The Ultimate Guide to Private Podcasts [2024]

More often than not, you need to make your podcast as accessible to the general public as potential. However there’s additionally worth in having premium, non-public episodes solely choose listeners can entry.

Non-public podcasts let creators share safe audio recordsdata with specified members by way of a non-public podcast feed hyperlink or from behind a password-protected paywall.

On this step-by-step information, we’ll break down the distinctive perks of non-public podcasts and the most effective platforms for distribution primarily based in your wants.

So, what precisely can a non-public present accomplish {that a} public podcast cannot?

Advantages of personal podcasts & premium content material

Based on Edison Analysis, one in 5 U.S. podcast listeners (19%) are keen to pay for the podcasts they eat. 

Meaning one in 5 of your personal listeners pays for premium content material, too, making non-public podcasts a strong and efficient strategy to monetize your present (when you’ve got the demand). 

Non-public podcasts allow you to provide your bonus content material behind a paywall to assist monetize the episodes you’re employed arduous to create — however you do not have to monetize them if you happen to do not need to. 

Non-public podcasts are additionally a wonderful strategy to develop your e-mail listing, thank listeners for donations, and be a well-liked useful resource for corporations and groups to share inner communications with workforce members. 

Excited by creating a non-public present? Let’s break down the assorted methods you may make it occur.

The right way to create a non-public podcast

There are 5 primary methods to create a non-public content material, and which choice is most helpful for you is dependent upon a number of elements.

You may evaluate these 5 methods to create a non-public podcast to see which supply technique most accurately fits your distinctive scenario.

1. Use a podcast internet hosting firm 

Greatest for: Firms, groups, authors, and course creators
 

(Essentially the most helpful and cost-effective choice for many podcasters.)

A handful of podcast internet hosting providers provide customers a built-in, non-public podcasting answer. In case you do not host your podcast on one among these platforms, you should transfer your content material to the platform you select to reap the benefits of the characteristic.

1. Buzzsprout ($12/month) — With Buzzsprout Subscriptions, podcasters can put particular episodes behind a paywall, all inside their Buzzsprout account! Podcasters can set their pricing, and subscribers get a novel RSS feed to entry the premium content material on their favourite listening app, like Apple Podcasts! Podcasters on Buzzsprout don’t should create a brand new podcast to entry this characteristic, it may be turned on at any level with an present podcast.

2. Captivate ($17/month) — Captivate’s non-public podcast feeds can be found on any plan. Ranging from 150 particular person subscribers, members can handle safe invitations and obtain episode and show-level analytics. Subscribers be part of the feed by way of a novel URL that opens up of their default podcast app for single-click, safe listening.

3. Transistor ($19/month) — Transistor’s non-public podcast characteristic provides members entry to content material they will stream inside their favourite podcast directories by way of a non-public hyperlink or invite. The platform is a handy choice for workforce coaching, course creation, and member-only podcasts by way of a membership website. Non-public subscribers get a notification by way of the app or e-mail every time you add a brand new episode.

4. Podbean ($29/month) — Podbean’s Premium Gross sales Service permits you to receives a commission subscribers from inside their podcast app. You may customise which content material to monetize, make particular person episodes non-public, or archive outdated content material behind a paywall. There aren’t any upfront charges, however Podbean takes a 15% reduce of the earnings. Podbean’s Patron donation system additionally permits crowdfunding instantly on its platform.

5. Spreaker ($20/month) — Spreaker’s Non-public Podcast Sharing is offered to any person with a Broadcaster membership and up. This service permits you to make a totally non-public podcast, share restricted entry content material by way of a non-public RSS feed hyperlink, create paywall episodes, and contains an embed participant supported by Patreon. Listeners can stream episodes on their cell and net gadgets.

6. Libsyn ($20/month) — Libsyn’s Superior 400 plan provides customers entry to a premium paywall and lets listeners stream your non-public content material out of your custom-made Libsyn app or content material web page. The platform handles the grunt work however takes 50% of all earnings made. 

2. Create a membership in your web site

Greatest for: Podcasters who need to promote varied sorts of premium content material

Wish to provide extra premium content material than simply podcasts? This feature permits you to use your net web page to distribute and settle for cost for providers, and it is a wonderful choice for podcasters whose internet hosting platform does not provide non-public podcasting. 

Simply be sure to provide extra paid content material than solely non-public episodes; in any other case, it is unlikely to be price your time and funding. 

In case you host your web site on WordPress, you should use Buzzsprout’s WordPress plugin to tug episodes out of your feed and show them in your website. 

You may then put your episodes behind a paywall utilizing one among these third-party plugins that allow you to create membership tiers and automate the cost course of.

Platforms like Squarespace, Wix, and Weebly provide built-in membership and e-commerce choices relying in your plan.

3. Use a third-party platform 

Greatest for: Firms and groups who want most content material safety

These third-party podcast apps each host and distribute safe content material, and most work finest for companies and enterprises; in addition they run a bit pricier than different choices and are not arrange for cost.

Storyboard (Free & Professional Plan) | Storyboard’s free cell app (obtainable on Android and iPhone) was created particularly for corporations who need to distribute company-wide messages by way of a podcast participant solely your employees can entry. The free plan permits you to invite as much as 100 non-public listeners by sharing a non-public hyperlink to the feed.

uStudio (request a demo) | uStudio permits corporations to ship safe audio recordsdata and video podcasts to their workforce for communication that’s 500% more practical than e-mail or textual content. uStudio gives a desktop app, SSO, stats, and the capability to share your inner podcast with 1000’s of personal listeners. 

Supercast ($0.59 a month per subscriber) | Supercast is a podcast subscription platform that permits you to provide non-public paid subscriptions to your listeners. The service gives straightforward pay choices for listeners and helps podcasters create a profitable membership bundle and launch technique.

Apple Podcasts Subscriptions: ($19.99 per 12 months) l If you’re searching for a platform that works completely with iOS, Apple Podcasts subscriptions will assist you to create episodes behind a paywall obtainable solely on Apple Podcasts!

4. Arrange a crowdsourcing or donation web page

Greatest for: Established podcasters who’ve demand for bonus content material

Patreon

Patreon is a well-liked membership website that gives automated month-to-month donations in trade for non-public episodes and different bonus materials. The platform additionally helps foster group amongst your listeners and generally is a extra dependable supply of revenue than adverts, so long as you might have the demand. 

Roughly 2% of your viewers will turn into Patrons, and Patreon will take 2.9% of each cost over $3.00. Fee is automated, and most podcast listeners are already accustomed to the platform. You may embrace a short assertion about your Patreon account in your intro, and paste the hyperlink to your web page in your podcast present notes.

Podfan ($0.30/member)

When you enter your RSS feed and declare your Podfan web page, you might have entry to a stupendous website that permits you to settle for donations and provide a member-only feed. Your listeners can choose from totally different membership tiers and stream paid content material on the location’s mobile-friendly embed participant.

A free account permits you to settle for donations, and a paid account permits you to put a non-public RSS feed behind a paywall. One of the best half? Podfan does not take any reduce out of your earnings. All you pay is $0.30 per member you might have, plus Stripe transaction charges.

5. Be part of a podcasting community

Greatest for: Podcasters with a big viewers who do not thoughts chopping earnings

Podcasting networks tackle a lot of the heavy lifting concerned in promoting premium podcast episodes — but it surely comes at a price to the creator.

Whereas the corporate handles a lot of the logistics, the community takes a hefty proportion off your gross sales, making it troublesome to generate any vital revenue.

This technique can work properly when you’ve got a sufficiently big viewers (most main networks require a minimal of fifty,000+ downloads monthly).