Most podcasts run from the kind donations of your subscribers or supporters, and the funding of one or two companies that you’ve agreed to advertise during your podcast. These sources of funding are often enough to keep your podcast going, but they can leave you with little to take home as a wage once you’ve invested in your equipment and you’ve written the script for your show. This guide is all about creating merchandise for your podcast – and making cash by selling it online.
Finding Merch Creators
Making your own merchandise from scratch should never be the route that you choose. This is the sort of journey that huge brands like Star Wars are free to take. As a small podcast with a small audience, you cannot afford to take this journey – and nor do you need to.
You’ll be able to create merchandise with the help of Shopify stores. Essentially, these platforms will help you plaster whatever design you want over whatever merchandise item you can imagine. From fridge magnets all the way to phone cases, mugs and t-shirts, you’ll find that Shopify has you covered when it comes to selling merch to support your pod.
Building Shopify Account
It can take a little while to get to grips with how Shopify works. On a very basic level, you’re able to explore the platform on your own, creating the mech that you think your listeners might consider buying to support the podcast. You’ll, of course, be able to buy this merch yourself, too, to give rewards to those who donate a certain amount to your podcast.
But to make your merchandise store on Spotify look the part, you’re going to need to hire Shopify developer who knows the plumbing of the platform inside out and back to front. These individual will help you to create a store that’s easy to navigate, and easy for all of your fans to find online. By using a professional, you’ll facilitate more sales, and this will more than pay off the cost of hiring a Shopify expert in the first place.
Promote Your Store
Finally, you shouldn’t just make a merch store and leave it there to rot in the darkest corner of the internet. You need to promote it – and, thankfully, this is where your platform as a media individual comes in. Tell all your listeners about your new store and give them a discount code that will have them rushing online to see your wares.
Promote your store across your social media accounts, too, to grow your audience further, and to encourage those who like and follow you on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to buy your merch. Finally, if you operate using your very own website, ask your web developer to integrate your Shopify page onto your website – giving a seamless experience to listeners who you’re looking to convert into customers, too.
Use these key tips to create and sell merch as a podcaster this year – boosting your income by adding another stream to it.