How to Set Up "Paid Subscription" podcasts

[realdeals]

Hi folks, I need some help and could really use your advice.

I need to know how to go about setting up a paid subscription podcast. I am in a very unique sports niche and I'm developing very original weekly content to provide to this niche market.

My plan is to give the subscribers about 4 FREE shows first to get them warmed up, interested, and willing to pay for future weekly content. Then, I want to have them subscribe to receive the weekly sports content which is extremely unique, original, and one of its kind--the subscribers will not be able to get this content any where else, They will then subscribe on a month to month basis.

Now here are my two challenges I need your help with:
1) how do I set this up so that once the free episodes have been cataloged in the various directories, the subscribers CANNOT get the new weekly material unless they have paid the monthly subcription fee--since the feeds in the directories will be publically available?

To recap: they get the first 4 episodes Free, but they need to subscribe thru PayPal monthly for the remaiing weekly episodes. So I need the exposure of adding my feeds to the directories like ITunes, etc. along with the flexablity to send the "paid weekly content" to actual paid subscribers

2) With the above scenario, how can I set up an affilate program that will pay me and the affiliate each month for the paid subscription? Any ideas on software, or affilate manager programs that allow for a monthly subscription and is totally automated? Affiliate participation is very important in getting a quality subscriber base to this sports niche.

Thank you all in advance for any help, suggestions, or info on setting up "pay per episodes". I greatly appreciate it.

RC :D

[Soccer Shout]

Tricky stuff you're asking for there, mate.

I won't touch the affiliate thing. Shouldn't be too difficult as it's a common model.

I can't see how you're going to have the same episode freely available and yet force some people to pay for it.

Here are some suggestions though:

1) Create a feed with the first N minutes of each show freely available. If people want the full show, they have to subscribe.

2) Create a feed with 1 show in N freely available. if they want every episode, they have to subscribe.

There's also the problem of how you control subscriptions. It's gonna be tricky without some custom programming.

I assume you've considered supporting your podcast through advertising - it's a lot simpler and it encourages sharing rather than discouraging it. You're swimming against the tide with your model.

Think of it this way - you'll know you're being successful when your stuff is available for free from kazaa, etc.

[realdeals]

I can't see how you're going to have the same episode freely available and yet force some people to pay for it.

Phil, thanks for the reply. The first 4 espisode are free to everyone. IF they want episodes 5 thru 20 (weekly during sports season), they will have to subsribe then. This is my challenge, how to give them the paid content (weeks 5 thru 20) after they have listened to the free espisodes. Any suggestions?

RC

[WyethDigital]

To recap: they get the first 4 episodes Free, but they need to subscribe thru PayPal monthly for the remaiing weekly episodes. So I need the exposure of adding my feeds to the directories like ITunes, etc. along with the flexablity to send the "paid weekly content" to actual paid subscribers
The simple answer is two feeds. One unprotected public feed, and the other a pay-for-play option (something set up on the server side that requires a password), but unless you can strike a deal with Audible.com, iTunes doesn't list pay-for-play podcasts in their directory (at least not the last time I looked). Ricky Gervais used to be free and listed, but now his show is brought into iTunes via Audible and a paid subscription. I have no idea how well that's working out for him -- but I don't think his paid stuff is listed in the regular podcast directory.

[Soccer Shout]

The first 4 espisode are free to everyone. IF they want episodes 5 thru 20 (weekly during sports season), they will have to subsribe then.

Sorry - I though you were saying that *their* first 4 should be free...like you can get 4 issues of a mag for free then you subscribe.

So that makes it a bit easier.

You'll need some server-side programming to implement this, but here goes:

1) Set-up your first 4 in iTunes, etc, as normal.

2) When someone pays for the subscription, you create a personalized feed file for them. It should be something unguessable, like feed_ege8dfw3sf35s.xml

The personalized feed files should be all be identical, assuming you want all subscribers to have access to the same thing.

The subscriber can get a personalized page they can log in to. It would have a link to their personalized xml file, an iTunes subscribe button, etc.

You could set-up some kind of monitoring on who is accessing each file. If there are, say, more than 3 downloads per episode coming from an xml file, you could withdraw it under the assumption that the subscriber has shared the link.

The key thing here is that there's no password or anything on the xml file - but you won't be able to guess the name of one without subscribing.

This will not prevent a subscriber from sharing the MP3 file though.

[NBX]

I'd agree and say two seperate feeds are the way to go but I really don't think many people are gonna be into paying for a podcast. I hope you have something worth paying for! If you drop your link I'd be happy to check out your show

[realdeals]

Thanks everyone for your help and comments. I guess I will have to create two separate feeds to accomplish what I am seeking.

RC