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Home::ECommerce
Podcasting Monetization Strategies for Publishers
Author : Rok Hrastnik
Copyright 2006 Rok Hrastnik
With the growing popularity of podcasting, publishers and
marketers around the world are asking themselves how to monetize
this content channel and make delivering audio content via RSS
profitable.
Today, let's take a look at how publishers can expect to
generate podcasting revenues both directly and indirectly - by
combining monetization through ad sales and content sales with
using podcasting as a marketing vehicle itself.
1. STARTING WITH AD SALES AND CONTENT SALES
a] Smaller market players with small mid-value listenership,
reaching mostly general audiences, might find their profits come
through podcasting-oriented ad networks or perhaps even content
networks providing access to multiple podcasts for a small
subscription fee.
b] Large players reaching the masses or small players reaching
high-value niche audiences will surely be able to sell their ad
venues via their own sales forces or specialized media
planning/buying agencies, perhaps even via large traditional ad
agencies.
And according to a case study done by MarketingSherpa,
GoToMeeting actually found that podcasting sponsorships have
done very well in their integrated ad campaigns, with
overwhelming responses.
c] These same publishers might also get away with subscription
sales, provided they can offer unique content not easily
available elsewhere.
It however remains to be seen whether listeners will be prepared
to pay for podcast access. As noted by InformationWeek, a recent
European young consumers study by Forrester Research found that
46% of 16- and 17-year-olds would consider paying for podcast
content, while only 33% of those surveyed would accept
advertising in podcasts.
It's clear that people will always be willing to pay for unique
high quality content.
But are young consumers among those willing to pay? History
shows that regardless of what anyone says, most consumers still
preferr advertising over having to pay for content.
d] Other publishers, especially independant or smaller
publishers using direct marketing tactics to facilitate sales,
might generate revenues by providing podcasts in combination
with their other products --> selling packaged access or
offering podcasts as bonuses upon purchase.
But, let's not also forget that podcating itself can serve as a
marketing channel, giving publishers many additional marketign
opportunities ...
2. PODCASTING AS A MARKETING CHANNEL
a] PR: Audio press releases, messages from company executives,
expert interviews and other industry related material, all
delivered directly to the media.
b] Direct marketing: Sales letters and other ad creative,
delivered in audio and directly to your prospects.
c] Customer Relationship Management and User Support: Personal
messages and greetings from company executives, persoanlized
messages to key clients by key account managers, educational
content and industry interviews, seminar or conference
recordings, product support information and tutorials, ...
e] Promotion: Achieving additional company/brand/product
exposure by providing podcasts and promoting them via podcast
directories and search engines.
f] E-commerce: Audio product announcements and presentations,
delivered to prospects that opt-in to receive latest product
information. In the case of audio products, podcasts can also
carry short excerpts or previews of new editions, thus enticing
prospects to order.
g] Branding and Prospect Conversion: Educational content and
industry interviews that help shorten the sales cycle or
generate/improve company credibility and enhance its brand.
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