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b'Today I\\u2019d like to talk about creating your own subscription podcast without the middle man taking a cut of your revenue.\\n \\nBefore we get too far down into the blueprint for monetizing your podcast, there are some hard requirements I\\u2019m mentioning in this episode:\\n \\n\\nYou must be okay with starting a free Stripe account.\\nYou\\u2019re using Castos to host your subscription podcast feed or feeds.\\nBonus: If you want to make other automation magic happen, I also recommend a free Zapier account.\\n\\n \\nWhy start a subscription podcast over advertising?\\n \\nWhat\\u2019s your knee-jerk reaction when you hear that the average podcast ad rates are $25 per 1,000 downloads? If you\\u2019re like most of us, your podcast is barely hitting 500 downloads per episode \\u2014 you can\\u2019t even buy a cup of coffee let alone that new Porsche.\\n \\nMost advertisers are looking for the largest audience possible, not the most valuable audience possible. That\\u2019s a topic for a different podcast.\\n \\nWhen it comes to earning revenue, if you\\u2019re a brand new podcaster or a veteran with a niche audience, going by industry standard advertising isn\\u2019t going to make us rich.\\n \\nThen there\\u2019s the quality and experience factor.\\n \\nDon\\u2019t get me started on automated ad insertion from larger ad networks or other podcast hosting companies. Not only are we giving up control of the ad quality, it\\u2019s an abrasive experience for the listener. A 2020 report from Nielsen shows that host-read ads perform better anyway. Host-Read Podcast Ads Pack a Brand Recall Punch \\u2013 Nielsen\\n \\nIf you\\u2019re going to do ads, you might as well sell them direct and read them on your own show. Again, different podcast episode for a different day.\\n \\nSubscription podcasts at Castos vs the world\\n \\nI rarely thank Apple for much in podcasting these days, but I am thankful that this 2.6 Trillion-dollar company decided to compete with us.\\n \\nCrazy right?\\n \\nWe\\u2019re going through another defining moment for content creators. Just like Facebook and others encroached on our blog traffic, big audio businesses are doing the same to our podcasts.\\n \\nApple offers subscription podcasts through their platform at a 30% cut + a $29 annual fee. The kicker? You have to manage your podcast on their website. The content is only available to listeners using Apple podcast app.\\n \\nAs a creator, you\\u2019re suffocating your total possible reach. Apple is making my case for me.\\n \\nSubscriptions at Castos\\n \\n\\nWe don\\u2019t take a 30% cut. Each podcast hosting plan has a set of private subscribers.\\nYou can create as many private subscription podcasts as you want.\\nListeners can access the content on Apple or Google devices, using our free Castos mobile app or their favorite podcast app.\\n\\n \\nLet\\u2019s get back to that tug of war for your content: We\\u2019re building a subscription podcast system that podcasters will love. While Apple and others want you to exist exclusively in their platform, with their fees, and their algorithm \\u2014 Castos is building a subscription platform that allows you to be anywhere & everywhere.\\n \\nWhat type of subscription podcasts work best?\\n \\nHere\\u2019s the thing: there are no rules; monetize as you see fit.'