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Everything you need to know about Apple Podcasts Subscriptions (in 10 short tweets) 
1/10 Apple is launching Apple Podcast Subscriptions where listeners can pay for podcast content.
There will be three types of shows in Apple Podcasts: free, freemium, and paid podcasts.
There will be three types of shows in Apple Podcasts: free, freemium, and paid podcasts.
2/10
Free: Standard podcasts run off RSS
Freemium: Mix of free and paid where you can pay to unlock exclusive episodes
Paid: Listeners pay a fee to access the content
Free: Standard podcasts run off RSS Freemium: Mix of free and paid where you can pay to unlock exclusive episodes Paid: Listeners pay a fee to access the content
3/10
If you "Subscribe" to a podcast that means you're paying for it. If it's free you "Follow" the podcast.
Follow = free
Subscribe = paid
(Apparently, lots of people expected they'd pay to subscribe to an RSS Feed.)
If you "Subscribe" to a podcast that means you're paying for it. If it's free you "Follow" the podcast.
Follow = free
Subscribe = paid
(Apparently, lots of people expected they'd pay to subscribe to an RSS Feed.)
4/10
For freemium podcasts, exclusive content can be:
bonus episodes
longer versions of episodes
episodes w/o ads
early release content
access to the show's archives
It can't be:
content that is free somewhere else (fair enough)
For freemium podcasts, exclusive content can be:
bonus episodes longer versions of episodes episodes w/o ads early release content access to the show's archivesIt can't be:
content that is free somewhere else (fair enough)
5/10
Cost: Access to this program costs $20/year + 30% of the subscription cost. After somebody has been Subscribed ($) for a year, Apple drops their cut to 15%.
(More expensive than @supercast, @Patreon, and others, but you're paying for the convenience.)
Cost: Access to this program costs $20/year + 30% of the subscription cost. After somebody has been Subscribed ($) for a year, Apple drops their cut to 15%.
(More expensive than @supercast, @Patreon, and others, but you're paying for the convenience.)
6/10
Trials: For paid podcasts, you can offer free trials so people can see if they want to Subscribe ($).
That could be a free 7-day trial or a free episode.
Trials: For paid podcasts, you can offer free trials so people can see if they want to Subscribe ($).
That could be a free 7-day trial or a free episode.
7/10
Apple Podcasts isn't available on Windows or Android (30% of the podcasting market), but maybe that could change in the future?
They did release Apple Music for Android... https://twitter.com/NathanG/status/1384628583021297673
Apple Podcasts isn't available on Windows or Android (30% of the podcasting market), but maybe that could change in the future?
They did release Apple Music for Android... https://twitter.com/NathanG/status/1384628583021297673
8/10
Channels: Channels are groups of shows (podcasts).
Individual podcast can only be in a single channel
It looks like you'll be able to Subscribe ($) to an entire channel like the @QCODEmedia or @hearluminary channel to get access to all their shows
Channels: Channels are groups of shows (podcasts).
Individual podcast can only be in a single channel It looks like you'll be able to Subscribe ($) to an entire channel like the @QCODEmedia or @hearluminary channel to get access to all their shows
9/10
Downside: If you start an Apple Podcasts Subscription one downside is that Apple owns the customer relationship.
As @benthompson points out, this makes it harder for you to monetize your audience outside of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions.
Downside: If you start an Apple Podcasts Subscription one downside is that Apple owns the customer relationship.
As @benthompson points out, this makes it harder for you to monetize your audience outside of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions.
10/10
Apple says you can start to upload paid content now and it will all be available in May, but you should hold off for now.
They're still working out some bugs with Apple Podcasts Connect. https://podnews.net/update/apple-podcasts-bugs-disappearances
Apple says you can start to upload paid content now and it will all be available in May, but you should hold off for now.
They're still working out some bugs with Apple Podcasts Connect. https://podnews.net/update/apple-podcasts-bugs-disappearances
If you found this helpful, and want to stay up to date on podcasting & social audio, I'd love it if you followed me here on Twitter.
You can also read my thread on FB's social audio announcements: https://twitter.com/AlbanBrooke/status/1384543535236632578
You can also read my thread on FB's social audio announcements: https://twitter.com/AlbanBrooke/status/1384543535236632578
If you liked these 10 short tweets, you might like this 1 long YouTube video where we go into a LOT more detail.
