Supercast: Redefining Podcast Monetization

By podcast | October 2, 2023

Want to turn your podcast episodes into exclusive gold mines? Dive into Supercast, a leading podcast subscription service that’s changing the way podcasters connect with their audience.

Designed specifically for podcasters, Supercast is more than just a platform—it’s a tool that empowers content creators to unlock new revenue streams and grow their listener base.

Essentially, it’s helping podcasters unlock serious cash by paywalling premium content.

This post will delve into the story of Supercast. We’ll also cover its unique business model, key features, and how it compares to other platforms in the market.

We’ll also share inspiring success stories of podcasters who’ve leveraged Supercast to their advantage, and explore the future plans of this innovative platform.

Discover how it’s reshaping the podcast world and why it might be your next big move.

Curious? Let’s go!

The Genesis of Supercast

Founding of Supercast

Supercast’s journey began in early 2019 when Sam Harris, the host of the popular podcast “Making Sense,” was seeking a way to monetize his content without resorting to ads.

He approached Andrew Wilkinson at Tiny, a company known for buying, starting, and investing in internet businesses, with the idea of building a custom podcast subscription platform.

Wilkinson assembled a team to create the technology as a special project. The results were astounding, with the platform generating substantial monthly revenues that rivaled those of a software business.

Encouraged by this success, the team, including co-founders Andrew Wilkinson, Jason Sew Hoy, and Aidan Hornsby, decided to spin their podcast subscription technology into a new company, thus birthing Supercast.

The Mission of Supercast

Supercast was founded with a clear mission: to help podcasters of every shape and size generate recurring revenue from their audience.

While podcast ads and sponsorships can provide a foundation of revenue, they can be challenging to build and maintain.

While you can make SOME money from ad sales with a small podcast, you need tens of thousands of downloads to make anything substantial from sponsors and brand deals.

Supercast offers an alternative, leveraging the concept of a thousand true fans, where a percentage of an audience will happily pay a monthly fee to support the creator and access premium perks.

Since its launch, Supercast has welcomed thousands of podcasters to the platform, with its top 10 creators grossing more than $12 million in annual subscription revenue alone.

The company’s mission continues to be helping audio creators everywhere shine in the ever-growing market for podcast subscriptions.

How Supercast Works

Supercast’s Business Model

Opening an account with Supercast is free. You don’t pay anything until you have people paying you for your podcast.

The platform integrates with Stripe for payment processing, allowing listeners to pay for podcast subscriptions using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or credit card.

This model provides a seamless and efficient way for podcasters to monetize their content.

Benefits To Podcasts

It offers a multitude of benefits to podcasters. It provides a platform where podcasters can create a subscription program, set their price, and offer premium content to their listeners.

Sound like Patreon?

Kinda, but Supercast is specifically for podcasters. Patreon supports a variety of arts disciplines.

This not only helps in generating a steady stream of income but also allows podcasters to build a closer relationship with their audience. The platform also offers flexibility in packaging and pricing plans, running trials and promotions, and delivering perk formats to fit your show and your audience.

This flexibility allows podcasters to tailor their offerings to meet the specific needs and preferences of their audience.

Supercast’s Operation

The operation of Supercast is designed to be user-friendly and efficient. To get started, podcasters simply sign up, answer a few quick questions, and choose the URL for their podcast landing page.

Once the account is set up, podcasters can create their subscription plans, customize their signup page, and add audio content for their subscribers. Supercast also offers an RSS sync feature, which automatically adds new public episodes from the podcast host to the Supercast premium feed.

This ensures that premium subscribers have access to both free and premium content in one place.

The platform also allows podcasters to customize their subscriber welcome page, providing an opportunity to reinforce the value of the subscription and make subscribers feel special. Once everything is set up, the signup page can be published and shared with the audience.

Key Features of Supercast

Ease Of Use

In our experience, one of the standout features of Supercast is its ease of use. It’s designed with the user in mind, making it simple for podcasters to set up and manage their subscription service. The platform’s intuitive interface allows podcasters to easily create and manage their podcast subscription programs.

From setting up pricing tiers to managing subscribers, the process is streamlined and user-friendly. This ease of use extends to subscribers as well.

Logging in brings them to a subscriber home page, from where they can access their private feed, manage their subscriptions. In addition they can change their payment method, and interact with the host if AMAs are enabled.

This simplicity and user-friendliness make Supercast a top choice for podcasters looking to monetize their content.

Revenue Generation

Supercast’s primary aim is to help podcasters generate revenue, and it does this exceptionally well. The platform allows podcasters to create a subscription service for their content, providing them with a steady stream of recurring revenue.

This is a significant advantage over the traditional ad-based revenue model, which can be unpredictable and often pays only cents per listen. With Supercast, podcasters can leverage their true fans, who are often willing to pay a monthly fee to support the creator and access premium content.

This model has proven to be very successful, with Supercast’s top 10 creators grossing more than $12 million in annual subscription revenue alone.

Subscriber Management

Another key feature of Supercast is its robust subscriber management capabilities. Podcasters have full control over their subscriber list, and the platform makes it easy to manage subscriptions, update payment information, and even interact with subscribers.

Subscribers, on the other hand, have the ability to manage their subscriptions, upgrade their subscription anytime, and even cancel their subscription if they choose to.

They also have the ability to update their payment information and change their account details like password and email.

This level of control and flexibility is a significant advantage for both podcasters and subscribers, making Supercast a comprehensive solution for podcast subscription management.

Supercast Success Stories

Growth of Audience

One of the most compelling success stories of podcasters using Supercast is that of Breaking Points. This political commentary podcast, hosted by Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti, has seen a significant increase in their audience size since they started using Supercast.

The platform’s seamless integration and easy-to-use interface allowed them to focus on creating quality content, which in turn attracted more listeners.

The podcast’s success is a testament to how Supercast can help podcasters grow their audience.

Revenue Growth

Supercast has also played a crucial role in helping podcasters grow their revenue. Allison Horrocks, host of the American Girls podcast, has experienced a significant increase in her podcast’s revenue since she started using Supercast.

The platform’s subscription model allowed her to generate a steady stream of income, which has been instrumental in her podcast’s success.

Another podcaster who has seen a substantial increase in revenue is Espree Devora, host of the Women in Tech podcast. With Supercast, she was able to monetize her podcast effectively, leading to a significant increase in her revenue.

These success stories highlight how Supercast has helped podcasters not only grow their audience but also significantly increase their revenue. It’s clear that Supercast’s features and services are instrumental in helping podcasters succeed in their endeavors.

Setting Up a Podcast on Supercast

Creating an Account

Creating an account on Supercast is a straightforward process. To get started, you simply click the Sign Up button in the top right corner of the Supercast website.

You’ll be asked to provide the name of your podcast and answer a few other quick questions. The last step in signing up is to choose the URL for your podcast landing page.

This is where you’ll send people to subscribe to your plans. I recommend using the name of your podcast as the URL, both for branding and to make it easy for people to remember.

Your Supercast account integrates with your own Stripe account, which is used as the payment processor for your podcast subscriptions. Your listeners can pay for your podcast subscriptions using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or credit card.

If you don’t already have a Stripe account, you can create one at stripe.com.

Launching a Subscription Program

Once you have a Stripe account ready, you can start setting up your subscription plans in Supercast. In your Supercast dashboard, navigate to “Plans”.

Here, you can give your plan a name, set the price, and specify the billing interval (monthly, yearly, or one-time). You can also choose to offer a trial period.

After setting up your plans, you can customize your signup page. This is where you’ll send your listeners to learn about your podcast subscription plans and sign up for one.

You can add a logo, specify an accent color, enter a headline, and add a brief description of your subscription program.

Supercast’s Impact on Podcast Revenue

Transformation of Profit Potential

We’ve seen firsthand how Supercast has revolutionized the profit potential of podcasts. By providing a platform that facilitates direct, recurring revenue from listeners, it has empowered podcasters to monetize their content more effectively.

Before Supercast, many podcasters relied on advertising for revenue, which often required a large audience to be profitable. With Supercast, even niche podcasts with a smaller, dedicated audience can generate significant income.

This shift has transformed the podcasting landscape, making it a more viable career option for many creators.

Creation of New Revenue Streams

Supercast has not only enhanced existing revenue streams but also created new ones. One of the most significant is the subscription revenue from premium content. Podcasters can offer exclusive content to their subscribers, such as ad-free episodes, early access to episodes, bonus content, and more.

This model has proven to be very successful. For instance, the health sciences podcast FoundMyFitness doubled its monthly revenue within a week of launching a premium membership with Supercast.

Another innovative revenue stream introduced by Supercast is the ultra-premium subscription. For a higher fee, subscribers get additional benefits like direct access to the podcaster through live video calls and group discussions.

This option has been embraced by FoundMyFitness’s biggest fans, demonstrating the willingness of dedicated listeners to support the creators they value.

These new revenue streams have had a profound impact on the podcasting industry. They have enabled podcasters to diversify their income, reduce reliance on advertising, and build a more sustainable business model.

As a result, podcasters can focus more on creating high-quality content that their audience loves, further fueling the growth of their revenue and the podcasting industry as a whole.

Comparing Supercast with Other Platforms

Features Comparison

When comparing Supercast with other podcast subscription platforms, such as Apple Podcast Subscription, several key differences emerge. Supercast offers a range of features designed to empower podcasters, including easy setup, premium content options, and direct, recurring revenue from listeners.

Apple Podcast Subscription also offers premium content options, but it’s integrated within the Apple ecosystem, which may limit its reach to only Apple users.

Pricing Comparison

In terms of pricing, Supercast operates on a tiered pricing model, with the cost increasing as you gain more subscribers. This model allows podcasters to start small and scale up as their audience grows. On the other hand, Apple Podcast Subscription charges podcasters a flat annual fee, regardless of the number of subscribers.

This could be more cost-effective for larger podcasts, but potentially prohibitive for smaller ones.

User Experience Comparison

From a user experience perspective, Supercast is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy for podcasters to set up and manage their subscriptions. Subscribers also report a positive experience, with easy access to premium content and clear communication from podcasters.

Apple Podcast Subscription, being part of the Apple ecosystem, offers a seamless experience for Apple users but may be less accessible for those who use other devices.

The Future of Supercast

Future Plans of Supercast

As an expert in the podcasting industry, I’ve been keeping a close eye on Supercast’s future plans. While specific details are not always publicly available, it’s clear that Supercast is committed to continuous improvement and innovation.

They are always working on enhancing their platform to better serve podcasters and listeners alike. They are dedicated to making it easier for podcasters to monetize their content and for listeners to access and enjoy that content.

Supercast is also focused on expanding its reach. They aim to serve podcasters and listeners from all corners of the globe, making podcasting a truly global phenomenon. They are also committed to staying on top of the latest trends and developments in the podcasting industry, ensuring that their platform remains relevant and useful.

Supercast’s Aim for the Podcasting Industry

Supercast aims to revolutionize the podcasting industry by making it easier for podcasters to generate revenue from their content. They believe that podcasters should be able to earn a living from their passion, and they’ve created a platform that makes this possible.

Supercast is also committed to improving the listener experience. They want to make it easy for listeners to support their favorite podcasters and access exclusive content.

They believe that by making it easier for listeners to support podcasters, they can help ensure the sustainability of the podcasting industry.

In the future, we can expect Supercast to continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the podcasting industry. They will continue to innovate, improve, and expand their platform to better serve podcasters and listeners alike.

Tapping into Revenue Potential with Supercast

If monetizing your podcast is on your to-do list, Supercast could be your golden ticket. Engineered by industry veterans, this platform is laser-focused on turning your episodes into a reliable income stream. Forget the hassle of chasing down ad deals; Supercast lets you tap into a subscription model that’s proven to rake in the cash.

We’re talking $12 million in annual revenue for their top 10 creators alone.

The platform is a breeze to use, whether you’re setting up subscription plans or managing your subscriber list. It’s not just a Patreon for podcasters; it’s a specialized tool that offers you flexibility in pricing, content delivery, and even subscriber management.

Plus, it’s got a track record of helping podcasters grow their audience and revenue.

But what sets Supercast apart is its commitment to the future of podcasting. They’re not just riding the wave; they’re shaping it.

So, if you’re serious about podcasting as a career, Supercast could be your meal ticket.