How to build a profitable podcast.
Want to sign-up for the best affiliate programs? This post will show you...
Let's welcome our guest writer Miranda Davis!
Paid advertisements and subscriptions are not the only way to make money podcasting. We take a look at the best podcasting affiliate programs to help you begin to turn your podcast into a profitable business.
The world of podcasting has grown exponentially in recent years. Nowadays, it seems like almost everyone has their own podcast, covering even the most niche subjects. Whether you are interested in football, music, online dating sites, or even wrestling, there is a huge range of choices for you to get your fix.
As the world of podcasting has grown, so has the business of podcasting. Good quality podcasting equipment can be bought relatively cheaply, opening up potentially lucrative doors to at-home podcasters. Previously, the world of broadcast media was a closed shop limited to a select few individuals from privileged backgrounds. Now, with just a microphone, a laptop, and a lot of motivation, you can begin to produce your own professional standard shows from the comfort of your own home.
If you are interested in podcasting, you are probably also interested in making money from it. If you have listened to any podcasts recently, you will almost certainly know that one of the best ways to make money is through paid adverts. That comes with a drawback, though. In order to tempt advertisers and sponsors, you will need to have a relatively large platform. Don’t worry, though. If you are just starting out on your podcasting adventure, there is another way that you can get paid doing the thing you love. For tips on how to start your own podcast, check out this useful blog for tips.
For the budding podcaster, arguably the best way to begin making money is through affiliate programs. These work the other way round to paid advertising spots, whereby advertisers pay podcast creators upfront. Working with an affiliate program, you take a cut every time you make a sale.
This is a great arrangement, as it involves much less risk on the part of the advertiser and is great for smaller podcasters who don’t yet have a large audience.
Are affiliate programs good for you and your blog? Remember, not all affiliate programs are created equal, and you may want to do a little research before diving headlong into one. Let’s examine what companies have affiliate programs and give some insight into which affiliate program might be best for you and your podcast. When choosing an affiliate program for your podcast, remember to think about what you want to achieve. Do you prefer ease-of-use, or are you primarily concerned with making more money or growing the number of your listeners?
bCast is a fantastic company dedicated to growing social engagement, traffic, and revenue. At their core, they are concentrated on building and fostering deeper connections with their customers and have a great affiliate program.
bCast’s affiliate program is described as “the most insane affiliate program in podcasting” and should be the first you consider for your podcast. Boasting a huge 40% recurring commissions rate, a one-year cookie policy, and unlimited support from the dedicated bCast team, this is one of the most comprehensive and rewarding affiliate programs available. Tailored support includes, but is not limited to, guest blog posts, written email copy, or webinars for your audience. The bCast team gives you a huge range of options and means it should be one of the first affiliate programs you consider.
Skillshare is an online learning community offering educational videos for those looking to learn new skills. The incredibly popular community has an enormous range of courses to choose from, making them one of the most attractive affiliate programs out there.
They have almost 30,000 courses that you can promote, earning you money each time you get a listener to sign up. The range of courses is extremely diverse, too. They offer everything from photography to creative writing, from tattooing to illustration, making this a flexible affiliate program. So you should be able to find a relevant course, whatever your podcast is about, and this makes this one of the best affiliate programs for beginners.
Buzzsprout is a hugely successful podcasting platform making it a great choice as an affiliate program. They offer free trials and both one-off and recurring commissions for podcasters on their affiliate program. They also have a dedicated affiliate team on-hand to make life easier for you.
One of the great advantages of using Buzzsprout is its success in getting podcasts listed on top directories such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts. They are a convenient choice and a great option for content creators wondering: are affiliate programs worth it?
Barkbox is a wildly popular subscription service for dog lovers. They offer a monthly subscription box containing all sorts of canine treats based around a monthly theme, containing toys and delights for your pet. They also run a superb affiliate program, so they should appeal to any pet-based podcasts or anyone looking to target to dog-lovers market, which is frankly huge.
Dogs are the most popular pet in the world, with one-third of pet owners owning a dog. With such a broad potential audience, Barkbox is a top choice as a podcast affiliate program.
If you have ever bought a personalized item online, there is a good chance you bought it from Redbubble. This global online marketplace, with an accompanying affiliate program, is where thousands of insanely talented creatives showcase and sell their unique and amazing products. The print-on-demand business is a great outlet for artists looking to sell prints, stickers, clothing, and copies of their work. They attract a creative audience, so make a great choice as an affiliate program. If you are wondering how to find affiliate programs in your niche, Redbubble could be the answer.
Moosend is an easy-to-use and affordable email marketing tool and online marketing platform that helps businesses target the people they want. The fantastically user-friendly interface has a huge range of features to help creative, eye-catching campaigns and is preferred by a large number of marketing professionals. Luckily, they also run a first-class affiliate program with a great plan.
They offer lifetime recurring commissions, monthly challenges, and a referral scheme for podcasts in their affiliate program. They will also provide you with ready-made resources to make your affiliate program marketing even easier.
Castos is another great podcasting hosting and analytics platform hugely popular with beginners and smaller podcasts. Because Castos is a podcast platform, its affiliate program is easy-to-use and designed with podcast creators in mind. One of the great selling points of Castos is that it is free to join their affiliate program, which means you have nothing to lose. Castos provides peace of mind for wary podcasters wondering if affiliate programs are worth it, as the scheme is free to join.
Your content may be brilliant, but if you want to be successful in podcasting, you need to look the part. That’s where SecondLine’s affiliate program comes in. They provide professionally-designed WordPress themes and plugins designed specifically for podcasters. Their affiliate program also provides dedicated support and analytics. If you want to take the next step in podcasting, SecondLine and its affiliate program could be the way to go.
Blubrry is another highly-rated podcasting publishing and hosting platform augmented for Google Play, Spotify, iTunes, and other apps. It is free to migrate to Blubrry, and they provide customer support, statistics, and an affiliate program to support content creators.
Their affiliate program is free to join and pays a commission for every sale referred. The platform also offers a one-month free trial to its affiliate program, so you can test it risk-free.
Our final suggestion is Captivate, another podcast hosting, marketing, and analytics platform with a first-class affiliate program. The platform offers members website syncing, reports, statistics, and support for independent podcasting seeking to expand. The affiliate program is also free to join, is supported by a range of promotional materials, and is a great way to earn commissions. Members are also provided with a dedicated support team to help tackle any questions or issues that may arise with the affiliate program.
If you are a budding podcaster looking to step up a gear, or a seasoned professional eager to earn more money, there is no shortage of affiliate programs out there. Take some time to research which programs work for you and decide what is most important when it comes to choosing an affiliate program. Make sure to check which affiliate programs pay the most before you sign up. Some offer analytics and statistics to provide insight into your success, while others will help you with marketing and promotion. Some affiliate programs without verification will still present a reliable source of income to help turn your passion into a viable business.
If you are a podcaster with experience of working with affiliate programs, whether successfully or unsuccessfully, let us know. What is your experience working with podcasting affiliate programs, and which ones would you recommend to other exciting and passionate podcasters?
