How to Earn Money from Podcast Sponsorships

Monetizing your podcast is important if you want to turn your passion project into a sustainable source of income. Sponsorships are a popular way to do this, as they allow you to earn money while keeping your content free for listeners. By partnering with companies that share your podcast's niche and values, you can provide value to your audience while generating revenue. Plus, working with established brands can boost your podcast's credibility and potentially lead to long-term partnerships.

Compared to other methods like crowdfunding or merchandise sales, sponsorships tend to generate more revenue because sponsors are willing to pay a premium to reach your engaged and targeted audience. They are also less intrusive to your audience, allowing you to maintain engagement with your listeners. This is because you can create custom segments that seamlessly work within the brand of your show, eliminating the need for traditional boring and salesy ads. Moreover, sponsorships do not usually require you to ask your audience for money.

Understand your podcast audience and find a good sponsor fit

Prior to pitching to potential sponsors, it is essential to conduct research to find companies that are aligned with your podcast's audience and subject matter. To do this, it is important to understand your audience's needs, wants, and desires and then search for companies that provide products or services that would interest your listeners. For instance, if your podcast is centered on health and wellness, consider approaching companies that sell supplements or natural health products. When seeking potential sponsors, begin by creating a list of brands that match your podcast's niche and values. Creating a list, such as on Google sheets, right from the start, will help you manage your leads more efficiently, keeping track of which ones you have yet to contact, which require follow-up, and which ones you have either successfully converted or that have denied your proposal.

LinkedIn offers several benefits over Google when searching for sponsorship leads. LinkedIn is a professional social network, primarily designed for business networking, and allows you to refine your search results based on several criteria such as industry, company size, and job title, making it easier to locate the exact types of brands you are looking for. It might also be a good idea to target brands that are already interested in sponsoring podcasts if you want to narrow down your search. You can look for podcasts in your niche and take note of the sponsors who are already working with them. This can provide you with an idea of which brands are open to podcast sponsorships and which ones are suitable for your audience.

If you feel that the process of finding sponsors for your podcast is too time-consuming, there is always the option of seeking out a sponsorship network. These networks, such as Podcorn, Midroll, and AdvertiseCast, can facilitate the contact between podcasters and sponsors. To become a part of these networks, you usually have to go through an application process, and may need to meet specific criteria such as having a certain number of downloads or a specific audience size. By joining one of these networks, you can gain access to a pool of potential sponsors who are already interested in advertising on podcasts, making it easier to close partnerships.

Sell your podcast sponsorship

To increase your chances of selling podcast sponsorships, it's a good practice to prepare a pitch deck with media kit beforehand. This short presentation should include key information that could persuade potential leads to sponsor your podcast. By having all the important details and sales arguments in one document, it becomes easier to pitch and share with brands and other potential leads.

To make your pitch deck more compelling, consider hiring a skilled designer to ensure it aligns with your brand and podcast's brand identity. A visually appealing pitch deck will communicate to your leads that you are serious about your brand and podcast and committed to delivering high-quality content.

How to make your podcast sponsorship pitch deck

1. Include basic information about your podcast When creating your podcast sponsorship pitch deck, make sure to include the name of your podcast and cover art. Additionally, include an "about me" section that provides basic information about your podcast, including the hosts' names, the season you're in, and your subject matter.

2. Provide information about your podcast audience To help potential sponsors understand your audience, provide information about your listeners' demographics, such as their average number of downloads, location, age, and gender. You can typically find this information on your podcast hosting site or by using a platform like Spotify, which provides listener demographics on their dashboard.

3. Include social proof Using social proof such as positive reviews, emails, tweets, or other feedback from your listeners and endorsements from previous sponsors can be a great way to persuade potential new sponsors that your podcast is a valuable investment. Be sure to incorporate any positive feedback you have received in your sponsorship proposal to highlight your credibility.

4. Determine pricing for your podcast sponsorship Deciding how to price your podcast can be challenging, but it's important to set a price that's both profitable and comfortable for you. For 30-second ads, a range between $15 to $18 CPM (cost per thousand listeners) is typical. For longer, more integrated content like interviews or product overviews, or if you have a guest who is an expert in the brand's field, a range of $25 to $40 CPM is more common, according to Influencer Marketing Hub. If you have fewer than 1,000 downloads, it may be better to work with a flat rate fee. Being upfront about pricing from the start can save everyone's time, so don't hesitate to be transparent about it.

5. Include contact information Make it easy for potential sponsors to get in touch with you or your team by including phone numbers, email addresses, and other relevant contact information such as social media.

In conclusion, instead of solely relying on your resume or profile to sell yourself to potential sponsors, emphasize the value of your content and how it can benefit their brand. Share comprehensive information about your audience and episodes to help potential sponsors recognize the benefits of working with you. In fact, some creators even make an audio or video proposal to showcase their creativity and passion for podcasting. Moreover, some brands are not only interested in your audience but also in your ad content itself. They may even share your advertisement on their social media, so be creative with your display of ads.