How to Attract Sponsorships on Your Podcast
Guest Post
A successful podcast has a lot of moving parts. From creating interesting content week after week to editing everything together in a professional way, it’s a lot of work to put together a quality broadcast. But, if you want to make money from your podcast, you know the hard work is worth it.
Not only will the effort likely increase your listener base, but it can also help you attract sponsors.
But, with thousands of podcasts out there, the competition to gain sponsorships is becoming steeper. For many podcasters, sponsorships can make or break whether they’ll be able to continue. If you’re trying to make a career from casting, getting sponsored becomes even more important.
Thankfully, you don’t need to break into the top 100 to attract multiple sponsors. If you have a quality production and a growing listener base, there are plenty of marketing tactics and strategies you can catch the eyes (and ears) of sponsors willing to offer you money.
What are some of those strategies? Let’s take a look at how you can start seeing more dollar signs every time you record.
Network With Whom You Know
Most people start podcasting as a side gig or even a hobby. If you have another full-time job or if you’re a freelancer, you might be able to use that to your advantage – especially if your podcast focuses on a specific niche.
For example, if you want to talk about the ins and outs of freelancing or take a unique perspective on how to get ahead as a freelancer, why not connect with some of your current clients? They might have a business that would be willing to be a sponsor for your podcast if it can promote what they do, too.
If you have a full-time job, talk to your boss about sponsoring your broadcast. Even networking with family members and friends who have businesses or organizations can be helpful. They might not be able to give you tens of thousands of dollars. But, having just one or two small sponsorships can help your podcast stay afloat. Small sponsorships can also make you seem more legitimate, so larger companies can take notice and decide if they want to jump on board.
Research Other Podcasts and Their Sponsors
Even if you have a unique idea for a podcast and you think you’re developing original content, chances are you fit into a specific “niche”. One way to get more sponsorships for your broadcast is to actively reach out to businesses and brands. But, if you’re just sending cold emails to random companies, you’re probably not going to have much luck. Some of the most popular niches within the podcasting industry include:
Health
Tech
Finance
Self-improvement
News
Sports
Stories
Comedy
If you’re already in a category or niche, you probably already listen to other podcasts that offer similar information or have a familiar style. Maybe you view them as competitors, or maybe you take a more observational approach to what they’re doing so you can learn from them.
It’s important to listen to other podcasts that are similar to your own. Not only can you learn what works and what doesn’t, but you can get a better idea of who is sponsoring them.
Let’s use the freelancing example again: If you listen to a podcast about making money as a freelancer, and they interrupt halfway through for a word from their sponsor, write down the name of that business. You already know they’re interested in working with freelancers or those within the community. Take note of any like-minded podcasts and the businesses sponsoring them so you can have a narrowed-down list of who to email and how to present yourself.
Make Your Broadcast a Brand
Speaking of presenting yourself, there’s a lot of hefty competition out there. It’s easier than ever for almost anyone to create a podcast, especially with apps like Anchor on the market.
If you really want your podcast to be taken seriously by potential sponsors, consider building a brand around it. You can have a quality publication, write a great script, and even have an interesting niche. But, without a brand, you’re not going to get the exposure you need to grow your audience and attract businesses to support you.
At a minimum, your podcast brand should include:
A website
Social media presence
A strong logo/imagery
Communication with listeners
A unique personality
You don’t need to be a graphics pro or web designer to build your brand’s digital presence. Work with a web developer to design a quality website or even a software developer to create your own app for anything and everything related to your podcast. Keep in mind that if you’re the one speaking, you are automatically going to be a part of that brand. Some of the most popular podcasts in the world are so well-known because of who hosts them. So, carry yourself in a way that “fits” with the style and information you’re publishing.
While you do need to have a strong listener base to even consider attracting sponsorships, it’s not as difficult as you might think. Keep these tactics in mind as you search for sponsors, and you can start receiving the funding you deserve for your hard work sooner, rather than later.
About the Author
Dan Matthews is a writer, content consultant, and conservationist. While Dan writes on a variety of topics, he loves to focus on the topics that look inward to help develop one's self, in turn developing mankind to make the surrounding world a better place to reside. When Dan isn't working on new content, you can find him with a coffee cup in one hand and searching for new music in the other.
Image from Unsplash.