BusinessWeek online examines the revenue-generating possibilities of podcasts, and finds independent podcasters aren’t exactly rolling in dough. I think there are a few limiting factors that contribute to this issue; Namely, there is no AdSense equivalent for podcasters. I know plenty of bloggers who make a couple hundred dollars a month (on the low end) in AdSense revenue alone, but podcasters have to seek out their own advertising or get lucky and have an advertiser contact them, which can be difficult.
Second, podcasts require a listener time commitment. It used to be common for me to listen to shows that were over an hour, but I’ve largely dropped long shows in favor of podcasts no longer than a half-hour in length. Even so, I can only listen to a maximum of three shows a day during my commute. That limits audiences. In contrast, I can scan over a hundred blogs a day.
Third, podcasts are difficult to do well. They require investment in expensive recording equipment and time on the host’s part. And let’s face it- Not everyone can convey an engaging personality in a talk show format. It’s no fluke that many of the top “podcasts” are actually re-runs of traditional radio programs.
Podcasts may work best, at this point, as part of an online “brand.” Diggnation is one popular example, which complements and presumably drives traffic to Digg.com, where the real money is made. BusinessWeek tells the story of Keith and the Girl, which is anchored by a podcast but supplemented by forums and a popular MySpace page that have enabled a community to be built around the show.
By building community and diversifying the way they distribute information, these brands are able to reach out to more people in a variety of ways and make listeners feel like an integral part of the show, which is the best motivation I can think of for sustaining a regular audience. Podcasters who ignore these strategies may find themselves lost in the shuffle.
EDIT 4.6.07: I updated the headline to (hopefully) flow a bit better.
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