Pricing a podcast service

[Deleted member 348872]

Im thinking of offering a podcast service but not too sure on charging. It wont be cheap as it takes a lot of time and im not sure if people will pay if i charge by hourly rate. Im talking i goto them, supply and setup the equipment, record for 1-2 hours then i go away and edit. Service can include icon design and uploading as well. Anyone know of what others charge?

 

[fisicx]

How do people normally film a podcast?

Maybe @Paul FilmMaker can help with this.

 

[Mark T Jones]

I think this is a classic case of selling the outcome, not the service.

Why do they want a podcast?

What will be the benefit to them (ideally in financial terms) of said podcast?

(I may be wrong of course, there may be a queue of people who want one 'just because' - but I suspect they will be cheap-skates)

 

[Deleted member 348872]

I had someone ask me to do it, but i didnt really know how to price it. Im thinking id want at least £500 for my time. I would also gave some outlay if more mics were needed. This is a side hustle (not a hustle but seems to be the term)

Fiscx im not filming it. That would be a whole lote more expensive for multiple cameras, lighting and potentially set dressing and extra editing. The cheap skates would definitely be put off.

 

[Ozzy]

We did a webinar this week on podcasting, and the guest was from the company who helped us brand up and structure my podcast (link in signature). It isn't cheap, and annual the costs run into tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands. You do need to sell the benefits and not the time.

One of the most important things Ruth in the above linked webinar says if you are looking for a direct ROI on a podcast then you'll be disappointed and don't both, you can't run a podcast on a spreadsheet. This will need to form part of your sales process to help you filter out the customers you don't want to work with.

Work out your hourly rate you need to earn, covering all your costs associated. Work out the time it will take you to do all the stuff, and that gives you a starting point for your charges.

 

[fisicx]

Fiscx im not filming it.

OK. how do people normally record podcasts?

Google suggests a whole load of apps you can download.

 

[ethical PR]

OK. how do people normally record podcasts?

Google suggests a whole load of apps you can download.

People don't film podcasts you listen to them Lots of software you can use to do this including on Spotify

 

[fisicx]

People don't film podcasts you listen to them

I’ve now realised this!

 

[ethical PR]

Im thinking of offering a podcast service but not too sure on charging. It wont be cheap as it takes a lot of time and im not sure if people will pay if i charge by hourly rate. Im talking i goto them, supply and setup the equipment, record for 1-2 hours then i go away and edit. Service can include icon design and uploading as well. Anyone know of what others charge?

You can find out what others charge by doing your market research with those you have identified as your competitors.

 

[Fagin2021]

It's not entirely clear what you are offering. For example, one of my sites sells pearl jewellery. If I was thinking about a series of podcasts explaining all about pearls - their history, how they are formed, where they come from, the different types, their values and so on - what can you do for me that I can't do myself with a decent microphone and free software ?

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

Yeah I'm a bit confused. I know someone who has set up to do this but he's set it up as full video suite which does seem to be the norm now, I listen to/watch a few podcasts on Spotify and they're filmed, all the Steven Bartlett ones for example.

But if you're just doing audio.... surely this is pretty simple for people to set up themselves, especially if they plan to do a series of them, I'd have thought they can set something up for the cost of one session with you at £500? Perhaps they might pay you for a trial session to see if they like it/see if it's successful.... but personally I would find £500 a bit steep for this.

Also I would suggest be careful with offering the editing, especially if you ARE doing it as a fixed fee. How do you know what content they will and won't want to keep in? It could be on a myriad of different subjects and you won't know what bits are crucial and what aren't during their discussions. There might be something they think is hilarious and expect to be kept in but you think it doesn't work and chop it out? You could end up going round in circles for hours with them requesting changes. Or are you just saying you'd clean up the audio or whatever rather than chopping down the overall recording?

Personally I would suggest making it more attractive with a fixed recording fee. I really don't know the time/costs involved in each set up but I think something more attractive might be a podcast recording session for £100, or £150 or something that appears more attractive. For that you record it and send it to them. THEN offer editing at a fixed hourly rate, plus any other extras you can think of.

Finally, and going back to one of my first points r.e. my friend - do you not have an area you could set up as a fixed studio for this? So you're not faffing about with the set up each time, you're just inviting them in to a fixed professional set up to record (might then be easier to add a video option also).

 

[fisicx]

People don't film podcasts you listen to them Lots of software you can use to do this including on Spotify

Doing a bit more research and many podcasts are now available on both video and audio. Two for the price of one. All the UKBF podcasts are available on youtube.

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

I had someone ask me to do it, but i didnt really know how to price it. Im thinking id want at least £500 for my time. I would also gave some outlay if more mics were needed. This is a side hustle (not a hustle but seems to be the term)

Fiscx im not filming it. That would be a whole lote more expensive for multiple cameras, lighting and potentially set dressing and extra editing. The cheap skates would definitely be put off.

Hi Cousin Walker

We're video production. If someone just wants a 'sound' podcast, £500 for a day is reasonable: 1 - 2 hours and than probably 3 - 4 hours for the edit. It's probably a day's work, max.

And for video, it's a whole different price.

The sound kit we use is over the top. It's really high end and you really don't need something this good but it's just to give you an idea. So we use a couple of mics on C-stands or mic stands, a mixer (with great pre-amps) and a recorder. Everything's joined together by high end XLRs (just a cable can cost £300). Some recorders will incorporate mixers. We use Sound Devices mixers because these are pre-configured for the human voice so we just need to bring them in and turn them on.

The mixer is the most important bit because ours also contain filters. So we might have high pass filters which will cut out the sound of a lorry driving by or even building work.

For mics, we have a range of mics from the ubiquituous Sennheiser Mkh416 which is found on every, Hollywood movie set all the way through to a beautiful ECM 674 which is preferred by customers with high voices (essentially women). We have this selection because we are video production and need to film in different environments.

The biggest issue we have is noise and have recorded interviews next to lorry parks, in factories with heavy machinery going etc... so we also have sound cancelling stuff such as sound blankets, isolation shields (the best thing ever and very cheap). Most importantly, software to process voices afterwards so we can remove sounds. So we've removed noises ranging from sirens through to a helicopter hovering outside a window.

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

Interesting stuff that Paul.

Just want to follow up my previous post to the likes of Paul & the OP, I hope I didn't come across as devaluing the work you do as I completely understand that. In a slightly similar industry vein to you, I play part time in a wedding/function band. People don't actually realise how much sound equipment costs to buy & maintain, let alone the fact that you've got all your set up times, not just the 1 hour podcast you record (not to mention the talent and experience you bring!).

My point was more that whilst £500 might be a fair price for your time and work involved, I don't generally see how that would be deemed affordable by a lot of people who want to "have a try" at making a podcast. Maybe I'm completely wrong though and thinking about it further I was sort of assuming this might be teenagers/wannabe influencers/fledgling TikTok'ers etc. Perhaps from a different perspective if it's a business looking to put something together to discuss their products/services it's a drop in the ocean out of their marketing budget.

Just thought I'd clarify as re-reading my last post I thought it might have come across as dismissive of your work and that's not the case at all

 

[ethical PR]

Doing a bit more research and many podcasts are now available on both video and audio. Two for the price of one. All the UKBF podcasts are available on youtube.

Sorry you are correct some podcasts are also filmed but they certain don't need to be.

 

[Deleted member 348872]

They actually do film podcasts. Big business on you tube

People don't film podcasts you listen to them Lots of software you can use to do this including on Spotify

 

[Deleted member 348872]

Im saying i wouldnt do it personally for less than £500 for a 1-2 hr session inc travel and editing. I was wondering if that was considered steep. Yes anyone can record one themselves for pretty much free, but im looking at a professional recording like paul refers to. Price could come down for a regular session and if its not a editing nightmare.
Im guessing i could earn similar money doing wedding video or photography

 

[Paul FilmMaker]

Im saying i wouldnt do it personally for less than £500 for a 1-2 hr session inc travel and editing. I was wondering if that was considered steep. Yes anyone can record one themselves for pretty much free, but im looking at a professional recording like paul refers to. Price could come down for a regular session and if its not a editing nightmare.
Im guessing i could earn similar money doing wedding video or photography

I spilled my tea out of my nose when you talked about weddings.

For weddings, I start at £3k and my friends and family rate is four figures. Weddings and aren't my thing. I love helping people in businesses do more amazing things. That's what I love.

That being said, I still get a little demand despite my efforts to turn people away!

I also know semi-pro hobbyists who'll do a great job for £250 but realistically, a wedding is four days. One day of shooting, 3 days of editing so that's a minimum of £3k for me if I want to turn a profit.

 

[Deleted member 348872]

maybe i would be better off doing you tube. Shame i have a face for radio