If your first question about your podcast is “how do I monetize?” — you’re already headed in the wrong direction. That mindset doesn’t just miss the point; it guarantees you’ll miss the opportunity.
Almost every week, I see creators launch a show with dreams of ad revenue or sponsorship deals. But unless you're already bringing a legacy audience to your feed, beginning with monetization is like trying to sell tickets before writing the script for your play.
This is where Law #3 of Podcasting comes in: You don’t monetize a podcast — you monetize an audience.
If you are asking how to monetize your podcast, you're asking the wrong question. Your podcast is a means to serve your audience. When you have an audience that is well served, the monetization becomes easy.
So what should you focus on first?
Let me be clear — the opportunity to make money in podcasting has never been bigger.
And here’s a standout: 15% of listeners say they'd pay $10–$25 to attend a live podcast taping. Build a connected audience, and they very well might pay to be in the room with you.
Look — monetization is not off-limits. It’s just not step one. Step one is clarity: what is this podcast about, who is it for, and what transformation does it offer?
When you consistently serve an audience, growth happens. When that audience trusts you, monetization becomes not just possible — it becomes scalable. But if you chase money before meaning, you’ll end up with neither.
Monetization is earned — not engineered. That’s why the first second of content should never be about the cash, but always about the connection.
If your podcast’s only plan is to monetize, it likely never will. But if your plan is to serve — to educate, entertain, engage — the monetization will follow as a natural next step.
You don’t need a sponsor before you press record. You need a real reason to press record in the first place.
Want help building the kind of podcast people would actually want to pay for? Visit podcastpartnership.com and let’s talk strategy from day one.
What’s your take? Have you found monetization to be more natural when your focus is on audience first? Let’s keep the conversation going.