How to make money with your own podcast: A guide to monetizing a podcast - making money with podcasting
Do you want to earn money with your own podcast? We’ll show you what options are available and how to get started.

You have started a podcast or want to start one, and now you want to know how you can earn money with your podcast? And you’re asking yourself the question: Is a podcast even worth it? You are not alone!
Many podcasters are looking for ways to turn their hobby into a source of income. In this article, you’ll learn how to monetize your podcast and how to use different monetization options. We also give you valuable tips on how you should proceed as a beginner.
You can also take a look at our overview of podcast costs to keep an eye on the opportunities and risks.
Various monetization options for your own podcast
1) Ads and Sponsoring
One of the most common ways to make money from podcasts is by placing advertisements and attracting sponsors. Companies are willing to pay for advertising time in podcasts that target a specific audience. You can approach both local and global companies to place ads in the episodes.
When you’re just starting out, it can be difficult to get big sponsors for your podcast. In this case, recruiting smaller, local businesses or businesses that focus on your niche can be a good place to start.
Since sponsorship and advertising is the most popular among podcasters, we want to dive a little deeper here.
1.1) How much money can I ask for an advertising deal?
That depends on your target group, of course. How many listeners do you have? How targeted is your target group? For example, if you make a podcast that is only of interest to marketers or SEO experts, then you can charge more per listener. You can charge €0.70-1.00 per listener for a targeted audience. For a more diversified target group, you will be able to charge less, as the company is less likely to hit the right target group. The advertising should therefore match the podcast.
However, these effects often balance each other out relatively well, because a format that is less specific and more in the direction of entertainment often gets more listeners.
The position of the advertising placement is also crucial. There are basically three common positions where you can place your advertising. They are called pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll. The illustration shows where these placements can usually be found. A post-roll is usually worth less, as the number of listeners decreases over time and not all listeners listen to the episode to the end.
Another factor is how the commercial is produced. If you use your own voice as a podcast host and prepare an authentic text, you generate a lot of trust in the product to be advertised, and you also “sell your voice”, i.e. you can use this as a negotiating argument.
Ultimately, the CPM (Cost Per Mille), i.e. the cost per 1000 listeners, depends on your negotiating skills and your target group. The CPM can vary greatly, from €100 to €1000.
1.2) How do I find sponsors for my podcast? How do I find advertising deals?
If you already have a community and know your target group, this can be a fairly simple point. Think about which companies would like to address your target group. Or even better: think about which companies could satisfy the needs of your listeners. In the SEO example, it could be SEO tools that your experts could use. For a true crime podcast, it could be audiobook platforms; there are suitable advertising deals for every target group.
You can of course send emails and make calls to see if there are any companies that really want to work with you, but this can take a lot of time and effort. Another option is to ask your community if there are any interested parties or contacts who could help. An appeal should by no means come across as begging; a well-phrased and friendly appeal can put the community to good use.
If you are already in contact with people or have networked well, you can also simply send non-binding requests to see if you would like to work together. Don’t be ashamed, content is king these days! You have the audience and reach that could potentially bring others new customers! Write to people you know and use your network.
There are some platforms that offer “Dynamic Ad Insertions”, these types of ads are not tailored to your episode and you cannot choose them. The ads can also vary per listener as they are served from a server. So you have no control over the ads, but you can turn them off again and your episode will automatically be ad-free again for listeners who listen to the episode later. Spotify for Podcasters is a platform that offers this type of advertising, Podigee also offers Dynamic Ads. Check out our infos about Podcast Hosting Providers.
2) Patreon and subscription-based models
Ein weiterer Ansatz, um mit Podcast Geld zu verdienen, ist die Nutzung von Plattformen wie Patreon. Hier können deine Zuhörer eine monatliche Gebühr zahlen, um Zugang zu exklusiven Inhalten, Bonus-Episoden oder anderen Vorteilen zu erhalten. Du kannst verschiedene Abonnementstufen anbieten, die jeweils unterschiedliche Vorteile bieten.
Deinen Patreon-Account kannst du auch einfach bewerben, denn: Mit jeder öffentlichen Podcast Folge kannst du auf den Patreon-Account verweisen und direkt interessante “behind the scenes” Gespräche bewerben, die es auf deiner Abo Platform zu hören gibt. Gleiches kannst du natürlich auf social media machen.
Ein gutes Beispiel für einen deutschen Podcast, der auf Patreon erfolgreich ist, ist der “Podcast ohne (richtigen) Namen“, die (Stand 05.04.2023) ca 2.000 monatliche Abonnenten haben. Das günstigste Abomodell kostet in diesem Beispiel 2€, das teuerste 10€.
Du solltest auf jeden Fall Content für diese Plattformen produzieren, die deinen Zuhörer*innen helfen oder sie unterhalten, damit du sie auch über mehrere Monate als Unterstützer gewinnst. Je nach Content kannst du auch folgende Alternativen zu Patreon nutzen: Ko-Fi, Podia und MemberPress (Als Erweiterung wenn du eine WordPress Seite hast).
Another approach to earning money with podcasts is to use platforms such as Patreon. Here, your listeners can pay a monthly fee to get access to exclusive content, bonus episodes or other benefits. You can offer different subscription levels, each offering different benefits.
You can also easily promote your Patreon account because: With every public podcast episode, you can link to the Patreon account and directly promote interesting “behind the scenes” conversations that are available to listen to on your subscription platform. Of course, you can do the same on social media.
A good example of a podcast that is successful on Patreon is the “The Yard”, which (as of October 2024) has around 42,000 monthly subscribers. And has an income of about 230,000$.
You should definitely produce content for these platforms that helps or entertains your listeners so that you can keep them as supporters for several months. Depending on the content, you can also use the following alternatives to Patreon: Ko-Fi, Podia and MemberPress (as an extension if you have a WordPress site). Also check out why you should have a podcast website.
3) Affiliate Marketing
This referral-based marketing method is another way to monetize your content. You can recommend products or services that are relevant to your audience and share an affiliate link or code.
If someone makes a purchase through your link/code, you will receive a commission. Podcasts are not always perfect for this form of marketing, as a spoken coupon code to prove your promotion is not always well understood. In addition, many people listen to podcasts while driving or in situations where they are doing something else.
One of the best-known platforms is Amazon Associates. This is relatively surprising, as Amazon gives affiliates a very small share of the profits. There are much better platforms where you get more of a share of the profits. Shopify has a good overview of which affiliate programs could be worthwhile for you.
4) Online courses and products
If you provide expert knowledge in your podcast, you can earn money by selling online courses, e-books or other digital products. You can direct your listeners to your website or an online platform such as Teachable, Gumroad, Udemy or LearnDash to sell your courses or products.
Of course, this is a rather time-consuming way to do it because you have to create entirely new content. Nevertheless, this is a good option for people who have a coaching podcast or who may have a lot of expertise in certain areas. An online course that goes deeper into the topics of your podcast will also sell well, as it is perfectly tailored to your listeners.
Of course, this is less of an option for entertainment podcasts.
5) Events and live podcasting
One way you can earn money with your podcast is by organizing events or live podcasting shows. You can charge entry fees or find sponsors to support these events.
Live podcasting shows offer your listeners the opportunity to meet you in person and build a stronger bond with your podcast. They can also serve as networking events for industry experts and other podcasters. You also have the opportunity to potentially acquire your listeners as new customers. Depending on the industry, you can advise new companies as an online marketer because the CEO is among your listeners.
6) Consulting and coaching
If you talk about a specialist area or provide expert knowledge in your podcast, you can offer consulting or coaching services. Many listeners appreciate personalized support and are willing to pay for individual consulting or coaching sessions.
For example, you can offer an hour of individual counseling or coaching for a set fee. These services can be in the areas of business, finance, health, personal development or any other area of expertise you talk about in your podcast. It’s important that you make sure you have the necessary expertise and that your customers actually receive added value.
7) Be creative and look for ways to make money with your podcast!
There are many things you can do to earn additional money, and the possibilities are of course not limited to the methods mentioned above. Be creative and maybe you have ideas that suit your target group better. If you offer your audience added value, you can also sell or recommend other products or services!
Strategies for beginners: How to start monetizing your podcast - find advertising partners and earn money with a podcast
If you’re just starting out monetizing your episodes, the many options can seem overwhelming. Here are some tips on how to proceed as a beginner:
- Focus on quality and reach: Before you start thinking about how to make money, focus on creating quality content and increasing your reach. The more listeners you have, the more attractive you become to potential sponsors and partners.
- Learn from successful podcasters: Research success stories and case studies of podcasters who have successfully monetized their podcast. You can learn from their experiences and find out which strategies worked best for them.
- Experiment with different monetization options: There is no “one size fits all” solution for all podcasts. Try out different monetization strategies, such as advertising, sponsorship, Patreon, affiliate marketing or selling products, and find out which ones work best for your podcast.
- Be authentic: Your listeners value authenticity, and you should also take this into account when monetizing your podcast. Only recommend products or services that you genuinely support and be transparent about advertising partners and sponsors.
- Use social media and networking: Use social media platforms to promote your episodes and build a community. Networking can also help you find potential sponsors and partners.
- Patience and perseverance: Monetizing a podcast is not a quick and easy task. It requires patience and perseverance. Don’t give up if your first attempts are not immediately successful. Keep at it and work continuously to improve and market the content.
conclusion: Whether crowdfunding, affiliate marketing or earning money with your podcast
Monetizing your podcast is a challenging but rewarding task. There are various options, such as advertising and sponsorship, Patreon, affiliates and the sale of online courses or products. To successfully monetize your podcast, it is important to pay attention to quality and reach, learn from successful podcasters, try out different monetization strategies, stay authentic and use social media and networking.
Start your podcast now with sound&go! Offer the best for your listeners!
If you are interested in finding out more about the costs involved in producing a podcast, take a look at our article podcast costs. This will give you an overview and allow you to better calculate your opportunities and risks. We also have other articles: Creating a podcast in 10 steps, podcast microphone comparison and more!
Good luck with your plans to make money with your podcast and remember that patience and perseverance are the keys to success!