If you live in the United States and rely on the internet for entertainment and information, you may have experienced listening to a podcast at least once in your life. Similarly, a recent report by a firm that monitors business trends revealed that more than half of the population in the U.S. has listened to one.
Meanwhile, if you’re an avid listener and subscriber to several podcasts, there is an excellent chance that many of the shows you follow are part of a podcast network. What is a podcast network? As the terms suggest, it’s a group or collection of related podcasts that are created and disseminated to sponsors through a company.
If you’re a podcaster who is considering joining a podcast network, here are crucial things you should know:
Benefits of a Podcast Network
Podcast networks can be advantageous to the advertiser. Instead of making separate deals with several podcast hosts, a sponsor can sign a contract with a network to access numerous podcasts. The company, on the other hand, can benefit financially from the percentage of the sponsorship revenue that the podcasts will earn.
If you’re asking, “What is a podcast network bringing to the table for podcasters?” here are some of the benefits:
- Exposure
When you become a part of a podcast network, you can enjoy increased exposure and marketing. Your show can be mentioned and advertised on other shows within the network. Your podcast will also be a part of the promotional campaign of the company. Mostly, the network will do its best to ensure that your podcast receives the exposure it needs to attract more audience.
Considering that the podcast network relies on the popularity of your show to create income, the company will provide necessary marketing support to promote your podcast effectively. This assistance is particularly helpful if you do not have the time, resources, and skills to market your podcast yourself.
- Improved Listenership
A recent survey revealed that 14 million people in the country describe themselves as weekly podcast listeners. If you want a share of this pie, joining a podcast network can be significantly helpful. As mentioned above, the company will provide marketing assistance to improve your exposure. The more popular you become, the higher your download numbers will be.
- Access to Production Assistance
Most podcast networks offer help in production, such as virtual assistants who can effectively manage the release of your show. Since you’re mostly part of a team of expert podcasters, you can also befriend and learn from experienced hosts and the technical people who run the network.
- Sponsorship Opportunity
Given the assistance offered by the podcast network, you have a better chance of getting the number of downloads that you need to earn advertisement contracts. When this happens, you can earn revenue from the ads on your show, which is a goal amongst many podcast hosts.
Things to Consider When Joining a Podcast Network
It’s important to note that you can only benefit from joining a podcast network if you assessed that the company is reputable and will not take advantage of your show. To ascertain the credibility of the podcast network, make sure to review the contract provided to you.
Make sure that the agreement stipulates that you have full control over your podcast, similar to what the Parents on Demand network is doing. Be cautious of how sponsor revenues and workload are shared. Ultimately, you need to ensure that the partnership is mutually beneficial.
The items above are just some of the essential information you need to know about podcast networks. If you’re contemplating joining one, make sure to take the time to weigh the pros and cons and learn more about the podcast network that you’re eyeing.
