How do podcasts make money? How to make money and earn commissions for podcasts: Part 2

Continuing from the previous article《How do podcasts make money? How to make money and earn commissions for podcasts: Part 1》.

3、 Comparison and selection strategy of podcast platforms

3.1 Domestic mainstream podcast platforms

3.2 Overseas Podcasting Platforms

3.3 Multi platform distribution strategy

Suggestion:

1. main battlefieldHimalaya (with the highest domestic traffic)
2. Secondary battlefieldSmall Universe (Young Users+Community)
3. backupDragonfly FM, Litchi (multi platform exposure)
4. Overseas distributionSpotify, Apple Podcasts (if there is English content)

Precautions for multi platform distribution:

• Don’t copy and paste directly(Each platform has different algorithms, so it is necessary to adjust the title and introduction appropriately)
• Maintain consistent update frequency(Don’t make daily updates on this platform, make monthly updates on that platform)

4、 The entire process of creating podcast content

4.1 Topic: The First Step in Deciding the Success or Failure of Podcasting

📊 Three major sources for topic selection:

1. user feedback(Questions asked by listeners in the comment section and group)
2. industry hotspots(Recent events and industry trends)
3. personal experience(Your own story, pitfalls, experience)

📐 Topic evaluation formula:

Explosive potential=Pain point intensity x Audience breadth x Differentiation level

• Pain point intensity1-5 points (the more painful the better, such as “What should I do if I’m unemployed at the age of 35”)
• Audience breadth1-5 points (the more the better, for example, “workplace” is wider than “VC investment”)
• Degree of differentiation1-5 points (the more unique the better, for example, “anti common sense” is more likely to become popular)

💡 Example of High Potential Topic Selection:

4.2 Recording: Low cost and high-quality production techniques

🎙️ Equipment selection:

🎛️ Recording software:

✂️ Editing skills:

1. noise reduction(Use Audacity’s noise reduction function to remove background noise)
2. Delete modal particles(Mmm, ah, this)
3. adjust the rhythm(Slow speaking areas can be accelerated appropriately)
4. Add BGM(Keep the volume below -20dB, don’t grab the vocals)

4.3 Cover and Title: The Key to Determining Click Through Rates

🖼️ Key points of cover design:

1. concise(Do not have densely packed text)
2. complementary color(Use high contrast colors to highlight the cover on the list page)
3. brand elements(Unified color scheme, font, establish recognition)

📐 Cover template size:

• Himalaya: 300 × 300 pixels
• Small Universe: 500 × 500 pixels
• Apple Podcasts: 3000 x 3000 pixels

🏷️ Title writing skills:

1. numeric3 methods, 5 techniques
2. Pain point typeWhat should I do if I become unemployed at the age of 35
3. Curiosity typeUnveiling the untold secrets of major corporations
4. Interest orientedLearn this trick and your monthly salary will increase by 3000

❌ Avoid title types:

• Title Party (“Too Shocking!”)
• Too general (“workplace communication skills”)
• Violation words (“first”, “guaranteed”)

5、 Podcast Growth Path: From 0 to Monthly Income of 50000 RMB

Stage 1: Cold start period (0-6 months)

Goal:Find positioning, accumulate content, and establish an audienceAction Checklist:

• [] Determine the segmented areas (do not do “pan entertainment podcasts”, focus on “vertical areas”)
• [] Record the first 10 episodes of the program (1 episode per week)
• [] Synchronized release in Himalaya+Little Universe
• [] Promote on social media/WeChat groups (ask friends to share)
• [] Join the podcast communication group (recommend each other)
• [] Collect audience feedback (comment section, private message)

profit:0 yuan (investment period)

Stage 2: Growth period (6-12 months)

Goal:Accumulate fans and receive the first advertisementAction Checklist:

• [] Updated 1-2 times a week
• [] Synchronize graphic and textual content on Zhihu/Xiaohongshu (traffic diversion)
• [] Participate in podcast rankings (increase exposure)
• [] Proactively contact 3-5 brands (email to introduce their podcast)
• [] Received the first advertisement (even if it’s only 500 yuan, it’s still a milestone)

profit:Monthly income of 500-3000 yuan

Stage 3: Monetization period (1-2 years)

Goal:Establish a stable monetization path and launch paid productsAction Checklist:

• [] Receive 3-5 advertisements per month (priced at 0.1-0.3 yuan based on the number of followers)
• [] Design the first paid product (course/e-book/membership)
• [] Organize the first offline event (30-50 people)
• [] Consider forming a team (part-time editing+operations)

profit:Monthly income of 10000 to 50000 yuan

Stage 4: Scale up period (2 years+)

Goal:Breaking through the personal time ceiling and establishing a brandAction Checklist:

• [] Launch systematic courses (999-2999 yuan)
• Organize 2-4 large-scale events per year (with 100-500 people)
• [] Publishing books (if there is more than 3 years of content accumulation)
• [] Consider MCN cooperation or signing (expanding influence)
• [] Establish a personal brand (not just a “podcast anchor”, but an “industry KOL”)

profit:Monthly income of 50000 to 200000 yuan

6、 Real case: Podcasting entrepreneurship from 0 to 80000 yuan per month

Case: Ah Ming, anchor of “The Story of Product People”

background

• Started doing podcasts in 2021, former product manager at a major company
• Positioning: Career Growth for Product Managers
• Number of fans: 300000 (with approximately 1.5 million monthly views)

Monetization Structure:

Key success factors:

1. precise positioning(Product managers are a group of “high-income, high willingness to pay” individuals)
2. Content scarcity(Lack of “Systematic Product Manager Growth Course” in the market)
3. Continuous output(Updated twice a week, without interruption for three years)
4. fan operation(Establish a WeChat group of 500 people to maintain activity)
5. Diversified monetization(Not dependent on advertising, supplemented by courses and activities)

7、 Risk and Avoidance Guidelines

7.1 Common Misconceptions

❌ Misconception 1: “Doing podcasts will definitely make money”

• Reality: 80% of podcasts cannot be monetized (or monthly income<500 yuan)
• Reason: unclear positioning, inconsistent content, inaccurate followers

❌ Misconception 2: “As long as you have many fans, you can make money”

• Reality: Quality of fans is more important than quantity
• Reason: 100000 followers may not be as profitable as 10000 precise followers

❌ Misconception 3: “Making podcasts is easy”

• Reality: It is difficult to consistently output high-quality content
• Reason: Two episodes per week, requiring topic selection, recording, editing, and operation

7.2 Legal Risks

⚠️ Legal red lines for podcast content:

1. copyright(Do not play unauthorized music or film clips)
2. advertising sign(The advertisement content must be labeled as “advertisement”)
3. false advertising(Don’t exaggerate the product effect)
4. personal privacy(Do not disclose others’ privacy in the program)

7.3 Platform Rule Risks

⚠️ Common violations:

1. click farming(Buy views, buy fans)
2. Inducing downloads(Scan the code to download XXX)
3. sensitive topic(Politics, religion, pornography)

Punishment:Account suspension, deduction of points, and zeroing of profits

8、 Podcast Trends Forecast for 2026

8.1 What trends are worth paying attention to?

1. AI assisted production(AI editing, AI subtitles, AI generated content summaries)
2. Podcast videoization(The video version is released synchronously at station B/Tiktok)
3. Vertical subdivision(There are great opportunities in specialized fields such as finance, law, and psychology)
4. The rise of paid podcasts(Increased willingness of users to pay for ‘high-quality content’)

8.2 Which trends have cooled down?

1. Pan entertainment podcast(Intense competition, difficult to monetize)
2. Moving content(Platform cracking down on handling, originality is the key to survival)
3. Pure advertising mode(Audience’s immunity to advertising is enhanced, requiring softer implantation)

9、 Action Checklist (30 Day Podcast Launch Plan)

Day 1-7: Positioning and Preparation

• [] Determine segmented areas (not general, vertical)
• [] Choose a podcast name (easy to remember, related to positioning)
• [] Purchase/prepare recording equipment
• [] Register Himalaya+Little Universe account
• [] Design podcast cover (Canva available)

Days 8-14: 3 episodes before recording

• [] Record the first episode of the program (limited to 20-30 minutes)
• [] Record the second episode of the program
• [] Record the third episode of the program
• [] Learn editing software (Audacity/Jianying)
• [] Publish to Himalaya+Little Universe

Days 15-21: Promotion and Feedback

• [] Share in Moments/WeChat Groups (let friends listen+leave reviews)
• [] Join the podcast communication group (recommend each other)
• [] Send pictures and text on Zhihu/Xiaohongshu to attract traffic
• [] Collect audience feedback (comment section, private message)
• [] Optimize program content

Days 15-21: Promotion and Feedback

• [] Share in Moments/WeChat Groups (let friends listen+leave reviews)
• [] Join the podcast communication group (recommend each other)
• [] Send pictures and text on Zhihu/Xiaohongshu to attract traffic
• [] Collect audience feedback (comment section, private message)
• [] Optimize program content

Summary: The Truth of Making Money with Podcasting

1. Not fast money(Give yourself at least 6 months of accumulation period)
2. Content is fundamental(Skills, platforms, and monetization are all amplifiers, everything is useless without content)
3. Perseverance>Talent(Most people give up not because they lack talent, but because they don’t persevere)
4. Diversified monetization(Don’t rely solely on advertising, there should be courses, activities, and membership)
5. Compliance first(Don’t cross the legal red line, don’t brush volume, don’t violate regulations)

💬 The last sentence:Podcasting makes money“The Business of SoundOnly anchors who truly understand your audience and consistently produce valuable content can survive and make money.