How to make money with podcasts?

Are you looking to make money with podcasts?  Here's your guide on how to get started and grow your income!  #podcasting 

Expressive media that are visually pleasing, such as YouTube and Instagram, are in the spotlight, but expressive media that are pleasing to the ear are still not abandoned. Just as the audio version of the SNS clubhouse became a hot topic when it landed...

Under such circumstances, podcasts, which can be said to be audio versions of blogs, are gaining popularity in the world. Podcast programs can be distributed by individuals, so if you use the tipping function and advertisements, you can also use it as a means of side business. Podcast distribution services, which are expected to grow in the future, such as the types of applications and monetization mechanisms.

Table of contents

1.  What is a podcast?

2.     Major distribution services for podcasts

3.     How to distribute your podcast

4.     Podcast revenue streams

5.     Summary of how to make money with podcasts

What is a podcast?

 

A podcast is a service that distributes audio content on the Internet, as it was also called an "audio blog". Radio, which has a long history of more than 100 years, is another means of transmitting information using voice.

 

Like radio, podcasts are specialized audio distribution means, but they are characterized by the fact that audio data is obtained via the Internet instead of receiving radio waves. In that sense, podcasts can be considered a type of Internet radio, but the difference is that audio content can be delivered without going through a radio station. Distributors, including individuals, upload audio data to a server placed on the Internet, and users can freely download and listen to it.

 

Podcasts had their first boom in the 2000s, gaining popularity as a service for enjoying programs on the iPod series of portable music players. The name podcast is derived from the trademark of the iPod, and is a coined word that combines "iPod" and "broadcast".

 

Reasons for the second boom

 

Originally, podcasts included not only audio but also video content, but now the meaning has changed to mean the distribution of audio-specific content.

In addition to Apple, Google, Amazon, and Spotify have entered the podcast distribution service one after another, and the attention to audio content is increasing more than ever. One of the reasons for the popularity of audio content is that, unlike video, you do not have to stare at the screen, so you can watch while watching. Even people who are busy with work or housework will be able to listen while working or while driving a car.

 

Just as radio has maintained its deep-rooted popularity even after the spread of television in the latter half of the 20th century, one of the advantages of audio-only information distribution is that it tends to bring listeners closer together. Behind the popularity of clubhouses and audiobooks lies the unique appeal of the audio itself.

 

Major distribution services for podcasts

 

In the 2000s, portable music players were used to listen to podcast programs, but now the mainstream style is to listen using smartphone apps. Apple Podcasts are already included in the iPhone, and if you install Google Podcasts, you will be able to listen to podcast programs on your Android device. In recent years, Spotify, the world's largest music distribution service, and Amazon Music have started to distribute podcasts.

 

Broadly speaking, there are two ways to deliver podcast audio content. There are two ways to distribute to each service using a mechanism called RSS feed and distributing using an independent podcast application. We will explain in detail the characteristics and typical distribution services of each.

 

RSS delivery system

 

Although not used much these days, RSS is a document format originally used to describe updated information on blogs, news sites, etc. Since podcasts have been distributed using the RSS mechanism since the 2000s, the distribution method using RSS is still mainstream.

RSS itself is a document file written in XML format, etc., and a tool called an RSS reader was required to obtain blog update information. By using RSS-based services when uploading podcast programs, it is possible to distribute to each application without being aware of the RSS file.

 

Typical RSS-based podcast distribution services overseas Include Anchor, SoundCloud, and Himalaya. As the RSS system is simply called a "podcast system", it is characterized by the point that if it is delivered to one service, it will be delivered to another RSS service.

 

Radio Talk is a domestic independent podcast distribution service, but it also supports distribution using RSS. As described later, Radio Talk, which allows individuals to easily create podcast programs, has a mechanism for tips based on unique points. There is also a partner program for some distributors, so it is one of the powerful options when using podcasting as a side business.

 

Seesaa Blog, a free blogging service, also supports podcast distribution, although there are limits on the number of podcasts.  podcasts. If you use the RSS feed in the Seesaa blog management screen, the audio data will be distributed to Apple Podcasts, etc. In addition to this, there is also a way to contract with a paid rental server and distribute podcasts using WordPress.

 

Independent

 

Unlike the method of distributing audio content to multiple apps using RSS, an independent podcast is a method of distribution limited to users using the app. Although it cannot be distributed to Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts, which have many users, a kind of community is formed among users using the app.

With RSS, which is widely distributed, it is difficult to get listeners to find your program, but the advantage of independent is that even unknown distributors can easily acquire fixed listeners. Many independent services have their own monetization systems, and even individuals can earn money from podcasts.

Apart from Radiotalk, mentioned earlier, the independent podcast apps are:

 

1. Voicy

2. SPOON

3. stand. FM

Even note, which can deliver various digital contents such as text, images, manga, and videos, can also deliver audio content. There is also a limit that the maximum recording time per piece is 5 minutes and the maximum uploadable capacity is 50MB, but if you publish audio content for a fee, it will lead to income.

Note content released free of charge has a "support" function, and it is a mechanism that allows users to provide financial support. Although it is not a distribution service that specializes in podcasts, notes can also be a way to earn money by distributing audio content in the same way.

 

How to distribute your podcast

 

When actually distributing audio content using a podcast service, it is common to proceed with the following procedure.

1.     Plan your audio content

2.     Create a script based on the plan

3.     Record audio using a microphone or the voice memo function of your smartphone

4.     Editing recorded voice data

5.     Upload the completed voice data to the server

6.     Publish audio content with titles, thumbnail images, and descriptions

 

Scriptwriting is not essential, but it should be easier to proceed with the work if you write the structure even if it is just a bullet point. Although it is more efficient to use a computer for a series of tasks, there are podcast distribution services that allow you to complete everything from recording to editing and uploading within the app. People who are used to using smartphones should be able to work more easily.

 

It is possible to upload the recorded audio file as it is without editing it, but you will inevitably end up with extra sounds or mispronunciations while speaking. In order to capture the listeners' hearts, it is essential to cut out unnecessary parts and adjust the audio to make it easier to listen to, as well as edit work such as adding BGM and sound effects.

You can find many sound editing software (applications) that can be used for free on the Internet, and there are also plenty of free material sites for BGM and sound effects.

Before the YouTuber posts the video, they carefully edit it and make good use of BGM and sound effects to create a work with a good tempo. The advantage of audio content is that it takes less time to create than video, but it is also true that listeners will be more likely to support it if it is edited and completed to a high degree.

Podcast revenue streams

Just distributing audio content in the above procedure does not necessarily mean that you can earn income. With blog posts and YouTube videos available for free, it's no surprise that podcasts, also known as voice blogs, are available for free.

In fact, most of the audio content is released free of charge, and users download it for free as a matter of course. Even in the United States, an advanced podcast country, only about 3% of people are monetizing podcasts.

However, the possibility of earning income from podcasts is not zero, and it is quite possible to monetize if you continue to distribute good content. There are three possible revenue streams for monetizing podcasts:

1. Tipping income

2. Advertising revenue

3. Paid content sales

Tip

The most realistic source of income for podcast distribution is tipping income, which is financially supported by listeners who listen to the program. Nagesen originally meant money thrown at the performers to cheer and support street performances and street performances.

Recently, there is a system of tipping functions that give points and items through distribution services for performances and talks that are performed on the Internet such as live distribution. An increasing number of podcast distribution services are equipped with similar systems, and it has become a major source of revenue, especially for independent podcasts.

The aforementioned Radiotalk has a mechanism in which points are given to podcast distributors according to the number of times the program has been played and the reaction of listeners. SPOON, an audio distribution app originating in South Korea, is a system where you can earn income from billable gifts called spoons.

Stand. fm also has a similar point-based tipping system for live streaming only. Including the support function of note that allows you to post audio content, it is a quick way to earn money from tips to make podcasts a means of side business.

Advertising revenue

Although the hurdles are higher than earning from tips, podcasts also provide a way to earn advertising income. If you become a podcaster who is supported by many listeners, you can earn sponsorship fees by distributing programs.

There are distribution services that return advertising revenue to creators without receiving sponsorship offers from companies. In fact, there is a digital voice advertisement delivery service called Audio Ad, and advertisements are beginning to be delivered to podcast programs.

In the same way, in the case of radio commercials, which are expressed only by voice, the same voice advertisement is played in the program regardless of who listens. Audio ads are a type of Internet advertising that delivers voice advertisements targeted by user attributes. In that sense, audio ads are closer to AdSense ads delivered to blogs and YouTube videos than radio commercials.

Podcast audio ads delivered through audio ads are typically billed for downloads. Voicy, which is often used by celebrities to distribute podcast shows, has a mechanism in which distributors earn money from sponsorship fees from companies. Voicy plans to launch a monetization program based on the number of views in 2021.

Stand.fm, which is suitable for general individuals to distribute programs, also has a partner program that allows distributors who have passed the screening to receive a return of earnings according to the playback time. If you use the program, there is a possibility that advertisements will be included in the program, so it is a mechanism equivalent to the return of substantial advertising revenue. Radio Talk also has a partner program that returns the entire revenue of the operating company as a source of funds, but advertising revenue is expected to account for most of the revenue.

Paid content sales

 

Another way to monetize your podcast is to publish your audio content for a fee and charge when you download it. However, even if an unknown general public starts a paid podcast distribution as a side business, it is usually difficult to get them to buy it. This is a method for people who are active in other media such as YouTube and blogs and have a high profile, and for influencers who have many followers on SNS.

You can also distribute only the latest content for free and sell past episodes for a fee, or release part of the program for free and distribute the rest only to listeners who have purchased. A subscription monthly billing system using the paid membership function is also one of the business models for monetizing podcasts.

Among those who earn income from podcasts, it seems that there are only a handful of people who are successful in selling paid content like the above. When starting a podcast distribution as a side business, it is safe to aim for tipping income and advertising income first.

Summary of how to make money with podcasts

 

Once again, podcasts, which had once died down, are attracting attention again, and distribution services, including independent ones, are being born one after another. Podcasts are a promising medium as a means of side business, as a mechanism is being developed to return profits to creators in response to the new boom.

The range in which audio content can be published differs between RSS-based services and independent services, but it can be said that independent services are easier for beginners to acquire fixed listeners. Many independent distribution services have their own tipping functions and partner programs, and monetization of podcast distribution is becoming a reality.

In order to obtain shipping revenue and advertising revenue using such a mechanism, support from listeners is necessary for one or two things. Whether you can actually earn money from podcasts, including download sales and monthly billing, depends on the quality of the audio content.