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Turn your podcast episodes to short-form videos with AI
Repurpose your podcast episodes and make them ready for TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels in minutes
The podcast industry is quickly growing, transforming from a niche hobby into a mainstream medium. As per Backlinko, there are over 464 million podcast listeners worldwide, a number projected to reach 504.9 million in 2024. Not only this, but on average, a person spends 7 hours per week listening to their favorite podcast app. This huge popularity may leave you wondering, “How much do podcasters make?”
To help you with it, we will discuss “How much do podcasters make” and their different income streams. If you're looking to turn your podcast episodes into viral TikToks, Shorts and Reels in order to make even more money Framedrop.ai is the tool for you, give it a try!
How Much Do Podcasters Make?
So, how much do podcasters make per episode? If a podcaster has over 10,000 podcast downloads per episode, they can expect to generate a good amount. BuzzSprout, for example, gives around $1000 dollars per month for the 10,000 downloads on an episode.
CPM (cost per mille/thousand) is another factor affecting the total podcaster income. It's the amount a sponsor pays you for a thousand likes/downloads/ views on platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and others (Note: This is not the ad revenue YouTube pays, the CPM on that is considerably lower. This is in regards to partnerships made directly with brands). Statistics reveal that podcasters enjoy a CPM of over $23, which is 3 times more than the average CPM of $7 across YouTube for pre-rolls. Tim Ferris, an entrepreneur as well as NY best-selling author, also says that premium podcasts have a CPM of $25 to $100. However, you should know that most podcasters have more than one income stream, and their average podcast revenue is subject to fluctuation.
How Podcasters Make Money
Now that you are aware of how much podcasters make, let's discuss the various lucrative methods and strategies podcasters use to monetize their podcasts:
Sponsorship
Sponsorships are the best and most common method for podcasters to make money. They're most suitable for niche-specific and large-audience podcasters. Simply find a brand working in your niche and connect with them for sponsorship. These brands pay you a fee for mentioning their products a few times during your podcast and urging your audience to try them out. For instance, if you upload podcasts related to baby care, you can get sponsorship from some baby skincare brands. All you've got to do is deliver personalized reviews regarding the products so they feel authentic and encourage your audience to make a purchase.
Partner with Advertising Networks
Partnering with advertising networks can be a highly effective way for podcasters to monetize their uploaded content. These advertising networks act as mediators between podcasters and brands. You can connect with them to run different ads during your podcast to generate consistent revenue. This saves you from the hassle of finding and negotiating with sponsors on your own and allows you to enjoy a streamlined payment process. However, to qualify for advertising networks, you are first required to have a good reach, generally 1000 listeners, to ensure the ads yield maximum results. Some common advertising networks in this regard are SXM Media, Megaphone, and more.
Paid or Premium Subscription
If you've been doing podcasting for quite some time and have earned a huge fan base, it's time to go for a premium subscription. Typically, a paid subscription means your loyal customers will now have to pay a small fee to see exclusive content. For instance, you can provide your premium subscribers with ad-free content or early access to new podcasts. This makes viewers feel valued as they unlock the added perks while you also generate a steady income stream.
Affiliate Sales
Affiliate sales, as the name suggests, involve promoting products and services of different brands and earning a commission for each purchase. In this, you get a unique affiliate link from brands that you can post in your podcast caption and encourage your podcast listeners to purchase. Every time someone buys from that particular brand using your affiliate link, you’ll receive a commission for it. In this regard, Audible is a great platform that provides podcasters with an affiliate program. So, whenever someone makes a purchase through that link, you can earn $15. Remember that at the start, the affiliate income may be a little lower, but as your audience and number of purchases grow, it can become a high-income stream.
Turn your podcast episodes to short-form videos with AI
Repurpose your podcast episodes and make them ready for TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels in minutes
Book Sales
Are you a podcaster with a knack for writing? Well, that's good news, as you can combine your author and podcasting skills to generate consistent income. How? Write a niche-specific book that resonates with your podcast's theme and highlights your expertise. The book can explore the topics you discuss on your podcast, providing additional value to the audience so they invest in your book and drive sales. A good example of this is comedian Deborah Frances-White, who adapted her unscripted panel podcast, The Guilty Feminist, into a book discussing what it means to be a 21st-century feminist.
Live Events
While it's not very popular, running live events can also provide you with good income. You can set up live recordings, interviews, or panel discussions in front of a live audience and charge an admission fee for each entry contributing to your revenue. In addition, you can request tips or donations from your audience to support your podcast during the event.
Top Highest Paid Podcasters
Once in a while some big podcasts pop up and explode in popularity. Naturally, with such high numbers it is possible to achieve high revenue leveraging all the aforementioned channels. Here are some of the highest paid podcasters currently:
Joe Rogan
Joe Rogan is a popular American actor, comedian, and podcaster. He started his podcast with his friend and fellow comedian Brian Redban in 2009, discussing topics ranging from politics and philosophy to comedy.
So, if you have been listening to The Joe Rogan Experience for some time, you must be wondering how much do podcasters make. Joe Rogan has 14.5 million followers and generates an annual income of around $30 million from his podcasts alone.
Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark
Another pair of the top-paid podcasters on the list is Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Both are American comedians who started their podcast channel in 2016 under the name My Favourite Murder.
They cover true crime comedy topics, capturing the interest of people who want something different. Their empire is also quickly growing, as they have 35 million downloads a month. Their high-quality content contributes to their impressive yearly earnings of $15 million.
Bill Simmons
Bill Simmons, or you can say William John Simmons III, is an American sportswriter, cultural critic, and an incredible podcaster. He began his podcasting career on May 8, 2007, and the podcast was named Eye of the Sportsguy. However, today, he runs his own podcast called The Bill Simmons Podcast, which revolves around sports topics.
He has a very loyal fan base that supports him in monetizing his podcast. So, how much do podcasters make? Bill Simmons earns a whopping $7 million annually, and his podcast is among the top 25 podcasts on Apple.
Podcasting Can Be Sustainable
Podcasts are a fantastic way to share your ideas with the world and turn them into income. However, the answer to how much do podcasters make varies depending on factors like the CPM, number of downloads, and your overall presence on social media. It is possible to live off of podcasting but it might take a long time to amass a big enough audience that lets you do so. If you are looking to start podcasting and want to grow your audience you should share your podcast on different social media platforms to leverage their wide user base. Framedrop is the solution for that since it detects podcast's highlights through AI and quickly turns them into viral TikToks, Reels and Shorts automatically saving you a bunch of time.
Turn your podcast episodes to short-form videos with AI
Repurpose your podcast episodes and make them ready for TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels in minutes
FAQ
The amount of money you can make from a podcast varies widely and depends on several factors, including the size of your audience, the niche you are in, the monetization strategies you employ, and the overall engagement of your listeners. Here are some common ways podcasters make money:
- Sponsorships and Ads: Many podcasters earn money through sponsorships and advertising. Sponsors pay to have their products or services promoted on the podcast. The rates typically depend on the number of downloads per episode, with common rates ranging from $18 to $50 per 1,000 downloads (CPM). Established podcasts with large audiences can earn significant income this way.
- Listener Donations and Crowdfunding: Platforms like Patreon allow listeners to support podcasts directly. Podcasters often offer exclusive content or perks to subscribers. The income from this method varies but can be substantial if you have a loyal fanbase.
- Merchandising: Selling branded merchandise such as T-shirts, mugs, and other products can provide an additional revenue stream.
- Affiliate Marketing: Podcasters promote products or services and earn a commission on any sales made through their referral links.
- Premium Content: Offering premium episodes, ad-free versions, or bonus content for a fee can also generate income.
- Live Shows and Events: Some podcasters earn money by hosting live shows, workshops, or speaking engagements.
Successful podcasters can make anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per month. Top podcasters, particularly those with large and engaged audiences, can earn six or even seven figures annually through a combination of these revenue streams.
As of recent reports, the highest paid podcaster is Joe Rogan. His podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience," became extremely popular, leading to a groundbreaking deal with Spotify in 2020. The exclusive licensing agreement with Spotify was reportedly worth $100 million, though some estimates suggest it could be even higher. This deal includes not just the podcast episodes but also the video versions of the shows and the back catalog. Joe Rogan's success has set a new benchmark in the podcasting industry, making him the highest paid podcaster to date.
Spotify doesn't directly offer payment to podcasters. However, it provides different monetization options, including ad integration and subscription-based content, so that you can generate income through your podcasts.
Yes! You can upload your podcasts on YouTube to increase your reach and attract a large audience. Google Podcasts has also been integrated to YouTube Music so Youtube's podcast support is only increasing. Additionally, you can use tools like Framedrop.ai to convert your podcast into top-quality video content and post it on YouTube to tap into the massive user base.
Apple offers podcasters an Apple Podcasters Program that allows you to enable paid subscriptions to your content. You can then receive 70% of the subscription price at every billing cycle, deducting all applicable taxes.