A few of the hottest podcasts belong to a community, however how they function could be complicated.
This information breaks down the whole lot that you must find out about podcast networks to resolve whether or not becoming a member of one is the proper transfer for you!
What’s a podcast community?
Podcast networks are a gaggle of exhibits underneath one umbrella firm. After becoming a member of, a podcast’s advert area is made out there to advertisers for the revenue of each the community and the podcaster.
Some networks solely settle for podcasts of a selected style, like popular culture or true crime. Others take content material throughout all genres.
Inside this mannequin, advertisers can goal adverts to a highly-engaged viewers, podcasters get computerized monetization, and networks revenue off the earnings.
Let’s dive deeper into how this course of works.
How do podcast networks work?
Podcast networks market your podcast to advertisers trying to promote their services or products.
Networks additionally cross-promote your present on different in-network podcasts to spice up your listenership.
Most networks use the CPM promoting mannequin, which pays podcasters a flat charge per 1,000 listens.
There are three varieties of advert spots advertisers should purchase:
- Pre-roll advert: 20-30 seconds earlier than the principle content material ($6 – $20)
- Mid-roll advert: 60 seconds in the course of the episode ($11 – $25)
- Put up-roll advert: 10-20 seconds after the episode ends ($4 – $15)
Most networks take round 30% of complete income, and podcasters maintain 70%. In case you have 10,000 listeners and get a median of $25 CPM, you’d get $175, and the community would take $75.
The community takes care of all of the advertising and marketing and promoting and also you get to give attention to creating content material.
Who can be part of a podcast community?
Podcast community necessities fluctuate. The highest podcast networks solely contemplate exhibits with no less than 50,000 downloads per 30 days.
Even smaller networks sometimes have these minimal necessities:
- no less than 1,000 downloads per episode or 5,000 per 30 days
- no less than one new episode per week
- cross-promotion with different exhibits inside the community
There’s a place for smaller exhibits inside podcast networks. Nonetheless, a smaller listenership means much less income and negotiation energy.
Having a bigger present makes monetization extra worthwhile and will provide you with extra sway while you signal a contract.
Advantages of a podcast community
When it is the proper match, a partnership between a podcaster and a community ought to profit everybody concerned.
Listed here are 5 methods networks may help your podcast:
1. Develop your podcast
Most podcast networks will introduce you to new listeners by means of feed-drops and cross-promos.
Elevated publicity is one of the best good thing about becoming a member of a community.
It’ll assist your present get in entrance of people who find themselves inquisitive about your area of interest and can wish to hearken to an episode.
2. Assist with advertising and marketing and monetization
By serving to with advertising and marketing and monetization, podcast networks allow you to give attention to creating nice content material.
They’ve probably vetted quite a few advertising and marketing and monetization channels like find out how to get your podcast into Apple New and Noteworthy.
Networks may also discover sponsors for you. You simply must learn the advert or conform to have the advert positioned inside your episodes.
Since you’ll probably develop quicker as a part of a community, you may earn advert income extra shortly than you would by yourself.
3. Extra networking alternatives
While you be part of a community, your content material robotically will get marketed on different podcasts inside the similar community.
Being a part of a community with different podcasters additionally makes it simpler to succeed in out and collaborate.
4. Potential enterprise capital funding
Traders are more likely to spend money on networks than particular person podcasts. If VC has funded your community, you may get advantages like:
- social media adverts
- your personal producer
- modifying companies
5. Assist with manufacturing
The standard of your present displays on the community. Some networks provide companies to enhance your manufacturing, like:
- modifying
- researching
- recommendation or teaching from seasoned podcasters
3 Downsides to becoming a member of a podcast community
There are potential cons to becoming a member of a community, too. These points aren’t an enormous deal for everybody however are essential to know upfront.
1. Can lose inventive management
After you signal a contract, your community can legally veto any content material that is not consistent with the community or its manufacturers.
As an illustration, you sometimes will not have a say in the kind of adverts positioned inside your episodes. So, you would have adverts for manufacturers and merchandise you do not help.
2. The community takes a lower of your earnings
The quantity of income a community takes varies. Usually, podcasters maintain 70%, and the community takes 30%. You may additionally must pay extra when you have a smaller podcast or are a more recent community member.
Except you’ve got a major listenership, splitting your income with the community could make it difficult to earn severe cash.
3. You may need to modify internet hosting companies
Podcast networks wish to have all their exhibits on the identical internet hosting service for comfort. You will probably have to alter hosts if you happen to be part of.
Altering podcasts hosts means you may lose your present’s analytics and presumably find yourself switching to a number you do not like.
Be sure to have a 301 redirect from the previous RSS feed to the brand new one if you happen to do resolve to modify companies.
Do you have to be part of a podcast community?
It is essential to consider why you wish to be part of a community.
- Would you like assist with monetization?
- Would you like the added publicity?
- Are you on the lookout for manufacturing help?
When you reply these questions, contemplate if a podcast community is one of the best ways to get this help.
Whether it is, then begin researching which podcast networks are a great match on your podcast.
Make sure that your present is listed in all main podcast directories, affirm your present meets the networks month-to-month obtain necessities, and see if they’ve comparable exhibits in your area of interest.
Do not be discouraged if you happen to do not discover a good match. It might take years to get your podcast prepared to hitch a podcast community.
Ask these questions earlier than signing a contract:
- What proportion of advert income does the community take?
- Are there any inventive restrictions on podcasters?
- Can the community assure you a specific amount of earnings?
- Are you able to concern a trial contract for a number of episodes earlier than committing?
- In the event you resolve to depart, will you personal your podcast?
High 15 podcast networks
Shopping main podcast networks may give you a greater concept of how they function. These networks are dwelling to the world’s most profitable podcasts and companion with world-class manufacturers.
#1. iHeartRadio
iHeart is the biggest digital media streaming service with over 158 million registered customers. Their podcast community contains exhibits like Crimson Desk Discuss and The Breakfast Membership.
#2. Wondery
Wondery is an American podcast community launched in 2016 by Hernan Lopez and backed by twentieth Century Fox. Wondery options over 70 exhibits throughout genres, together with leisure, enterprise, and true crime.
#3. NPR
NPR is a non-profit media group that began as nationally syndicated radio. They host well-known podcasts like Contemporary Air, Ted Radio Hour, Planet Cash and see over 70 million month-to-month downloads.
#4. WNYC Studios
WNYC is a listener-supported public media podcast studio and a New York Public Radio subsidiary. They distribute fashionable on-demand radio exhibits in the USA like Radiolab and Science Friday.
#5. SXM Media (Midroll)
Midroll is now part of SXM Media, together with Stitcher, Pandora, and Sirius XM. The community distributes over 300 podcasts and companions with premier advertisers like Toyota, Squarespace, HBO, and so on.
#6. Gimlet Media
Gimlet was based in 2014 by This American Life producer, Alex Blumberg, in Brooklyn, New York, and is a division of Spotify. Gimlet primarily distributes digital audio journalism and leisure.
#7. Radiotopia
In 2014, media firm PRX (public radio change) launched the Radiotopia with NPR producer Roman Mars. The community options content material from all genres and will get help from grants, sponsors, and listener contributions.
#8. All Issues Comedy
All Issues Comedy was based in 2012 by Invoice Burr and All Madrigal. This comedy-only podcast community acts as a hub for unbiased comic podcasters and a spot to observe, hear, and discuss all issues comedy.
#9. Earwolf
Earwolf is a Los Angeles-based podcast community based by Scott Aukerman and Jeff Ullrich. The community was initially referred to as the house of the most important comedy podcasts however has expanded to incorporate exhibits throughout many genres.
#10. PodcastOne
PodcastOne is likely one of the largest on-demand digital audio networks. They see over billion downloads yearly and publish podcasts from Jordan Harbinger, Adam Carolla, and Kaitlyn Bristowe.
#11. NBC Information Podcasts
NBC’s podcast community options news-related content material like Dateline and Meet the Press. This community options podcasts that make content material round storytelling and dialog. It is dwelling to NBC originals like Hoda Kotb’s Making Area and Al Roker’s Cooking Up a Storm.
#12. Kast Media
Kast Media launched as a manufacturing firm in 2016. It is led by a small group of creatives and is a pacesetter community in audio and video simulcast podcasting.
Kast has an viewers of over 13 million and represents exhibits like The Viall Information and the Sarah Silverman Podcast.
#13. PRX
PRX distributes among the hottest exhibits globally on public radio stations. It is dwelling to The Moth, This American Life, the Takeaway, and extra.
#14. The New York Occasions
The New York Occasions podcast community distributes thought-provoking, newsworthy content material. The community is dwelling to The Ezra Klein Present, The Every day, and popular culture podcasts like Fashionable Love.
#15. Cumulous Podcast Community
Cumulous is the fourth largest podcast community within the U.S. This inclusive community showcases distinctive voices throughout all ideologies and viewpoints and focusses on content material centered round instructional, thought-provoking subjects.
Closing ideas
Becoming a member of a community is a trade-off. You will get assist in sure areas and presumably lose inventive freedom in others.
Do the whole lot you may to develop your podcast your self, even when this takes years. It is higher to method a community.
While you’re able to method a community, learn the high-quality print, and select one which helps you obtain your targets.
