Podcasts – Printify

How do podcasts make money? 10 Effective methods

Zane Bratuskina — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:48:00 +0000

Podcasts are becoming a mainstream form of entertainment, with 23.5% of all internet users tuning in regularly.

Thanks to their growing popularity and easy access to quality production tools, starting your own podcast and making money from it is more achievable than ever.

But how do podcasts make money? Whether you’re looking to start a podcast independently or under a network, we’ll explore ten effective ways to make money podcasting.

Disclaimer

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through those links. This comes at no additional cost to you.

Key takeaways

Maximize income by combining various monetization methods. These include selling custom merchandise, leveraging affiliate marketing, offering memberships with an annual or monthly subscription, and securing sponsorships.
Print-on-demand services, like Printify, help creators make money podcasting by selling branded podcast merchandise. With no upfront costs or inventory management, it offers a low-risk income stream.
Earn commissions through affiliate marketing or secure sponsorships based on CPM, with typical earnings of $20 per 1,000 downloads or listens.
Use platforms like Luminary, Spotify, Google, and Apple Podcasts to earn via subscriptions, ads, and premium content, generating stable income.
Host live events, license your content to others, or offer services and digital products to further monetize your podcast and engage with your audience.

How to make money with podcasts

Podcast listeners are some of the most active internet users, which creates a great opportunity to make money podcasting.

Many integrate ad-reads, paid sponsorships, merchandise, or product promotions throughout their show. A podcast host may also offer paid subscriptions, do crowdfunding, or join a podcast advertising network to generate revenue from multiple streams.

Let’s take a closer look at how do people make money from podcasts.

1. Sell custom merchandise

Selling podcast merchandise like t-shirts is one of the best ways how to make money with a podcast. It yields the great results if you have an established, loyal audience and pair merch sales with other monetization methods.

To reduce risks, use Print on Demand (POD). It requires no upfront investment or inventory management. Services like Printify will print your custom products when a podcast listener orders, so you only pay when you sell.

We offer over 1000high-quality products, free design tools, and seamless integrations with platforms like Shopify, TikTok, Etsy, and WooCommerce. With 24/7 support, automated shipping, and top-notch print results, you can quickly start selling branded merch without hassle.

2. Affiliate marketing

Another way to make money with a podcast is through affiliate sales. Join an affiliate marketing program to receive a unique link and track how listeners interact with it.

Once a listener clicks on your custom URL and completes an action, you receive a commission. Affiliate product purchases are one of the best ways on how to monetize a podcast, even when you’re just starting out.

Successful affiliate podcasters earn money through skillful engagement, so integrate these ads in a way that persuades your dedicated audience – but make sure to disclose affiliate links.

If your target listeners are budding entrepreneurs and business owners, check out the Printify Affiliate Program. Promo codes are available upon request, giving your listeners a better deal.

How much do podcasters make via this affiliate program? You’ll receive a 5% commission over a 12-month period. On average, an active Printify affiliate earns $1,000 per month – but with no earnings cap, there’s no limit to how much money you’ll make.

Make it happen today!

Start selling

3. Offer memberships

Around 13% of podcast listeners have paid access to a podcast, making memberships a great way to make money. Give listeners exclusive features like early episode access or bonus content, and offer pledge tiers at different price points as a one-time or monthly fee.

Popular platforms like Patreon and Memberful offer easy membership setups with various payment gateways and perks. Memberful also supports RSS feed integrations and custom plans with branding and analytics options.

For a self-hosted membership platform, use a high-quality content management system like WordPress. Open-source plugins make it possible to integrate payment and podcast functionality in one place. To ease the process, consider hiring a freelance website designer from platforms like Fiverr or Upwork.

4. Sell services or digital products

Expand your income streams by offering additional media or services that supplement or dive deeper into your podcast content.

Here are a few options:

Online courses: Create virtual lessons or host workshops that offer valuable insights and educate listeners to build a loyal audience. Platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, Coursera, and Thinkific are great options for publishing paid content.
Services: Offer services like public speaking, editing, freelance writing, or podcast consulting. Guest host or appear in other media to reach a sizable audience.
Digital products: Create products like books, YouTube videos, or music related to your podcast. These digital assets attract more listeners and generate income. Promote them in your podcast feed, descriptions, newsletters, and on-air mentions.

5. Receive donations and tips

Receiving tips and donations is one way to earn money from podcast work and have multiple revenue streams. Expressing gratitude to listeners is crucial to supporting your crowdfunding efforts.

Do this by improving your quality of work and maintaining exclusively free content. Limit on-air ads, increase your audio budget, and deliver value to the community.

Make money with podcast donations by connecting your platform to gateways like PayPal and Venmo. Provide direct links to your online wallet and integrate donation buttons in email lists, newsletters, media posts, and descriptions.

Make it happen today!

Start selling

6. Sponsorships

Sponsorships pay based on cost per mille (CPM), with sponsors paying for every 1,000 impressions. For new podcasters, a typical CPM is around $20 per 1,000 views, though this varies depending on your audience and niche.

As part of your podcast monetization strategy, use relevant keywords to search for businesses within your niche. Explore podcast marketplaces like Podcorn to connect with potential sponsors and prepare a content summary, trailer, and podcast analytics before sending offers.

Research competitors to see which sponsors they use, as these businesses may be interested in partnering with more podcasters. A few companies known to sponsor podcast ads include HelloFresh, The Great Courses Plus, and Casper Mattress.

7. Podcast advertising networks

If you have a successful podcast and an established audience, learn how to make money from podcast advertising networks. These ad agencies connect advertisers with podcasters by analyzing similar brand identities and shared market audiences to create optimized ad campaigns that fit both parties.

Some of these networks also ease your workload by offering custom advertising strategies and consulting services, potentially making you more money.

Check out these exclusive platforms that have great advertising potential:

SXM Media is an advertising powerhouse with celebrity-hosted shows like The Mel Robbins Podcast and Pod Save America. It’s well-known in the podcasting scene and provides its own host-read ads.
Megaphone is a Spotify subsidiary that offers ad integrations and analytic insights. The platform hosts shows such as The Rewatchables and Today Explained, among other entertainment-focused podcasts.
Authentic prides itself on having more brands in podcasting than any other agency. It has more than a decade of experience in top-quality premium content. The platform hosts famous shows like Girls Gotta Eat and The Daily.

8. Monetize with podcast platforms

Consider monetizing with podcast hosting platforms like Luminary. It’s a subscription-based solution that focuses on exclusive content and high-quality production. Creators earn an upfront payment and a share of the platform’s revenue, gaining stable income from podcast subscriptions and ad-free shows.

Other podcast directories like Google Podcasts and Spotify offer multiple ways to earn through sponsorships, ads, and a revenue-share model. At Spotify, creators can charge for podcasts and keep the earnings after transaction fees, typically $20 per 1,000 episode downloads.

Tip

Create podcast merch or find sponsorships to increase your income even further.

Apple Podcasts is another great option with a large audience and multiple monetization routes. After paying an annual fee, you receive 70% of subscription earnings, which increases to 85% after a year. Plus, you keep 100% of any advertising revenue.

9. Host live events

Hosting events is an exciting way to engage directly with your podcast audience while making money in the process. Live shows, Q&A sessions, or even interactive workshops build a deeper connection with your listeners.

Charge for entry, offer VIP packages with exclusive perks, or even bundle event access with other premium content. The key is to provide an experience that goes beyond the typical podcast episode, whether with live performances, behind-the-scenes insights, or networking opportunities.

Platforms like Eventbrite and Ticketmaster make it easy to sell tickets, while a streaming service like Zoom, Crowdcast, or YouTube Live supports virtual events that reach a global audience.

Events also facilitate additional podcast revenue streams, such as branded merchandise and affiliate sales. You could even secure event sponsorships, providing another way to monetize your podcast.

10. License content to others

Licensing your popular podcast content is a fantastic way to generate passive income while expanding your reach. You’ll earn royalties and exposure by letting other media platforms or content creators use your podcast episodes, sound bites, or audio clips.

Platforms, radio stations, or even production studios may seek to license content for repurposing on different channels. For example, a media company might feature segments of your podcast in their shows.

Make sure to understand the royalty payment structure and terms of licensing agreements, including whether the usage is exclusive or non-exclusive.

By leveraging the value of your existing content, licensing can become a reliable revenue source as your podcast grows in popularity.

When to start monetizing your podcast

We recommend creators monetize sooner rather than later, regardless of how many listeners they have or the number of new episodes planned.

Here’s a quick cheat sheet on when you should start implementing podcast monetization methods:

Sponsorships. When you have around 1,000 listeners, look for sponsorships or advertisers since you’ll be paid based on a CPM rate.
Merchandise. As soon as you have regular listeners. Use a marketing channel like social media to analyze audience engagement. Design POD products at any time without upfront costs or inventory.
Affiliate program. Once you have a clear niche and around 1,000 impressions per episode.
Memberships. When your traffic remains consistent over multiple episodes or shows a constant growth rate, start offering paid membership tiers.
Donations. This is possible anytime. Develop a transparent budget plan and advertise your donation page at the beginning or end of an episode.

When you start a podcast, it’s unlikely you’ll make money podcasting immediately. To speed up your chances, upload the first couple of episodes in larger batches to give your target audience a sense of the podcast’s quality.

After that, stick to a consistent schedule to grow a dedicated audience and expand revenue streams.

Turn your podcast into profit with Printify

With Print on Demand, you’ll never have to worry about upfront costs or managing inventory.

Sign up

Create a free Printify account to access our global network of Print Providers.

Choose products that match your podcast

Browse our Catalog of over 1,300 popular, customizable products. Pick the ones that align with your podcast’s theme and audience.

Add your designs

Upload your logo, artwork, or memorable podcast quotes to create unique merchandise that your fans will go wild for.

Sell while we do the rest

List your products on sites like Etsy, Shopify, or even your own website. Once an order comes in, our Print Providers will handle the printing and shipping while you work on promoting your store and creating your next big episode.

FAQ

How do podcasts make money if they are free?

Wondering how do you make money from a podcast if it is free? Through various methods like sponsorships, affiliate marketing, selling merchandise, offering memberships or premium content, and ad revenue from advertising networks.

Donations, live broadcasting, and licensing content are additional ways podcasters generate income, even with a free-to-listen model.

Who is the highest-paid podcaster?

The Joe Rogan Experience is considered the highest-paid podcast. His newest deal with Spotify is estimated to be worth $250 million.

This deal, combined with sponsorships and other income sources, makes Rogan the top earner in the podcast industry.

How much does it cost to start a podcast?

Starting a podcast can range from $100 to $500, depending on equipment and software. Basic costs include a good-quality microphone ($50-$200), headphones ($50), recording and editing software (often free or low-cost), and podcast hosting services ($10-$50 per month).

Additional investments for better equipment, professional editing, and marketing may raise costs as your podcast grows.

Make money from your podcast: Wrapping up

In this article, you’ve learned how to monetize your podcast through a range of techniques. The most successful podcasts leverage various strategies to appeal to their audience and reach financial goals.

Whether podcasting is your main focus or a side hustle, advance your journey with custom merch, bonus episodes, early access, an online course, donations, and sponsorships or ads. Start getting paid for your next audio masterpiece and join the ranks of podcast stardom.

Make it your way!

Start selling

The post How do podcasts make money? 10 Effective methods appeared first on Printify.

Analyzing podcasts: Podcast merch ideas to grow your show

Baiba Blain — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 22:54:49 +0000

The popularity of podcasts has grown exponentially since the pandemic – 52% of all internet users listen to them.

The diverse selection of podcast genres is a huge factor in this incredible market growth. With over 43 million episodes, anyone can find a niche topic to spend hours listening to.

Do you have a growing podcast? Are you looking for a straightforward method to monetize your popularity?

This article breaks down how to make podcast merch work for different audiences and gives you a bunch of podcast merch ideas for finding merchandise that sells.

Why is it worth selling podcast merch?

There are over two million unique individual podcasts, but in this growing market, only 14% earn income from selling merchandise related to their show.

While 54% of podcasts earn income from selling on-air sponsorships, merch is currently an under-utilized strategy for podcasters to make money.

When fans love a successful podcast, you might see a demand for company merch that shows affection for their favorite audio shows. Offering high-quality products at an affordable price can open up an entirely new revenue stream.

One of the biggest benefits of podcast merch is that once you set up a podcast-merch store, it doesn’t require much maintenance. If you choose to become a merch maker, your revenue can grow with your audience without extra work.

Simply create a Printify account, start designing podcast merch, and instantly publish it to your store. With over 850 fully customizable high-quality products, we have the widest range of print-on-demand merch on the market.

Our automated order production quickly gets your merch from checkout to your customer’s door. With no minimum order, you don’t need to buy products in bulk and fill your spare room or garage with boxes.

Build a relationship with your listeners

Podcasts can create a community of loyal fans. The way listeners consume podcasts gives you a unique opportunity to build trust and connect with them on a deeper level.

Your audience chooses to listen to you – it’s a fantastic opportunity to build an experience that’s more special than other forms of media.

Use podcast merch to grow your community by including them in the culture you’re creating. Besides, fans love supporting the content they love by donating money or buying merch.

Podcast merchandise allows them to identify as part of a group and feel closer to the creator, cause, and each other.

Start selling podcast merch with Printify!

Start Selling

Create podcast merch based on popularity

There’s no limit to what you can offer as podcast merch – from classics, like t-shirts and mugs, to new products, like phone cases with your podcast logo. Choose something that fits your show, and include a design that makes people feel like they’re in the know.

Apparel

T-shirts

Looking for t-shirts to make unique with your beautiful design? Our t-shirts are a leader in YouTuber-merch sales. The best-selling 100% cotton Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve t-shirt makes for durable and comfortable podcast merchandise. Plus, its beautiful quality ensures your listeners will wear it for years.

Hoodies

Our leader in TikToker’s merch is also perfect for podcaster merch – hoodies are loved by creators and listeners alike. We have a wide range of hoodie styles that sell and promote podcasts.

The specialty spun fibers of the best-selling Unisex Heavy Blend Hooded Sweatshirt are a thick blend of cotton and polyester. This makes for a very strong and smooth fabric, perfect for transforming your podcast quotes into a print your fans will love.

Sweatshirts

Ideal for promoting your podcast, our range of print-on-demand sweatshirts is ready for your fresh podcast-merch design. Our best-selling Unisex Heavy Blend Crewneck Sweatshirt comes in a medium-heavy fabric perfect for making best-selling merchandise.

Bottles, cups and mugs

Bottles

The global reusable water bottle market is forecast for consistent, rapid growth and to be worth over $1 billion by 2030. As your audience moves away from disposable plastic, create merchandise that can help save the planet. Our bottles are perfect for keeping people hydrated at the gym, at work, on vacation, or during long commutes while listening to your newest podcast episode.

Cups

Our cups are the ideal podcast merch for happy fans to enjoy their favorite beverage while tuning into your podcast. Available with double-wall insulation that keeps drinks cold for 24 hours or hot for 12.

Our latest printing techniques provide crisp and fresh colors. It’s a great way to promote your podcast with fun merchandise your audience will love.

Mugs

Mugs are a podcast merch classic. Easily create limited-edition custom merch in minutes and add your podcast logo using Printify’s free Product Creator (formerly known as Mockup Generator).

Our customizable mugs are available in various materials and styles – from heat-reactive magic mugs to suave ceramic steins. Start creating an on-brand mug that will sell in your merch store today.

Accessories

Phone cases

Demand across the global mobile phone accessories market will likely grow from $254.5 billion in 2020 to $413.2 billion in 2030. Dynamic new designs for phone cases are a key factor in this forecast growth.

Shoppers are keen to search for the latest trends and personalize their style with eye-catching designs. Listing our custom iPhone and Android device cases is the perfect way to promote your podcast and sell merchandise.

Stickers

Looking for classic stickers to customize with your podcast logo? Our selection of custom stickers provides the perfect podcast swag for your listeners to purchase. The popular die-cut stickers are made from water-resistant vinyl and are great for both indoor and outdoor use.

Add your podcast merch design, witty quotes, or inside jokes, and create custom podcast merchandise to sell without a tiresome design process. Our printing techniques will ensure a clean and fresh finish, while a UV-protective laminate layer will protect your podcast merchandise from the elements.

Keyrings

Keyrings are ideal for anyone with a set of keys. So everyone. Our range of keyrings is podcast merchandise that’s easy to design, and your customers will love having them with them every day. Pick your favorite from a classic keyring tag, a custom rectangle photo keyring, or a classy Saffiano leather cardholder.

Wallets

Our customizable wallets are the perfect podcast merchandise for anyone looking to create a sleek product their listeners will enjoy every day. Pick a fun print that will sell and make unique podcast swag. Promote your podcast by creating a unique product with your beautiful designs.

Podcast merch ideas for different topics

There are many potential podcast-merchandise options that fit any podcast niche. Each podcast episode topic or the overall theme of your show can have a range of custom items. Take Pride merch as a good example.

Check out these other examples of podcast-merchandise products broken down by podcast topics.

Sport, health & fitness podcasts

Joggers

Ideal for running marathons, morning jogs, or just chilling at home on the sofa. Active athletes and lazy loungewear heads love our joggers. The 80% ringspun cotton and 20% polyester of our Premium Fleece Joggers guarantee a strong, comfy fabric. Perfect for printing designs your listeners can fall in love with.

Leggings

Looking for leggings to make unique with your beautiful design? Our leggings are perfect for those with a listener base dedicated to fitness. Our leggings are completely customizable and ready for your unique podcast designs. The latest all-over-print techniques create custom fitness apparel your listeners will want to wear daily.

Jerseys

Have you ever wanted to design a custom baseball jersey? Our range of jerseys is ready for you to create podcast merch in minutes, skipping a time-consuming design process.

The global market for baseball jerseys is forecast to reach over $614 million by 2033. Since baseball is America’s second most popular sport, cash in and add a custom baseball jersey to your sports podcast merchandise today.

Board shorts

Summer is always around the corner, and who doesn’t love something fresh to wear on the beach? Our board shorts are made from a durable, light polyester fabric that quickly dries in the sun. Ready for an all-over print, show off the most eye-catching designs in picture-perfect quality.

Yoga mats

Ideal for adding a fresh style to your customers’ yoga sessions, our custom-print yoga mats are ready for your unique designs. Help your customers get their yoga routine in with a yoga mat they’ll love and want to roll out daily.

Towels

Don’t forget to bring a towel! Ideal for the beach, gym, or everyday use at home, our custom towels are loved by beach bums and gym goers alike. Our standard beach towels are made from smooth 100% polyester that dries quickly. Print your podcast logo on one side and create an everyday essential your listeners will love.

Pet-themed podcasts

Pet beds

Looking for a classic pet podcast merch idea? Our custom pet beds have a printable polyester-fleece exterior on one side, a dark brown, zipped back, and a comfy pillow insert. Create podcast merch where your listener’s pets can rest happily.

Pet bandanas

Check out our pet bandana range to create unique podcast merch for your business. Our pet bandanas are made from 100% polyester that’s durable and dries quickly, and won’t irritate your listener’s pet’s skin. Add your podcast logo to create a unique design today.

Pet bowls

Ideal for pet-themed podcasts, our custom pet bowls are loved by pets and owners alike. Microwave and dishwasher safe, these solid ceramic bowls have a glazed finish and easy-to-clean. Design podcast merch that sells by adding your design to the front.

Pet tags

Pet tags can be the next merchandise idea for your pet podcasting business. Add your custom print to both sides of the solid metal disk. The base color is white, providing a solid base for your unique podcast-merch designs.

Pet mats

Looking for a merch idea to build your pet-themed podcasting business? Our pet mats can help your listeners minimize the mess during dinner, every pet’s favorite time of the day. Simply add your custom podcast merchandise design to create a pet-parent favorite.

Gaming Podcasts

Gaming mouse pad

Ideal for working, browsing, or an all-night gaming session, our gaming mouses are ready to become your perfect gamer merch. Printable on one side and with a steady rubber base that’ll grip. All you need is to add your gaming design idea and start selling.

LED gaming mouse pad

Check out the LED Gaming Mouse Pad to create product merch your gaming podcast listeners will love. The RGB LED light strip is powered by a detachable USB connector. The latest print techniques will bring your unique designs to life for your fans to enjoy every gaming sesh.

Laptop sleeves

Looking for gaming podcast merch your audience will take everywhere? Our laptop sleeves are perfect for work, traveling, and gaming out and about. Available in various sizes, the foam padding protects laptops from any knocks and scrapes. Add your unique design and make a bestseller today.

Set no limitations when it comes to merch ideas

If you’re ever in doubt about selling podcast merch, consider all the other merch niches. Football, NFT merch, and even influencer merch have customers throwing money at them.

Any podcast, from feminist theory to music to true-crime chats, can decide to start making money by selling podcast merchandise that fans love instantly.

Merchandise can range from posters to tote bags or stickers. As long as the merch fits the brand and there is demand from listeners, you can mention and promote different merch ideas and turn your podcast into a business.

Conclusion

With Printify’s dropshipping model, you can make your own podcast merchandise and publish it to your website in seconds. We manage the automated order production and ship your orders directly to your end customer.

All our Print Providers are print-on-demand suppliers who fulfill orders as they come in. That means there is no minimum order size and no need to pile your house full of t-shirt boxes.

We also offer bulk order discounts if you want to save on large orders.

Browse over 850 fully customizable high-quality products and use this quick breakdown of popular podcast-merchandise ideas to get you started.

Make it happen today!

Start Selling

The post Analyzing podcasts: Podcast merch ideas to grow your show appeared first on Printify.