Why so many Creators have podcasts

.Breakdown.

Here are the ad benchmarks for podcasts:

• Average CPM - $20 (pre- and post-rolls are cheaper, mid-rolls more expensive)

• Ad load - 4-6 ads per 30 minute episode. Longer shows = more ads. Let’s assume 5 ads.

• Sales fees - Podcast networks take 30% on average, Creators get 70%

• $20 × 50% = $70

• RPM - $70 per thousand downloads or views for a mid-sized podcast

And here are the ad benchmarks for YouTube AdSense:

• Average CPM - $14 (average over 2023 in the US)

• Ad load - Most Creators show just one (1) ad

• Sales fees - YouTube takes 45%, Creators get 55%

• $14  x  55% = $7.70

• RPM - $7.70 per thousand downloads or views

For a YouTuber to make the same amount of money as a podcaster with 100,000 views and downloads per episode, they’d need a little over 900,000 views.

Now do you see why everyone’s got a podcast?

There are some caveats:

• You need to partner with a podcast network to have ads sold into your podcast

• Most podcast advertisers won’t buy on a show unless it has an audience of at least 50,000

• Podcast ads are host-read, making them very similar to brand integrations for YouTubers, while AdSense is totally separate from the content of the video.

• Not all Creators are a good fit for podcasting. You’ve got to have something to say for 30+ minutes, and an audience that cares.

Still, for many Creators looking to monetize large audiences in a relatively low-cost way, podcasts are often worth a shot.

And that’s why you hear about so many Creators launching podcasts!

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