Debunking Five Podcast Monetization Myths

4 min read

We know the podcasting industry is growing quickly—with an expected $4B in advertising revenue this year—but there are still podcasters and publishers who aren’t monetizing their shows. Whether they lack the right tools or have questions about topics like sustainability, viewership, and distribution, they’re missing out on revenue opportunities. 

Here are five frequent misconceptions about podcasting monetization and how you can prove them wrong with a solid strategy and support, thanks to Simplecast Professional. 

Myth 1: There's not enough reach to make podcast advertising worth it.

At the beginning of the podcast monetization journey, questions about ROI and podcast consumption may be top of mind. Essentially, is podcast advertising worth it? 

Fact: With Simplecast Professional, diversifying your revenue stream couldn’t be easier. Users gain exclusive access to AdsWizz’s Podcast Marketplace, which has expanded to over 10,000 podcasts from top networks and creators, offering over 3.5 billion available impressions per month. Basically, your ad opportunities are endless (something you won’t get with other platforms).

Myth 2: Monetization tools are complex and not built for podcasters of my size or where I am in my growth journey.

Unless you're fortunate enough to have podcasting as just a hobby or an entire funded team behind you, you probably belong to the majority of podcasters whose end goal is to become profitable solo.

Fact: Not every podcaster has specialized teams to navigate complex workflows of management and monetization platforms—let alone gather and interpret data. Designed for profitability, Simplecast Professional supports podcasters of any size with an intuitive interface that allows users to publish, measure, and monetize their podcasts without moving between platforms. Plus, the user interface shows performance metrics, ad effectiveness, and revenue numbers all in one place. Who said comprehensive content management couldn’t be practical (and easy)? 

Myth 3: With so many demographic options, audience targeting in the podcast sphere is nearly impossible.

Sometimes, more options equals more questions.

Fact: Simplecast Professional offers enhanced targeting functionality and parameters, including behavioral, contextual, age, and more. These precise targeting capabilities keep your brand messages relevant and specific to your listeners while engaging with diverse audiences.

Forget questions like, “Am I hyper-targeting correctly?” or “Am I catching listeners at the optimal time?” and let Simplecast Professional’s leading targeting parameters answer the questions and do the work for you.

Myth 4: I can’t seem to find a flexible way to deliver ads that allow optimal monetization opportunities.

Rather than hustling for paid sponsorships or spending precious time creating Patreon episodes, consider host-read ads created for you by us.

Fact: It can’t get easier than automation. While most hosting platforms allow host-read ads to be uploaded only while editing an episode, Simplecast Professional streamlines the process with a first-to-market workflow that automates host-read ads in just one creative brief. 

Why are host-read ads so important to monetization? The strategy has been proven to be incredibly effective, producing an average of 50% increase in purchase and recommendation intent among listeners when compared to non-host-read ads. 

Crafting a successful host-read ad requires considerable time and effort, but with Simplecast Professional, fill out a quick ad request and watch as your campaign is created for you. 

Myth 5: There’s no (easy) way to set advertising rates to increase revenue. 

You’re not a salesperson, so it should come as no surprise that advertising rates may be perplexing.

Fact: Using Floor Price Per Show, optimizing each show, and increasing revenue has never been as effortless. With Simplecast Professional, set a unique floor price per show. You can even have different floor prices for the same show for flexible monetization. 

In 2023, Simplecast Professional users saw a 12% increase in average eCOM (cost per mille) rates. 

Looking to take your podcasting passion to the next level in 20024 and beyond? 

Learn more about podcast trends, innovation, and monetization with our guide,  From Passion to Profit: Your Guide to Simplecast Professional, which walks you through all the high-level features Simplecast Professional offers.