Slide 31
Slide 31 text
31 January 2020 · Bertelsmann
Devoted Audiences Enable Direct to Consumer Monetization
Each of four main direct to consumer monetization channels show early indications of traction
Premium
Content
Donations /
Tips
▪ Offer first-access or bonus content on either subscription or a la carte model
▪ Can be done either in partnership with platforms (e.g. Acast Access, Glow.fm) or with private RSS
feeds via horizontal audience management software (e.g. Patreon, Pico)
▪ 31% of podcast listeners, and 46% of those that listen to at least one hour per week, have paid to
access podcast content behind a paywall(1)
Crime Junkie bonus episodes
available for $5 / month
▪ Audiences directly donate to or tip their favorite creators via donation-focused channels (e.g.
GoFundMe / Kickstarter, Patreon); precedence for this model historically (e.g. public radio) and in
new digital channels (e.g. tipping streamers on Twitch)
▪ Podcasting is Patreon’s 2nd largest category(2) and 13k podcasters use Patreon for monetization(3)
▪ 33% of podcast listeners, and 48% of those that listen to at least one hour per week, have donated
to a podcast or podcast host(1)
Products /
Merch
▪ Brand-building products and merchandise, e.g. clothing, drinkware, posters
▪ As audiences “identify” with podcast content, they have shown propensity to acquire merchandise
as they do for favorite brands in other categories → organic marketing & publicity for creators
▪ Many podcasts offer merch through ecommerce platforms e.g. Shopify
▪ 37% of podcast listeners, and 53% of those that listen to at least one hour per week, have
purchased podcast related merchandise(1)
Notes: (1) BDMI survey powered by Suzy – see next page for detail; (2) “How Patreon is Bringing Podcasters Closers to Their Audience,” Forbes, Joshua Dudley, January 2019; (3) “Podcasting & Audio Market Map,”
Andreessen Horowitz; (4) “Why live podcasts are becoming a big deal this year,” Digiday, Max Willens, March 2017
Events
▪ Formats include live podcast recordings, meet & greets, festivals, audience game shows, etc.
▪ Ex: Slate has hosted live Political Gabfests since 2009 and reliably sells up to 1,200 tickets/show(4)
▪ Large scale podcast festivals incl. LA Podfest, Midroll’s Now Hear This and WNYC’s Werk It
▪ 30% of podcast listeners, and 39% of those that listen to at least one hour per week, have attended
an event related to a podcast or the podcast industry(1)