Like bands, podcast creators must cultivate their own brand, reach their audience directly, and create diverse ways to support their core creative output.
Drawing on my experience in both the podcast and music industry, this is a unique and often misunderstood position of independent Podcast Creators in 2024.
A path for independent Podcast Creators
Bands turn on multiple ways to earn money and independent podcasters can do the same to sustain their show.
Touring, merchandise, streaming, and other revenue opportunities work in parallel to support their core product: music.
This multi-faceted approach is essential for pursing their passion, which all contribute to a more sustainable ecosystem. And also a greater experience for their listeners.
Podcast Creators can do the same.
N.B. Authors don't just make money from book sales either.
It must be acknowledged that there are people/businesses who do all these services for bands, they're time consuming things to do that require relationships.
But there's a very credible DIY alternative for each, and each one that corresponds to podcasts.
For podcasters, adopting a similar approach—having various income streams open—can make a significant difference in maintaining both creative freedom and ideally financial consistency.
Here are some options that are in addition to making a podcast, which is in itself no mean feat.
Please note, effort is an approximation. Levels will invitably vary.
Minimal effort
Listener Support
- Lenny.fm, designed for Podcast Creators.
- Donations via PayPal, Stripe, Buymeacoffee, Ko-Fi or others.
Print on demand merch shop
Medium effort
Charge for back catalogue access
- Apple Podcasts is the easiest way to do this.
- Supercast.com or SupportingCast.fm are other great ways.
Ad-free feed
- Apple Podcasts Connect, Supercast.com, Glow.fm, SupportingCast.fm are all good options. You need to have ads that people don't like to make this work.
Affiliate links
Most effort
Bonus and exclusive audio content (may include newsletters)
- Patreon, SupportingCast.fm, Supercast.com
Regular newsletters
- Ghost.org, Substack.com, Beehiiv.com
Live events in general - venue, promotion, performance.
- Humanitix are a great ticketing platform.
These options for support provides financial benefits but also helps establish a deeper connection with the audience, fostering a sense of community and loyalty.
I'd love to be able to buy stickers from some of my favourite shows, or other merch.
That technology is available to Creators right now, on sites like Redbubble.com.
Many podcasts miss these opportunities simply by not adding them to the regular places their audience gets their content - podcast, website or social media.
Thankfully, it doesn't have to be an additional task after each episode.
I don't mention getting ads because they're a little all over the place if you can get them.
With the audience numbers, someone will turn on programmatic ads if you ask.
You're also the last person in line to be paid as the money passes through each point in the supply chain, getting a little lighter along the way.
If not, selling your own ads can be hurrendously onerous, beyond "Maximum effort".
The brand needs to get to know you, trust your show, see perfect alignment with your content, have money allocated to ads but not already allocated to a channel, know the value of podcast ads, value them equally against easily measurable options like Facebook or Google and have the time to step through this all
On the flip side, it can also be an easy quid pro quo if the advertisers know that what Podcast Creators can do for their brand is valuable.
Most businesses don't appreciate this.
To any independent podcast creator reading this, try at least one revenue stream.
From personal experience, the amount doesn't matter, it's that someone made the decision to support and appreciate what you've spent so much time creating.
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