🤔 How many downloads do you REALLY need to get sponsors?

Busting the “10k downloads for monetization” myth

Let’s start with an ice breaker: How many downloads/impressions/plays does your podcast get in a 30 day period?

If you’re hitting 5-figures… congratulations! You did it! Go find your bliss and bask in the riches of the CPM model of advertising! (but also keep reading if you want more options 😉 )

If not, then have I got AMAZING news for you… you don’t NEED that many downloads to be able to get paid to make your podcast!

Before we get any further, I should probably introduce myself.

Hi! ✨ I’m Anne Baird—resident Super Listener, organizer of chaos, and keeper of the money at Tink. I’ve also been known to dabble in newsletter writing, and spend any and all free time running around in fields of horses.

I hear from creators and podcasters on an almost daily basis that they want to grow their shows with the goal of monetization, and so many times that line is immediately followed up with:

“I know I need to get 10,000 downloads to do that—”

But they don’t! There’s a better world out there, and everyone deserves to be compensated fairly for their work.

So let’s dive into what that might look like for you, and get you paid!

If you only have time for one thing:

Did you know that if you’re getting more than 27 downloads on your podcast episodes within the first 7 days of release, you’re probably in the top 50% of podcasts? According to Buzzsprout, only the top 1% of podcasts on their platform get more than 4,000 downloads in 7 days. Where do you fall on that scale?

👂 Get paid directly by your listeners!

Membership Platforms

From the beginning, with just one listener, you can set up your own monetization structure with platforms like Patreon, Memberful, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions, Buy Me A Coffee, and Ko-Fi. Some podcast hosts like Captivate (my personal favorite) and Pinecast (a great low-cost option for creators with multiple podcasts) also have the option to turn on one-time or monthly support directly through your RSS feed.

At the lowest level, you can ask your audience to support you just because they enjoy your content and want to help you make more. If you want

You can learn more about membership platforms in this issue of PMM written by Shreya, with input from yours truly!

Merchandise

If there’s one thing I know a podcast listener loves, it’s podcast merch… specifically stickers, if I’m being honest. Cheap to order in bulk, small enough to store, and easy bonus marketing for your podcast! I’ve also seen creators have success with selling shirts, hats, and patches, and even more unique things specific to a podcast like plush toys, enamel pins, and dice.

A lot of membership platforms are starting to add in print-on-demand services for merchandise now too, so if you’re already using something like Patreon you can easily give your audience options to physically display their love of your podcast while also giving you a bit of money in your pocket.

(Psst… if you’ll be attending Podcast Movement next week, make sure you find me, Holly, or Lauren and get some Tink stickers from us! We’ll be handing them out for free! ✨)

🤝 Sign up for some affiliate codes!

Do you have a really engaged audience? Do you think they would be likely to buy something based on your recommendation?

Many of the ads you hear on podcasts aren’t as straightforward as the advertiser giving money directly to the host of that show to talk them up—they start with the creator signing up with that product/service and getting a unique code to share with their listeners that sometimes also includes a discount! (“Use promo code ‘TINK20’ when you sign up for 20% off your first order.”) This is a great option for creators who don’t feel like they’re ready to reach out to Serious Sponsors, but want to seem more legitimate to their audience and make a bit of money along the way.

When a listener buys something using that code, the creator usually gets a kickback of some percentage of the purchase. It’s a win-win-win scenario! The listener gets a product, the advertiser gets a sale, the creator gets a piece of the pie!

📊 Source your own sponsors!

Okay, this is the big one, so I saved the best for last:

The main reason people say that you need x amount of downloads to monetize is because that is what networks need for their CPM model for ad sales. They have deals with advertisers and sponsors already and need to sell ad space to x amount of listeners, so most networks will not touch your show without solid proof that they will get a return on their “investment” in you.

If you can prove that you have engagement with your podcast, with your social media, with your digital presence, etc. you can be pitching yourself for your own sponsorships.

When you seek out your own sponsors, think of brands that are aligned with your podcast. Think about products and services that you already use and know and love. Do your research, find out the best way to contact them. And pitch your podcast as a great place for them to advertise.

By doing this, you set your own prices—you know the value of your audience better than anyone else and what they would want. You already sell your show to your audience by making something they like, so you’re already half way to being able to sell your show to a sponsor.

Our team goes into more detail on creating a pitch deck and the top 5 things to know before pitching a sponsor in the PMM catalogue, so make sure you check those out!

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✨ More Magic

• Will we see you next week at Podcast Movement? Here’s what Team Tink will be up to if you want to come see our talks!:

  • What Does Social Media Do For Your Audience, Anyway? (Lauren, Holly, Elosi [Jade Media])

    • Tuesday, August 19th at 9 AM

  • The Busy Podcaster's Growth Playbook (Lauren, Odile)

    • Tuesday, August 19th, at 1 PM

  • Podcast Marketing 101: Organic & Paid Plays to Grow Your Show (Lauren, Allyson Marino [Moonbug], Quincy de Vries [Quill & CoHost])

    • Tuesday, August 19th, at 2:30 PM

  • Rapid Fire: The Best Podcast Growth Tips (Lauren and Arielle) - KEYNOTE

    • Wednesday, August 20th, at 11:45 AM

  • Starting Small with Podcast Visuals (Anne)

    • Thursday, August 21st, at 11:30 AM

• Lauren’s upcoming Radio Bootcamp is THE podcast marketing crash course you need if you’re here reading PMM!

• Vote for Lauren to speak at SXSW!

🎧 From the Desk of Tink

ANOTHER fucking horror podcast? Yes — in fact, Another Fucking Horror Podcast! We’re obsessed with the bestie vibes on this podcast on all things spooky, supernatural, and nightmarish. If you’re a horror freak like Tinskter Wil, or someone who just loves best friends talking about what makes them feral together, Another Fucking Horror Podcast is a great listen. And we love when a podcast just uses the whole fuck word in their title.

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Horse horse horse horse horse! (This is Editor Wil doing their best Tinkster Anne impression. 🐴) Next week, we’re back with some more podcast marketing magic. ✨

— Anne 🐎