Prologue
A Good Story
Here's the headline ...
Australian field hockey player opts to amputate part of his finger in order to compete in Paris Olympics
You can read the details here.
I bring this up to say that almost everybody has a similarly interesting "good story" ... at least for your audience. For example, here are some voiceover-related things you probably didn't know about me that I include in my "interview cheat sheet" to make it easier to bring in stories that hook people.
Feel free to swipe my "interview cheat sheet" format, by the way. Having something like this will help you get your message out in the way you want it.
In this issue of Big Podcast Insider, a look at how six-figure podcasters are making money, three things for you to know about YouTube, and a cool AI tool to help you get more interaction via social media.
Want more? Get the audio version of this podcast for additional commentary and stories.
Sponsor
Big Podcast AMP
If you like the newsletter, you'll love Big Podcast AMP (Audio Monetization Program).
This personal coaching program helps you do three things:
- Grow your podcast audience.
- Get people talking about your podcast.
- Make more money with your podcast.
You can get details here.
Steal This Idea
What a Six-Figure Podcaster Looks Like (Most of the Time)
Here's a "dirty little secret" about the music business ... that's very similar to something most podcasters face.
Most music acts today are making more money from live performances, merch, and licensing deals than actual music. But it's the music that enables everything else.
Same for podcasters. Yeah, you can make good money via sponsorships and advertising, but most of the "big earners" have other things going on.
For example ...
- Digital products – courses, ebooks, templates
- Platform payouts – views, streams, YouTube ads
- Physical products
- In-person consulting/coaching
- Online consulting/coaching
Few podcasters are making money solely via direct advertising and sponsorship deals. And even fewer have contracts where they're paid simply to host.
It's nice to have options and, as a podcaster, you have plenty. The business around your podcast might not look like you initial thought it would though, which can throw some people off.
Be open. Look at your options. Many pay better than most sponsorship/ad deals and aren't nearly as volatile.
NOTE: Working with podcasters on creative ways to make money via their podcasts is why I started Big Podcast AMP (Audio Monetization Program). If you want to know how to take advantage of the options you have, take a look (Audio Monetization Program).
Podcast Marketing
YouTube vs. Audio Podcasts
Thinking about shifting your focus to YouTube? Maybe you're already focusing on YouTube ...
Regardless ... this is an important article by Shrikant Joshi with a couple of things you need to keep in mind, mainly:
- YouTube is for reach.
- RSS/Audio is for loyalty.
It's very seductive for podcasters to "switch to YouTube" and see a bigger set of numbers, but don't make the mistake of thinking that a view on YouTube is the same as somebody listening to your podcast via RSS—it's not.
YouTube has a thousand distractions that interrupt a viewing experience ...
- Ads: Pre-roll, mid-roll, and banner ads are disruptive.
- Recommended Videos: Thumbnails and titles of suggested videos that pull a viewer away from your content.
- Comments: Scrolling through comments distracts from your video content.
- Notifications: Alerts for new videos or updates interrupts viewer focus.
- Eye-catching thumbnails or sensational titles in the sidebar are distracting.
These factors can make it challenging to stay focused on a single video without getting sidetracked.
Read more about why audio-only podcasts may be superior for delivering your message.
Podcasting News
YouTube - The #1 Podcast Platform
Continuing on the discussion about "reach" via YouTube ... people are listening to podcasts on YouTube. It's the #1 platform for 31% of podcast listeners in the US, followed by Spotify (21%) and Apple (12%).
As I mentioned, there are tradeoffs you give up when using YouTube over audio-first platforms, such as Spotify or Apple.
But the upside of YouTube is that there are a ton of people there and they may be the right people for your podcast.
Elements of this report to pay attention to:
- YouTube is used most among Podcast Newcomers, Podcast Pioneers, and heavy podcast consumers
- YouTube's audience has more males and is younger than the Apple Podcasts audience
- Because YouTube is considered an entertainment search engine and gives "similar content" recommendations, it's the dominant podcast discovery platform
- Those who discover a podcast on YouTube say they stick with the platform for video, comments, community, entertainment, recommendations, and platform features
- Podcast Newcomers are more likely to prefer actively watching podcast videos; Those who began listening to podcasts 4+ years ago favor an audio-only experience
- Not all genres work for video podcasts: Consumers who prefer to watch are more likely to like News/Current Events and Sports podcasts; Among those who prefer to listen, True Crime is the leading podcast genre
- The vast majority of the Apple and Spotify platform audience uses a smartphone, while 38% of YouTube’s podcast audience uses laptops and TV
Yes, worth the effort for the right podcasts ... Read the full report.
Podcasting Deals
AI-Generated Social Media Comments
If you use the comments section of YouTube and want more engagement on the comments you make, you'll love Olly. It makes it easier to reply to comments and start threads that get people to reply to you.
It supports all major platforms including:
- YouTube
- TikTok
Podcast Humor
Want More Podcast Downloads? Do This ...
It's true that the majority of podcasts are listened to alone.
But ... it's also true that a number of the most popular podcasts are that way because people love to discuss them with others.
How can you encourage listener interaction? Here are eight ideas ...
Classifieds
Podpage
Join over 25,000 podcasters and automatically create a beautiful, listener-friendly podcast site from your RSS feed.
Podpage is the simplest way to create a podcast website.
Riverside - Remote Recording Studio
Riverside records high-quality audio (and video) directly from your browser. No special equipment is needed and connecting with your guest is as simple as sending a web link!
You can try Riverside free (no credit card is needed) and, if you like it, save 15% on any paid plan by using the coupon code BIGPODCAST.
Castmagic - Automated Episode Notes
Over 35,000 podcasters have used Castmagic to automate:
- Episode notes
- Highlight clips
- Podcast summaries
- Blogs posts
- Social media posts
- Newsletters
Upload your podcast audio and Castmagic does the rest!
The Wrap Up
When you're ready, here's how I can help you even more ...
If you want the shortcut to building a podcast people care about, here’s how Big Podcast can help you …
Free of charge ...
- Big Podcast Extra – Short emails to help you build an audience, attract clients, and make money via podcasting
- Build a Big Podcast – The Marketing Podcast for Podcasters
- Podcast Growth Toolkit – The "Swiss Army Knife" of podcasting ...
For budgets under $750 …
- Big Podcast AMP (Audio Monetization Program) – Personalized coaching for indie podcasters to help you grow your podcast audience and build your authority, brand, and reputation
For budgets of $3000 or more …
We offer a range of podcasting services including:
- Full-service podcast production and marketing
- Podcast and radio hosting
- Podcast launch and development services