6 Tips to Make Money Online With Podcasts

It seems like anybody with something to say is on the internet. Today, more than ever before, it has become so simple to share ideas, exchange information, conduct discussions and debates and learn and teach. Leading the pack are podcasts- the word is derived from the iPod and broadcast- and to call them widespread would be to state the obvious.

A podcast is a digital presentation and consists of all sorts of files- video and audio, ePub, PDF etc. You can access, listen to or download a podcast from the internet. Apart from this, podcasts can also be enjoyed on a media player. Thus the uses of podcasts are widespread. Your blog could have a podcast for visitors to understand your vision, companies have podcasts to share news and development and introduce new products. Most podcasts are free and they have become almost mandatory in the websites of companies and organizations. There’s nothing quite like face to face interaction, which is what a podcast does. Thus, it becomes a link between you and your audience and can go a long way in building a firm rapport.

Here are a few points to keep in mind to ensure that your podcast brings in revenue and goodwill.

Content is key

Don’t do anything before doing this first. There must be clarity of thought that will, in turn, lead to clarity of communication. Be clear on what you want to say and write clean, great copy. Remember that a favorable first impression will go a long way in garnering followers. Make sure your content is easy to follow and appeals to all members of the audience.

Image Source: Pixabay

Practice

Don’t go live in the first instance itself. Make sure you take the time to get better at podcasting before you go for the primetime. It is better to make your mistakes in private and rectify them than to regret them once a whole lot of people have already seen it. Get comfortable with the technology and file types, do a couple of dry runs and then introduce the world to your podcasts.

Don’t offer it free

You might think this is a good way to get viewers to notice your work but it can also backfire when you ask them to pay for what was free once. Offer them a teaser or a trailer at first, if the aim is to create interest in their minds. You may even offer discounted prices but do think about monetizing from the outset itself.

Ask around

You could email your listeners asking them for answers and based on what you hear from them, you can decide on pricing accordingly.Most listeners will take the time to answer questions if they’ve liked your product so think about all parameters and frame questions. This can be a valuable exercise in deciding on costs.

Donations

Most people will not hesitate to pay for quality. As long as a great product is at the end of the deal, you could solicit donations and see people respond favorably.

Make it beautiful

Once you’ve established yourself as a serious podcaster and there’s enough and more demand for what you have to say, consider packaging your content in book or DVD form. This leaves a new avenue to explore and in the case of DVDs and CDs, it is very simple to package content. Alternately, you can think of a library with paid access.

There’s a lot you can do to make money out of your podcasts. Make sure what you promise is what you deliver as well.