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Learn how you can earn money when someone uses your iTunes subscription link to subscribe to your podcast.
Every podcaster should have a link to their podcast in the iTunes store on their website. You can see mine in the upper right hand corner widget area of this site.
It’s important to make it easy for people to find and subscribe to your podcast when they arrive on your website. Often times when people visit your site, if they can’t find what they’re looking for in the first few seconds, they’re gone. Likely you’ve just lost your chance at getting a new listener/viewer for your show.
Once you have a link to iTunes on your site, you’ll want to sign up with the iTunes affiliate program run by Linkshare. This gives you the opportunity to connect your subscription icon with a special hyperlink that lets Apple know the person clicking the subscription icon came from your affiliate link.
When that person buys anything in the iTunes store (podcasts aren’t free so you don’t earn a commission for the actual subscription) you get a 5% commission on the total of their purchase. You’ll receive credit for any of their purchases up to three days after they click your link.
This adds no additional cost to the person using your link. It simply gives you a small credit for being responsible for that person using the iTunes store.
Connecting an affiliate link to your iTunes subscription button is another way to help monetize your podcast and blog. This isn’t about getting rich. With a little luck you’ll be able to mitigate the costs of running a podcast such as media and website hosting. To be successful doing so, you’ll likely need to have several revenue streams (affiliates, services, ads, etc) incorporated into your site and/or podcast.
The key is to choose revenue streams that fit with your content and values. In this case, having an affiliate link connected to your iTunes subscription icon is a great way for your community to help support your show without any additional costs to them.
See my blog post about the iTunes affiliate program for more in depth features such as the link maker and widget builder tools and how to get started making money with your iTunes subscriptions.
Are you using the iTunes affilate program? Did you even know one existed? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments.
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Great post Ray. I've been using my iTunes affiliate link for about a year. You are exactly right when you say its not about getting rich because in 2012 I made just over $10. However that $10 goes a long way and covers about 20% of my hosting costs. It all adds up eventually.
Exactly. Thanks Nick!
Hi Ray! This is great. I have a post on my blog from one of my guest authors, about the best iPhone apps for bloggers. It sends a ton of traffic to the iTunes store and I always wondered if there was a way to cash in on that.Thanks for the heads up!
Ileane glad I could introduce you to this. Sounds like you'll certainly benefit. Thanks for listening.
Hey Ray. I am a new listener to your podcast and coming through older episodes. This post here is what I was just about to tweet you about. Perfect timing. Thanks for all the work you've done. /Andrew
Andrew, that's so cool. I'm really in sync with my new listeners;) Thanks so much for listening and adding your voice to the community. Are you on the G+ page for my show Podcasters' Roundtable? https://plus.google.com/u/0/104055244616391380650… I'll be recording a show live and the chat is always filled with awesome podcasters.
Perhaps I'm missing something obvious here. So let's say someone uses my iTunes affiliate URL from their iOS device. This opens up iTunes on the device…into the podcast directory where it appears that only podcasts are available for purchase. How do I get a commission on app purchases from the app store?
Corey, that\’s actually a good question. With the podcasting app being relatively new I\’m not sure how or if the affilate link works via mobile when someone is taken to the podcast store in the podcast only app. It may not. Something to look into.
It's has been my long time desire to publish my podcast over the web and make my own channel. But I don't have the guts as I am also not sure if I made a good one. i asked my friends to critic my work and I welcome their suggestions. I just hope that I can be as good as you guys are. George, Bethlehem PA Real Estate
George none of us was that good in the beginning. The only way to get good or better is to start it for real. Practicing “off the air” won’t help much and in the end you can edit as much as you want (although I wouldn’t worry too much about it) but you have to start. You’re going to be your toughest critic so just start recording and in a few months you’ll be much further along than you imagine. In a year you’ll be loving it! Remember to have fun!