How to create a premium podcast

As a content consumer, I like having access to content that aligns with my interests.

And I'm not alone, as communities around niche content creators are becoming increasingly abundant.

The "creator economy" is a new definition of the relationship between creators and their audiences because it directly connects creators with genuine and engaged communities that share their same passions.

In this context, many creators have already made a decision: "I'm going to create a un premium podcast para monetizar my content" and they wonder how to do it.

But first, in case you're not familiar with premium podcasts...

Table of Contents

What is a premium podcast?

A premium podcast is a podcast content that you can only access if you pay for it. This is the quick and simple definition. You can gain access with a one-time payment or with a subscription, but we'll touch on this topic another time.

Let's go back to the question: How to create a premium podcast?

Let's start with the first option: custom development.

Custom development

This is the option to create a premium podcast that requires more investment and therefore, is the riskiest.

It basically involves developing a custom website that restricts access to the content. In other words, only subscribers can access the feed containing the episodes of your premium podcast.

Custom development entails several challenges:

User registration.
Programming subscription and payment recurrence.
Programming access control to content.
Generating unique and private RSS feeds for each subscriber.

Additionally:

You need to make a significant initial investment in time (if you know how to program) or money (if you have to hire an external developer).
You'll have to take care of maintenance.
You need a Stripe account or another payment gateway to integrate into your website.
The podcast files are hosted on your server, which means you'll have hosting costs and data transaction costs (every time an episode is downloaded) to consider.

On the other hand, it's true that in this case, you'll have full control over your feed and the functionalities you offer to your subscribers.

However, this doesn't necessarily mean it's better, as you'll likely have fewer functionalities than what a specialized tool can offer.

A similar option but not as demanding in terms of time and money could be using WordPress with content restriction plugins..

WordPress + Plugins

It faces exactly the same challenges as custom development. The difference here is that you start with a CMS (WordPress) that facilitates some things like user management and also has several available plugins.

If you choose this option, you'll have some challenges to solve:

The plugins are paid , and you need to configure them to work according to your preferences.
You need a Stripe account to integrate into your website.
You need to generate an RSS feed with a plugin (which is also paid).
The podcast files are hosted on your server, which means you'll have hosting costs and transfer costs (every time an episode is downloaded, you pay a transfer fee) to consider.

If you're not an experienced WP developer with experience in Membership sites, you'll need to learn how these plugins work and how to integrate them correctly with Stripe or another payment processing service.

Some pro podcasters have had significant issues with these integrations, we won't name names 😉 problemas importantes con estas integraciones, no vamos a dar nombres 😉

Donations

You have several options and tools if you want to ask for donations for your content: Patreon, Ko-fi, or Ivoox could be some options.

From our point of view, these services have two problems:

They are not platforms designed for podcasters: if you access their websites, you'll see that they are solutions designed for other types of creators that have adapted to offer the service to podcasters as well. This makes them generic tools that have functionalities you don't need. Many functionalities you don't need.
The concept of "donation" itself, which in our view has negative connotations. It's time to value content and creators' work more. Content has value and deserves to be paid for. We understand that it's time to stop asking for charity, it's time to charge for our work, and it's legitimate to do so. Everyone operates this way; we don't understand why content creation has to be different.

Apple Podcast Subscriptions

Here are the characteristics of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions:

The price is a fixed €19.99 annually to access the creators' program.
Their commission is 30% of the subscriber's first year subscription fee and 15% from the second year for each subscriber. If a subscriber unsubscribes and resubscribes, the process starts over.
Your podcast on Apple Podcast Subscriptions can only be listened to on Apple Podcasts.
In Apple Podcast Subscriptions, subscribers are not yours, they belong to Apple.. You can't download the list of subscribers with their emails whenever you want.

Spotify: Paid Subscription Platform

These are the characteristics of the Spotify Paid Subscription Platform:

Currently only available in the USA. Spotify has announced its plans to expand worldwide in the future.
It's not actually Spotify that provides this service; it's provided through Anchor, where you can mark episodes as private.
The podcast must be hosted on Anchor.
The conditions are as follows: 0% fee until 2023, and then a 5% fee. In Anchor's blog, they specify that there are payment processing fees from day one, meaning the commission will be approximately 10-12%.
As a podcaster, you can set 20 possible prices ranging from €0.49 to €150. You can't choose any price.
Users have to go to the Anchor landing page to subscribe. You can't subscribe from Spotify.
There won't be a "Subscribe" button; instead, the podcaster has to put a link in the episode notes to direct listeners to Anchor.
Private episodes will be identified with a lock icon on the play button in Spotify.
Subscribers will receive a private RSS feed that they can use to listen to the podcast outside of Spotify.
Spotify specifies that they are working on ways to enable podcasters to contact their subscribers without giving out their email addresses. This was specified by Michael Mignano (co-founder of Anchor and current head of Spotify's podcast division).
Subscribers are not yours; they belong to Spotify..

Mumbler: Create Your Premium Podcast

When we set out to launch premium podcast months ago, we didn't like any of the options we discussed.

We were looking for a service that:

Didn't have a fixed price, where everything was variable.
We could create the podcast in two minutes without any prior knowledge.
Was very usable and easy for subscribers to understand.
We could access a tool that adapts to market changes and seeks solutions.
We wouldn't have to worry about billing or maintenance.
And above all, gave us control over subscribers. control sobre los suscriptores.

This solution simply didn't exist. So we decided to create it ourselves. Luckily, you have it available. It's called Mumbler.

These are the features:

Your premium podcast on Mumbler can be listened to on any app: Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and many more.
Mumbler's commission is 8% + payment processing, with no fixed annual fee.
In Mumbler, the content and subscribers are yours. You can download the list of subscribers with their emails and information whenever you want.
Being an external tool, you won't be able to create custom features.

But don't let this hold you back. We're going to develop very powerful features that will help you promote your podcast, increase your audience, and generate more recurring income.

Conclusion

There are multiple options when it comes to launching your premium podcast: developing your own website, using WordPress, opting for donations, or using one of the major platforms like Apple or Spotify.

In the first two cases (WordPress and custom development), there is the complexity of development and maintenance, with the investment of time or money that it entails.

If you choose donations, you'll find yourself in the midst of a platform that isn't designed for podcasts and with the obligation to constantly offer extras. Users of these platforms are accustomed to receiving t-shirts, mugs, extra content... They're not satisfied with just your quality content.

In the case of Apple and Spotify, the issue is propiedad de los suscriptoresownership of subscribers. With Apple and Spotify, you have no information; you'll never know who they are, nor will you have a way to contact them directly.

Faced with this situation, at Mumbler we have opted for a solution that doesn't require technical knowledge or investment. A solution that understands that creators deserve to be paid for their work and, most importantly, that subscribers belong to the podcaster..

If you're a creator and you're thinking of launching a premium podcast, we look forward to welcoming you to Mumbler..

Best regards!