync an entire YouTube channel, so you can have videos on the site as well. There’s a blog section too so you can easily create a full blog (with restricted posts if needed) alongside your private podcast.
Step 2: Set up a private podcast
Once you have the site set up with a few episodes, you can connect your Stripe account and add a few paid plans. Beamly websites come with a default “Free” membership plan as well, so you can offer your private podcast to members who are only subscribed via email to the free plan.
Once your membership plans are set up, you can start restricting content on the website. For example, you can place your entire podcast behind a paywall, or just a few selected episodes. Furthermore, you can restrict pages, blog posts, and videos on the website as well.
When non-members try to access a restricted page, they’ll find a CTA widget where they can sign up and upgrade their accounts –
A full podcast website is ideal if you eventually want to create a private podcast. That’s because you can use it as your show’s hub. And, when you’re using the right tools, it can come with lots of monetization potential (more on this later).
Plus, with a website, you can publish any additional content you want (besides podcast episodes). That includes blog posts, pages, updates about the show, etc. You can even use it to sell merchandise directly to listeners.
Beamly.com is a website builder that enables you to do all that and more:
This user-friendly tool is designed specifically for podcasts. It also supports multiple monetization options, which are critical for a private podcast. Furthermore, Beamly integrates with several third-party services, including email marketing tools.
Step 3: Manage your subscription plans and members
Not all private podcasts function the same. The one thing they have in common is that only an exclusive group has access to new episodes. We usually recommend to have a free tier with at least some episodes so your audience can try it out first. Then, have a couple of paid tiers as well so people can later upgrade to the plan that works best for them.
More monetization options
If you have a popular podcast in your hands, or even a small but loyal audience, you may be able to successfully monetize your show. There are a lot of tried and true approaches for monetizing a podcast, including sponsorships, selling merchandise, and memberships.
Most of these approaches are compatible with a private podcast, except for sponsorships. Most sponsors will not want to pay for shout-outs in a private podcast unless it has a sizable audience.
In our experience, memberships are the best way to monetize a private podcast. With memberships, you can get recurring income, build a private community, and most importantly, charge what you want for the perks you offer.
Conclusion
Learning how to create a private podcast is not difficult from a technical standpoint. With Beamly, the entire process is as effortless as it can be. The real challenge lies in growing your podcast to the point where you can make money from it, by charging for subscriptions or implementing other monetization methods. So, private podcasts are best for creators with a pre-existing audience.
Once you have a following, creating a private membership site can help you sell subscriptions and start growing your podcast and business this way.
Want to create your private podcast using a full, eye-catching website? Check out the Beamly website builder today!
