Podcast Monetization Strategies

Hey fellow IHers!

Use this thread to share and talk about all things podcast monetization. This can be anything from success stories, what platforms you use for donations and advertising, helpful links, or anything else that pertains to the making money podcasting!

There's three primary ways to monetizing podcasts ...

1. Sponsorships

   • Agreement between creator + brands to either run pre-recorded or host-
     read ads somewhere in the podcast. Typically paid by CPM (cost per mille)
     which is an agreed upon rate for every 1,000 downloads or listens your
     podcast gets (typically ~$25 CPM but can vary). Host-read ads are most
     prevalent.

2. Affiliate Programs

   • Podcasters can use a custom code or link to purchase or sign up for a
     product or service from a third party person/business. When the code or
     link is used, the podcaster gets a commission on the transaction (rates
     typically ~15% but can range drastically depending on the product
     / service).

3. Exclusive Content Subscriptions

   • Sites like Patreon allow podcasters to offer exclusive content and
     community engagement for a monthly fee. This can give listeners access to
     bonus podcasts and sometimes even access to communicate with podcast
     hosts or "free" merch. Different tiers can give different exclusive access
     depending on the amount of money pledged.

What types of monetization do you use? Are there other creative ways you use to make money podcasting? Feel free to answer the poll below to help others see what their fellow Indie Hackers use!

Feel free to checkout https://www.joincurtain.com -- a product we're working on which will help small, growing podcasters connect with sponsors and affiliate programs that align their niche audience. Join the waitlist to get blog posts about podcasting and podcast growth. Conversations such as these will help us tailor the platform to the needs of podcasters like you :)