Podcast creators know the situation all too well: we spend hours dealing with the technical setup, scrolling through countless how‑to forums. Prior to every recording we make a research on a topic or a guest. The guest needs to be invited, the outline prepared, and the location suitable. After one or two hours of recording, we spend at least as much time editing the episode, adding the selected music, and uploading the file to a platform where we previously created an account with a catchy description. A logo is, of course, also on the cover. After that, we publish it across our channels on various social networks.
If you’re planning to produce 20 episodes, you can quickly end up with 150 to 200 hours of work — often without earning a single cent. In this blog post, we show you ways to earn money with your audio content.
Advertising
The latest OMR survey (2025) shows that advertisers take the medium podcast very seriously. The biggest insight: podcast listeners are open to advertising and understand that ads are necessary for the podcast to continue. Nearly 60 percent even view advertising in podcasts positively.
Many are already familiar with native advertising. This currently popular form of advertising works in a following way: your advertising partner provides you with a text that you read aloud and integrate into the episode. This makes production simple and cost‑effective for both sides. You can choose between pre‑roll (ad at the beginning), mid‑roll (in the middle), post‑roll (at the end), spot, or presenting partner (“This podcast is presented by…”). It’s important that you genuinely support the product or service you’re promoting — otherwise your podcast loses authenticity.
Dynamic ads are ad insertions that are automatically played in the podcast via an ad server. It is determined in advance how many listeners the ad will reach; once that number is reached, the campaign ends.
Do not underestimate: podcasts are not just about download numbers. Companies that advertise in podcasts know that podcasts can reach very specific target groups. We handle the commercialisation. Just send us an email and we’ll figure it out!
Publishing House
Podcastwerkstatt also operates as a digital publishing house. In addition to services in podcasting and online communication, we produce corporate podcasts and Podcastwerkstatt originals, such as Sitzfleisch and viroLOGICAL. We develop podcast ideas from scratch and do everything we can to help a podcast become successful.
Live Podcasts
Let’s bring your podcast to the stage! With a loyal listener base, it’s possible to produce a live podcast recording in front of an audience. Revenue comes from ticket sales and potential sponsors connected to the event. Curious how this can work? We’ll show you!
Donations and Crowdfunding
If you don’t want to rely on major sponsors, you can turn to your own listeners and offer a donation option. People are happy to pay a little something for good content. These so‑called microdonations (a few euros per month) usually don’t cover a full living, but they support and motivate you as a content creator — and can be a stepping stone to further funding opportunities.
Several platforms help you set up simple donation options: Patreon, Drip, Liberapay, or Ko‑fi.
It’s important for a crowdfunded podcast project to have a clear plan and goal. Users can support your project with predefined contribution levels. In return, they receive various perks, such as merchandise items. Merchandising — fan products — is still booming and can later become an additional income source.
Similar platforms include Startnext or Indiegogo.
Memberships and Paywalls
For instance with Steady: a Steady account allows you to place content such as photos, texts, podcasts behind a paywall for paying users. We run steady accounts for example for Sitzfleisch and viroLOGISCH.
Do you have further questions about earning money with your podcast? Send us an email and we’ll get in touch!
