When Corti and I mentioned that we had found two annual sponsors for our podcasts (En.Digital, Planeta M y Tribucasters) for the 2020-21 season, some of our listeners asked us how to get sponsors for podcasts.
This question got us thinking and inspired us to do a special episode on Tribucasters where we brought together some podcasters who had found sponsors and brands that had sponsored a podcast.
It seemed like the best way to do a complete analysis of the situation.
The result was a fascinating episode where we discovered what podcasters do in order to secure sponsorships and what brands are looking for when they wager on a podcast with sponsorship.
So… Let’s see how to get sponsors for podcasts.
Steps to look for a sponsor
After listening to both podcasters and brands, we decided to publish a recap of the steps you need to take to get sponsors for podcasts.
Let’s check them out!
Make it clear you are looking for a sponsor
For many podcasters and content creators it can be difficult to get out of our caves to go find the brands and get sponsors for podcasts.
It is a mix of embarrassment and commodity that makes us stick inside the cave, waiting for the brands to come to us.
But, I am sorry to tell you that it doesn’t work like this! No one will ever stop by your dark cave to invest in your podcast. So the earlier you make it known that you are looking for a sponsor, the better off you’ll be.
Forget about your self-consciousness, or what you think they will say, and let the world know that you are on the hunt for a sponsor for your podcast!
Just because your audience may not be interested, doesn’t mean that they won’t recommend your podcast to other people who may be interested!
Say it in your podcast
The podcast is the channel where you have the most loyal audience, which makes sense that it would be the ideal place for you to announce that you accept advertising on your podcast.
Reserve a spot for sponsors
Another option is to have a spot reserved for advertising from the very first episode of your podcast.
Even if you don’t have a sponsor, you can just advertise a friend’s business for a lower price, or in exchange for a written testimonial about your podcast, or any other helpful action.
With this strategy, you will achieve two things:
- Demonstrate that you accept sponsors.
- Generate some social proof for anyone who is considering sponsoring your podcast. If someone else has already done it, it is much easier.
Create a sponsor page
It could also be really useful to create a page on your website or blog, where you let them know what the sponsorship options are and what you have available.
This way you have a page that you can link in the notes of the podcast or from your social networks.
Share it frequently, if you want them to invest in your podcast, you need to be selling it all day.
Prepare a presentation or a media kit
Another thing that is quite useful, is to have a presentation or media kit for your podcast that includes:
- The main IAB metrics.
- Your audience in subscribers to the podcast, the newsletter…
- The number of visits you have on your website.
- Your presence on social networks.
- Your target audience and their demographics.
- Your rankings in the countries where your podcast is listened to (you can use Podstatus for this.)
- Your value proposition for brands.
- The price for sponsorship and the different options you have
- …
This document will be tremendously useful for you to present your podcast and to get it recognized by potential sponsors.
Use your contacts
Having a solid network of contacts is very similar to doing a great job with your SEO. It is something that doesn’t offer you immediate rewards, but it is something that proves to be very profitable in the long term.
When you decide to offer the option to sponsor your podcast, let all your contacts know so that they can help you to spread the word to the largest number of companies possible. Surely, you know someone who can get your proposal to potential advertisers by including you and your podcast in an email thread.
Look for brands that already sponsor
Another interesting approach to get sponsors for podcasts is to analyze which brands in your sector are already sponsoring blogs, newsletters, other podcasts, influencers…
You will probably find brands that already understand what advertising in a podcast can contribute, and more importantly: they have a marketing budget.
Relationship with sponsors
Regarding the relationship with sponsors, there are several aspects that the brands with whom we have spoken highlighted for us:
- Orient the sponsorships to branding so as to not generate any expectations that you cannot meet. Except in very impulsive purchase products, the podcast can serve as a reinforcement for a strategy that has other ways to impact the advertiser’s potential customer.
- You can complement that branding action with a discount code to be able to track sales. It is always best to have your generated sales accurately measured.
- Integrate the sponsor into your content in the most natural way possible. Also, give it visibility through social networks and the other channels you have available in order to reach your audience.
- Whenever you can, speak well of them: in meetings, events, talks, webinars … Become their ambassador.
- Catch up with them from time to time to talk about adjusting messages, keep up to date with news that makes sense to communicate, advertising campaigns they have in place …
- Generate reports from time to time to share your numbers with your sponsors and be transparent with them. Make the value you bring them tangible with figures whenever possible.
- If you can, give them something more than what you promised. There is nothing that makes a sponsor happier than discovering that you speak well of him or her in channels and spaces that were not originally agreed upon.
Conclusion: how to get sponsors for podcasts
Sponsorship is an option to monetize that is compatible with other options like subscription or affiliation, but it won’t come on its own.
If you want to get brands using your podcast as a marketing channel so you can make money with your podcast, you need to get out of your comfort zone and put into play various tactics to achieve it: talk about it on your podcast, use a media kit, or create a sponsors page on your website for example.
Get out of your cave! Brands are beginning to understand the power and the potential of podcasts as a marketing channel, and it depends on you for them to decide to invest their money in your podcast.
Monetizing with sponsors is totally compatible with subscription models for profit. If you would like to be independent and make a living off of your content, we can give you the keys to make that possible, on Mumbler.
It has never been so easy to launch a subscription podcast. Join the movement of independent podcasters today!
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