Paid podcasts subscriptions?

[ezb]

Say an enterprising individual wanted to create a service deliverable via podcast...

How would you go about creating a subscription format that allowed only paying customers to download your podcast, and is that basically like asking internet users to pay to download MP3s?

Any thoughts?

[camilian]

Set up a password system like you would do with any web page you want to protect, then require users to use a "catcher" that allows passwords like Doppler.

[ezb]

okay, so it sounds easy enough to do, the question is, then, whether or not it's worth it. Are there examples of pay-for-subscription podcasts already out there? I'm curious to know how many people have explored this idea as of yet.
:lol:

[Insomnia Radio]

If you are aiming to make $$$ from your show, there are better ways to do it than charging your audience. If you have confidence in your content, and that you can reach (or already have reached) a broad audience, why not explore advertising or sponsorship rather than charging your listeners...

Definitely not the way to go.

[camilian]

I know it is being used by a few corporate podcasts, just not sure about paid stuff.

BTW- If your thinking of using it for porn you owe me a free membership for helping :wink:

[ezb]

Camilian:

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Porn!

Y'know, I never even thought of it, but that would be a FANTASTIC money-maker :wink: If I ever have the guts to make one, I promise you'll get all the podporn you want for free :lol:

Insomnia Radio:

That's the whole point, I wouldn't want to reach a broad audience. I would want to reach a very specific, targeted audience who would want the content enough to pay for it; like AP news feeds for journalists. I'm not thinking of podcast-as-entertainment here, I'm thinking podcast-as-service.

[Insomnia Radio]

I'm not thinking of podcast-as-entertainment here, I'm thinking podcast-as-service.

Ah, I see. In that case, I have no doubt it's easy to setup. Your only drawback at this point would be forcing someone to use a specific client, as Chris said, re: doppler for example.

But: if it's a service people want to pay for, go for it

[cc_chapman]

From a technology stand point as Chris pointed out this is very easy to do.

I think the only way this would work is like your have mentioned a very specific audience.

The key is that you are going to have to find the market of people who are extremely passionate about the subject and can't find the information elsewhere. If the information you are going to provide can be found through alternative means then you don't have a successful model.

[spaz]

Your content would have to be flawless, I'll ignore the kindacrappy parts :shock: of a podcast if it's free, but if I had to pay for it, and it sucked I would no longer subscribe to it.

[camilian]

Your content would have to be flawless


Or porn

[yaz]

yea, doesn't it suck when you pay for something and its shitty? that the whole idea, most of us aren't professionals, and even professionals have a occasional show thats shitty, we're even more likely to do so because we don't have writers and producers and all that behind the scenes crap going on...

[ezb]

if I had to pay for it, and it sucked I would no longer subscribe to it.

I agree with you. If I were to do a paid subscription podcast it would be very professional. I come from a radio background so I think I can pull it off. At least I hope so!

I still haven't quite figured out what would make a good paid podcast however...

[camilian]

I still haven't quite figured out what would make a good paid podcast however...


Am I invisible or something? PORN! :)

[spaz]

If I were to do a paid subscription podcast it would be very professional. I come from a radio background so I think I can pull it off. At least I hope so!

You hope so....but I doubt it, :twisted: you're from TO....

(insane laughter)

[yaz]

OH ****! is there an east coast/west coast battle in canada too? or do you guys just make fun of each other, eh? over here we shoot each other, but not really shoot each other, just to get more publicity and sell more albums...did i say we, i meant rappers, oh hey, does that mean that snow gets into fights with people from b.c., i mean after all, he's from the slums of toronto...

[ezb]

Am I invisible or something? PORN! :)

Okay, you find me a way to setup a porn business so that no one can find out about it, and I'll produce as many porncasts as you can handle. :lol:

[spaz]

not really an east coast west coast thing...more like the rest of Canada likes to tease TO...

snow??!

[ezb]

not really an east coast west coast thing...more like the rest of Canada likes to tease TO...

snow??!

Pretty much, although I'm sorry to say that in my experience (and I travelled across the country last summer), only people from BC are ever rude about it.

Honestly, why do guys think it's okay to dump beer on a girl just because she's from Toronto? Luckily, it was his beer, not mine :wink:

And yes, we're getting a big, lousy, dump of snow. It always happens after April Fools. Sigh...

[yaz]

****! im not talking about the white fluffy stuff that comes from the sky, we get snow here too...im talking about snow, the rapper (ha! what a joke) who claimed to be from the slums of toronto...does anyone remember him? he had that pathetic song "informer"...well anyways, ive been to canada several times and everyone is nice to me, but i've never been on the west coast, is that where the rude people are?...my friends in toronto (who are not native canadians) call the people cakers, this a popular thing?

[ezb]

****! im not talking about the white fluffy stuff that comes from the sky, we get snow here too... but i've never been on the west coast, is that where the rude people are?...my friends in toronto (who are not native canadians) call the people cakers, this a popular thing?

HAHAHAA!!! Oh, I'm a nerd. Sorry. Well, that shows you about how much we value Snow, the rapper. Yes, I think he's from Scarborough, which is the east side of Toronto, and considered to be "slummy" (don't blame me for the stereotype, Scarberians!).

Unfortunately, it seems the Canadian music industry likes to promote crap while ignoring the good bands. My podcast-in-developmet will fix that. :lol:

West coast people aren't any ruder than anywhere else. But they REALLY hate Torontonians. I mean, look at Spaz's post; out of nowhere, I get dissed because I'm from T.O. :cry: . That doesn't happen anywhere else in the country. Most Canadians will tell you the rudest people are from Toronto, and they're probably right. We're just a way bigger city, therefore our "*****le" to "niceguy" ratio is way higher.

As for Cakers, I've never heard that before...what does that mean exactly?

[yaz]

as i was told by one of my friends, cakers comes from the italian "mangia torta" (i believe that's how its spelled) which means eat cake, the italians say that about dumb people, they think of the native canadians in a similar way that the polish are thought of here, so in short "cakers", a stereotype of course, but they can be funny sometimes...

[spaz]

West coast people aren't any ruder than anywhere else. But they REALLY hate Torontonians. I mean, look at Spaz's post; out of nowhere, I get dissed because I'm from T.O. :cry: . That doesn't happen anywhere else in the country. Most Canadians will tell you the rudest people are from Toronto, and they're probably right. We're just a way bigger city, therefore our "*****le" to "niceguy" ratio is way higher.

As for Cakers, I've never heard that before...what does that mean exactly?


I don't really hate people from T.O., it's just fun to bug them....but it does seem as though most of the *****les from T.O. come to Vancouver at some point....spreading a bad reputation...

I knew who snow was, I was just surprised Yaz did....didn't think he was inflicted on those outside Canada, always just thought he got airtime for Canadian content laws...

[yaz]

hey, mtv down here likes to import the worst that other countries have to offer, they brainwash stupid people here and then they run out and buy the albums of these shitty performers, i wish people would formulate their own opinions about what is good...but i think canada owes the world a formal apology for snow, as far as the usa, we owe formal apologies for britney spears, american idol, reality shows, ashlee simpson, paris hilton and shitload of other **** ups that they'll put on tv...

[spaz]

As a Canadian, I formally apologize for Snow (the rapper...you're on your own for the cold stuff).

Why is it so many crappy bands get noticed?

[yaz]

because when a crappy band puts something out its hard to believe somebody actually signed them, someone listened to a demo and said "this is what the world needs right now, milli vanilli"...that guy should get shot...and i apologize for all the crap that is on mtv...

[el]

american idol, reality shows,

blame the dutch (i think) for most reality shows they made the original format which is sold around the world. I would like to apologise for the format of american idol, and simon cowell.

[yaz]

ha! simon is nasty and since they suck, i thought reality shows were def american...

[spaz]

Reality shows might not have originated in the US, but they've gone way overboard there....I blame Survivor....

[yaz]

i want a reality show of me beating up reality show hosts...it would be really real...

[spaz]

I'd watch that...or join in..

[PupuStudios]

I blame the retards who watch them. They would stop making them if people would stop watching them!

sorry mom and dad...

[spaz]

Ya, most of the idiots at my work are all into Americal Idol...why can't they all be geeks like me....

[yaz]

i like when people put their lives on hold to watch a tv show, my mother does it and i want to start shooting pucks at her when she does...hahaha...im picturing it in my head and it is really funny...but no, i would never do that to mom, but maybe someone else...hmmm...

[spaz]

Ya, lots of things are funnier when you imagine them than when you act them out...

[yaz]

im glad i grew up reading alot because it developed a wicked imagination...

[spaz]

Ya, I feel sorry for kids today...they don't have the opportunity to develop good imaginations....

[yaz]

yea, they imagine themselves with "gold teef" and "mad iced out bling"...thats about the depth of imagination around here...

[camilian]

yea, they imagine themselves with "gold teef"

HAHAHAHA!

[podstart.com]

Say an enterprising individual wanted to create a service deliverable via podcast...

How would you go about creating a subscription format that allowed only paying customers to download your podcast, and is that basically like asking internet users to pay to download MP3s?

Any thoughts?

How to Create a Successful Subscription Podcast from Someone Who Has Done It

Beyond the mechanics of delivery (a good programmer can help with this), here are four keys that have worked for me:

Podcasting Profit Key #1: Don't podcast, "nichecast"... ie focus on a specific niche market. What's a niche? "A group of people who have a problem they have already decided they are willing to pay to solve, AND they are already talking to others about it." This is THE most critical key to success.

Podcasting Profit Key #2: Focus your content on solving THE big problem your niche is willing to pay to solve. In my case, the people who subscribe to my podcast need specialized business and marketing help. And that's exactly what they get from me, specific tips and motivation they can use immediately.

Podcasting Profit Key #3: Bundle the podcast with several other "benefits". For example, I offer a private password protected web site with supporting information, related downloads, recommended tools, etc. The podcast is the primary way I deliver the content, but I support it with other valuable resources.

Podcasting Profit Key #4: Use a "coaching" approach to podcasting. What's this? What I do is give people a specific action step in the podcast. Then I tell them to go to my comment line or forum and share their feedback and results.

Thinking about this, the subscription model will probably not work for 97% of podcasts I've heard... but I do think there is a profitable place for subscription podcasts that provide high quality, unique content to specific niche markets.

Hope this helps,

Ramon Williamson

Get all my subscription secrets and
5 other "Podcasting for Profit" models
May 7th at http://www.PodCamp.com

[spaz]

speaking of imagining oneself decked out in bling.... :wink:

[yaz]

bling bling hides his crack pipe in his collar...

[BSquared]

A lot of you seem pretty sure people won't pay for podcasts. Why?

Here in OZ anyway I have seen the following behaviour which leads me to suggest that people will pay for just about anything

people paying $3 a day for a 'joke' (the quote marks are cos i don't think they're funny - my brother gets one every day and I haven't laughed yet) to be SMSed to their mobile (cell) phone

people paying $5 a time for new ring tones for their phones (cos briiiing briiiing just doesn't cut it I presume)

people buying trash magazines like National Enquirer etc

people paying to access "restricted" forums/chat rooms talk radio shows so that the hosts of those shows can abuse them in writing (as well as on the air)

People will pay for stuff. Even if I think they're dumb for doing it.

They will pay for podcasts too.

[spaz]

Ya, and that's just too sad to admit...people are way too stupid...

[BSquared]

In the ideal world Ramon's model would be the only one that works - i.e. someone is offering something useful/enjoyable to a group of people who need/want it. Similar to niche/specialty magazines.

Based on the history of the past 25-40 years though I think in the future Ramon will be in the minority of profitable podcasters. The majority of profitable podcasters will be dumbass "celebrities" of the Anna Nicole Smith variety who provide dumbed down "entertainment" of the "i'm going to tell you lots of crap about myself and talk about sex a lot and swear every fourth word so you'll think i'm edgy and it'll be uncool not to listen" variety.

I'm prepared to bet $$ that in a year or two when the 100th monkey downloads a podcast and it all goes mainstream it'll be Dawn and Drew that are making mega gazillions of dollars (although Ramon I sincerely hope you do too).

C'mon - Which sells more copies - People Magazine or The New Yorker? Which rates best - Entertainment Tonight or The News Hour with Jim Lehrer? Stands to reason that DnD are gonna make it big over In Our Time.

But that doesn't mean the rest of you should give up. Or, god forbid, go over to the dark side. Hopefully there's enough of us out here in listener land who like a little bit more intellect to their entertainment and are prepared to pay for the sort of brilliance we are currently getting from people like Dan Klass, Lance Anderson, Kris & Betsy, Podcast Paul, Brian Ibbott, Greg & Lisa or even FTL (I know some of you have "issues" with FTL but the guys make me think about stuff). We pay to see indie movies and we buy indie books and we seek out indie theatre and pay to go to that too so if you guys need us to pay to keep going I gotta believe that we'll pay for "indie" podcasts too. I know I will.