How many podcasts are making money?

[sunkast]

I've been doing a good deal of research lately while doing work for GFQ, getting a new web site ready. The process has involved looking at numerous podcast web sites to see what they are doing, how they are presenting their podcast, etc. I'm astonished by some of the things I'm seeing.

If you have a podcast you should have links to subscribe to your podcast on iTunes at the very least correct? There are a ton of sites that don't or put the links at the bottom of their notes. Some don't even have download links, and all sorts of other usability/visual issues if their site.

Yet it seems like some of these podcasts are doing pretty well. Some of them have been around for years, are big names, actually have half decent looking web sites.

So how many podcasts out there are actually making some sort of money to support their podcast?

Why bother creating a visually appealing web site focused on usability, content presentation, and getting users to subscribe or share your podcast if none of that really matters when it comes to making money?

[AndrewSeabrook]

I guess it has to do a lot with focus. Most people who produce the content and are the talent are really concerned with that content and its quality. Where they have transitioned from a traditional media background they have been used to having a team that worries about all of the supporting services that get their content on the air and that market the content. Now as a smaller operator in the new media it is unusual that you have all of the support that you require, much less the skills, so now they focus on what they can control and what they are skilled and interested in. Websites and other marketing is often then outsourced on a one time basis and the day-to-day upkeep becomes a chore and ends up in the back seat.

You are however right that this upkeep and refresh is critical and that if you are to make money as much attention needs to be given to the sale of the product as to the design and build of the product itself. And it needs to be ongoing! And content needs to change regularly. How many of us will go back to a news website, or any other for that matter, when the content is the same every time we visit.

[PaulSaunders]

Sunkast. I am new to this and I think it comes down to people not knowing what to do and how to do it. I read one of the threads here a few days ago and peeps were discussing putting your email address on the website. I didn't even think about doing it until I read it.

[podcastcoach]

I think anyone who has put their best foot forward can make enough money to pay for their hosting. I write about this in my book "More Podcast Money (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008EZDVPO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008EZDVPO&linkCode=as2&tag=morepm-20)." It's not the actual audio or video files that you monetize. It is the relationship. You can hear the people who have spent $100 to produce a show. They have good album art. The deliver on a predictable schedule. Then there are the people who have the mic on their laptop, using tumbler and archive.org for their media host. This person (generally speaking) is not in it for the long haul.

The person who understands that content is king, and presentation is queen, and knowing who your audience is, and connecting with each and every one of those 16 people who downloaded episode 2 can make money. Are most people quitting their day jobs? No. Amy I paying off loans? Yes. I make four figures a month (not bragging, but trying to provide social proof (http://schoolofpodcasting.com/category/income-report/)). I can't retire on my podcast income, but I'm only doing it part time. I make about 30% from affiliate commission, another big part is a membership site, and the other chunk is consulting. However, my consulting clients know me before they every make that first call - from my podcast. The last piece is my book sales.

[Linuxcooldude]

I don't directly make any money for doing my broadcasts. I don't even have a website. I originally started out doing this as a hobby. Now I work behind the scenes for someone else in video production making a weekly paycheck. Probably doing something very simular to what your doing. So doing my show has opened the doors to many other things and business contacts that helped me out elsewhere.

[BradShoemaker]

I think the biggest issue is time and knowledge. Those that have the know how, don't always have the time... Those that have the time, don't always know what they're doing.

The shows I produce make money. I'm not particularly proud of the current states of the websites. I know that adding features will make our shows more friendly to download, but for the longest stretch, I didn't have time to make the changes as I was always working on someone else's projects. I recently quit my job in radio to focus on internet broadcasting. I knew the only way I was going to be able to push our shows to the next level was to quit and focus on them...

I still don't have as much time as I'd like because I have to pick up some side work just to make sure I have money for bills, but I have made progress on our new site and have stepped up our production... Just ordered new cameras, getting ready to order new mics, building a studio, as our house has never been an option due to young kids who don't necessarily want to stay quiet during show times. I have a big checklist of improvements for the site... All are ui enhancements to make sure the show stands out...

All of these things come from the income we make from our shows. In order to push it farther, I had to make the commitment and quit my job, otherwise we would always be small time.

If this venture fails, then not all is lost, but at least I know I put as much effort into it as I could.

[Dan Ortego]

If I ever do get fully up and running I would never try to do this sort of thing' for money. Being retired and all it could simply push me into a different tax bracket or worse, take the fun out of it.

[techzentv]

If I ever do get fully up and running I would never try to do this sort of thing' for money. Being retired and all it could simply push me into a different tax bracket or worse, take the fun out of it.

You should never start podcasting for the money. Do it for the fun of it. If money comes from it, you got paid to have fun.

[Podnutter]

I really don't think I will ever make money from my podcast. I do it because I love doing it. I don't think The number of viewers and popularity have anything to do with making money

[erictimmer]

It's pretty easy to make some money from podcasting, youtube videos, or a blog. It's not rocket science:

1. Amazon Affiliate links
2. Google Adsense
3. Donations
4. Selling services
5. Selling Products
6. Sponsorship
7. Advertising
8. Affiliate relationships with other companies
9. Adsense on YouTube Videos and on your website

You might not get rich, but you can make money within a short period of time.

And to Sunkast's point about crappy sites with no links, etc:

Ideally you want a great site with an audio/video player, download link, subscription link, and good show notes, but..... Lets face it most people get to your podcast through iTunes or other software/apps. There is often no need what-so-ever for you to go to a shows website. Most people cant make the "live" show so they subscribe. I would bet that 80-90% of all podcasts are consumed on the go, at the gym, or whatever. Since this is the case focusing on producing your show on a regular basis and making sure you are in all the directories is far more important than having a nice looking website. (though both is ideal). So, I think a lot of people decide, whether they know it or not, that putting effort where it counts first is more important. Especially if they have a day job or family.

Eric