Podcasting Business

How Profitable Is A Podcasting Business? (Updated for 2024)

Pat Walls

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Updated: October 8th, 2024

How Profitable Is A Podcasting Business? (Updated for 2024)

So you want to start a podcasting business?

And the first question that came to your mind was, “well, are podcasting businesses actually profitable?”

With a market size of $92.4B - there’s plenty of business to go around.

Especially considering:

You could start a podcasting business with as low as $100
Based on our data, podcasting businesses generate an average of $897K per year
You could see gross margins as high as 95% with podcasting businesses

There’s money to be made. Don’t worry.

But, I don't want to spoil it all. Below we’ll cover everything you need to know when it comes to the profitability of a podcasting business.

Let’s dive in!

Is a podcasting business profitable?

Yes, a podcasting business is generally a profitable business. However, you still need to consider several factors since these things always impact the overall outcome.

For instance, since average revenue is $897K per year with an estimated gross margin of 65%, you could expect to recover your investment within 7 months or even less.

But of course, it all comes down to how much you earn compared to the potential revenues of your podcasting business.

To determine whether your business is profitable, you should earn more than your expenses in the beginning months. However, while you're in your first month, it can be challenging to know what to expect.

Therefore, you should maintain a record of your monthly expenses and income to determine whether you're meeting your goals. By doing this step, you can see how your podcasting business is doing and if any changes or adjustments need to be made to enhance or maintain your efforts.

Is a podcasting business worth it?

If you’re wondering if a podcasting business is worth it, the answer is a big YES. With podcasting businesses, you have the potential to earn $897K per year (this is based on data reported by real founders).

Further, you could have your initial investment back within months. Simply put, it’s a business worth a shot, especially if you have the resources and make the necessary efforts to achieve or surpass the target.

With a market size of $92.4B, it will be possible for you to build something that grows and turns into a flourishing business. As such, it’s the type of business you might want to consider starting.

Of course, you must learn and understand every aspect of running a podcasting business to ensure success. Still, as long as you have the initial investment and can endure a few months before your actual gains, this business could be worth it.

You might want to consider reading more specifics about successful podcasting businesses case studies.

Examples Of Profitable Podcasting Businesses

Here are a few examples of profitable podcasting businesses, and a few more details about them:

1. Influence Podium ($480K/year)

Marti Sanchez, the CEO of Influence Podium, came up with the idea for his business after ghostwriting papers for B2B CEOs in college. He realized the power of personal branding and content, and eventually launched Influence Podium to help B2B CEOs grow their personal brands and create content at scale. Now in its 3rd year, Influence Podium has crossed $30k MRR and aims to hit seven figures by the end of the year.

Is it profitable? Yes
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100

How I Started A $30K/Month Personal Branding Content Service For B2B CEOs

Influence Podium CEO Marti Sanchez started his content service for B2B CEOs three years ago, which now helps get CEOs of companies on podcasts and repurposes those episodes. They have crossed $30k MRR and their next goal is to hit seven figures by the end of the year, while completely self-funded.

Read this case study

Read by 5,048 founders

2. Ecom Crew Podcast ($420K/year)

EcomCrew, an ecommerce blog and podcast, was founded by Mike Jackness and an unnamed co-founder in 2014. With a passion for content creation and a desire to share ecommerce knowledge, they started EcomCrew and eventually monetized it through a membership program. They now generate around $35,000 a month in revenue.

Is it profitable? Yes
How much money it makes: $420K/year

Starting An E-Commerce Education Platform Generating $35K/Month

EcomCrew is an ecommerce blog and podcast that took three years to monetize and now brings in around $35,000 a month by selling a membership to a private ecommerce group that includes exclusive access to ecommerce courses, webinars, events and more, with plans slowly becoming more expensive to expand with new content.

Read this case study

Read by 4,788 founders

3. ryrob.com ($480K/year)

Ryan Robinson started his blog ryrob.com in college as a way to share the lessons he learned from starting a business around his product, the iStash. After a viral post on HackerNews and Twitter, Ryan saw the potential to build a community around his blog and turned it into a full-time business. Now, his blog has around 500,000 monthly readers and generates between $25,000 to $55,000 in revenue each month through affiliate partnerships, sponsorships, and the sale of his own digital products.

Is it profitable? Yes
What's the gross margin? 95%
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500

How I Started A Blog With Over 500K Monthly Visitors And Generates $35K/Month

Ryan Robinson explains how he built a blog with over 500k monthly visitors and generates $25,000-$55,000 in revenue each month through affiliate partnerships, sponsorships, and his own digital products like courses and books.

Read this case study

Read by 9,239 founders

Learn more about starting a podcasting business:

Where to start?

-> How much does it cost to start a podcasting business?
-> Pros and cons of a podcasting business

Need inspiration?

-> Other podcasting business success stories

Other resources

-> Podcasting business tips

How much can you make with a podcasting business?

With a podcasting business, you can make an average of $897K revenue per year (based on data reported by real businesses).

You can start with an initial investment as low as $100. Then, with proper knowledge and sustained effort, you could have an ROI (return of investment) within 7 months.

How much does a podcasting business make a week?

Based on our data, average weekly revenue for a podcasting business ranges around $18.7K. As such, you could see monthly revenues of $74.8K.

To know if your podcasting business achieves the weekly profit target, you need to keep track of the total earnings you get per day. Afterward, you'll want to consider subtracting the expenses you have daily.

Learning your weekly profit can also show whether you're hitting your target goal for your podcasting business.

How much do podcasting businesses owners make?

The income of a podcasting business owner can vary depending on various factors such as location, size, competition, and the owner's business skills.

But to give you some idea, the weekly revenue of an established podcasting business is about $18.7K. But this can be lower or higher depending on so many factors - it's almost impossible to say exactly.

While the potential for earning a good income as a podcasting business owner exists, success in this field requires a commitment to providing quality products and services and building a strong reputation within the community.

Podcasting Business Profit Margins

Generally speaking, a podcasting business can expect profit margin of around 65%. Profit margins refer to the percentage of revenue that remains after deducting all expenses associated with running a business. In the case of a podcasting business, profit margins can vary depending on various factors, such as the type and quality of products sold, the size of the store, and the level of competition in the area.

However, these figures can vary depending on the pricing strategy, inventory management, and overall efficiency of the business. To maintain healthy profit margins, podcasting business owners must focus on managing costs, negotiating favorable supplier terms, and providing high-quality products and services to attract and retain customers. By doing so, podcasting business owners can ensure long-term sustainability and profitability for their business.

Podcasting business owner salary

The salary of a podcasting business owner is an unpredictable figure. It's significantly influenced by numerous factors, including the store's location, its size, and the degree of competition. An owner of a well-established podcasting business, in a prime position, might see an average weekly salary around the ballpark of $12.2K.

But it's worth noting, such numbers aren't always consistent. The earnings can vary wildly, potentially swinging by as much as 80% either way.

Achieving consistent success and maintaining a reliable income stream in this industry requires a deep commitment. It's imperative to offer high-quality products, deliver impeccable customer service, and nurture a trusted bond with the community you serve.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, based on many of our examples, a podcasting business may be a promising business to start - but the success of your podcasting business mostly depends on your effort and your approach.

If you focus on these, you'll have a much higher chance of a profitable podcasting business.

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Starting A Podcasting Business: Everything You Need To Know

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