Living in a technology developed world has its perks.
We can answer just about any question with a quick “Hey Google,” or “Hey Siri,”, our coffee can automatically brew itself in the mornings, and no matter what subject, skill, or hobby we’re interested in, an internet search can lead us to a fully developed community of like-minded individuals willing to share their knowledge and experience.
This is what the beautiful world of podcasts gives us and, I’m just guessing here, it’s a huge part of the reason why you decided to begin your very own podcast. Whether you felt you had valuable information to share with others or simply wanted to do your part in creating a community of people eager to learn together, you are determined to build your audience.
But, as it often does, life gets in the way. You get caught up with work, relationships, and other responsibilities that take away from your true passion. Wouldn’t it be so much easier to continue to build your podcast and create quality content if it could have your undivided attention on a daily basis? In order to do that, you’ll need to monetize your podcast, and luckily for you, I’ve got a list of the best ways to do just that.
Promote and sell merchandise
Having a line of merchandise isn’t just fun for you to design, but it’s a great way for your listeners to show your support and to help spread the word about your podcast. Have fun with it and consider utilizing merchandise that best suits your listeners. Water bottles and coffee mugs for moms, dog toys, collars, and blankets for dog lovers, etc. Spending an afternoon brainstorming about what your listeners would enjoy makes for a very enjoyable day. But you do have to have a devoted following before anyone is going to be interested in your merch.
Here are some great examples:
Utilize ads within your podcast
I get it. No one really likes ads. But if you manage them in a smart and straightforward way, ads can help you provide great offers to your audience base while simultaneously working to help monetize your podcast. Don’t throw a bunch of unrelated ads at your audience. Instead, focus on offers and opportunities that best suit your listeners. This way they won’t feel spammed, but will instead truly be interested in your opinion on the ads you’re promoting. Also, never promote a product or service that you wouldn’t use yourself.
Employ some affiliate links
It’s best to find affiliate offers that have to do with the topic of your podcast. So let’s say your podcast has to do with the perks of motherhood. Consider becoming an affiliate for Amazon so that you can promote products for children and mothers. An additional search will leave you with a long list of affiliate offers for similar products, services, and opportunities. But just remember that in order to get the most out of affiliate marketing, you need to have an audience who is interested in these types of deals.
Listen to one this burst from the $100 MBA Show explanation on affiliate links:
Attract some sponsors
Sponsors can help out in a variety of ways. Not only can they help to attract additional attention and listeners, but they can give you offers and contests to promote audience interaction and growth. You’ll need to put together a stellar and attention-grabbing email that outlines your podcast goals and detailed information on how becoming your sponsor will benefit their company or brand. This needs to be well written, entertaining, and strategic. Do your research before sending out your first request.
Get bought out by Spotify
I think every podcaster on the planet has heard about the amazing opportunity that Spotify awarded celebrity Joe Rogan. And while it is absolutely astounding and an exciting prospect for everyone who owns their very own podcast, you have to be marketable and have a huge following before Spotify is going to take notice of you. Consider this your endgame.
So, to sum up…
By putting together a plan that includes some or all of the above monetization strategies, you will quickly have a podcast that works for you. But before you can truly get the best use out of the above ideas, you really need to grow your audience and attract more listeners.
The best way to do that is to utilize a platform that helps to distribute your podcast and find your true audience – the ones who will get the most out of what you have to say and offer. This is exactly what Audioburst Creators gives you.
This fast, easy to use, and 100% free platform offers:
- A way to seamlessly share clips to Twitter, Facebook, and more
- Assistance in promoting engagement and community building
- Automatic and editable episode transcriptions
- Identification of keywords and phrases to boost SEO
- Eye-catching episode teasers and show trailers
- The ability to reach listeners on visual platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok
The goal of Audioburst Creators is to help podcasters like yourself quickly reach your ideal audience so that you can successfully grow and maintain your podcast. Then once you’ve got your loyal followers, you can begin to utilize the marketing strategies above so that you can watch your podcast truly take off and become the career you’ve always dreamed of. Who knows, maybe Spotify will give you a call one day.
