For many, creating a podcast is something that's done solely out of passion. But even among those who do it strictly for the love of podcasting, after awhile, once you've built up an audience, there comes a time when you think to yourself, "I can't keep doing this for free."
Such was the case with many of the people I interviewed in my 15-part series, "Making Money from Podcasting." From a $50 donation to cover an afternoon of babysitting to a six figure sponsorship, the people I spoke to have been making anywhere from pocket change to lucrative careers from podcasting.
What follows is a compendium of nine proven money-making techniques for podcasters. All are successful to varying degrees and some podcasters use a combination of methods. This summary provides an explanation of all the techniques, and tips from the podcasters who have pulled them off. For more tips, advice, and to hear the full money making podcast story, make sure to read and listen to each the interviews linked throughout this article.
1. Got audience? We'll get you sponsors
Kevin Kastner of Alaska HDTV used to be a Mevio customer but left because he was unsatisfied with what he was being offered (he wasn't willing to make a CPA deal) and the opaqueness of the deals. He had no idea how much Mevio was selling his show to advertisers. Curry said he splits all revenue 50/50 with podcasters.
2. Get your own sponsors
3. Be like public TV, beg for donations
4. Give some away free, charge for the rest
5. Partial show free, full show paid
6. Build your own media network of programming and sell advertising against it
7. Build your brand to sell your services
8. Sell an iPhone app along with your podcast
9. Integrate sponsorship with the show's editorial
This is just a brief summary of all the different ways one can make money from podcasting. For "how to" tips and expert advice on how to make these techniques actually work, make sure you read and listen to the interviews, linked all throughout this article.
More business resources from Mashable:
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- 6 Must-Follow Steps for Selling in Any Economy