© Illustration by Aurélie Garnier
In an increasingly competitive digital landscape, publishers are constantly seeking innovative ways to engage their audience and diversify revenue streams. Paid podcasts are emerging as a compelling solution, offering a new acquisition source whilst providing value to existing subscribers. We sat down with Casper Wolfert, Product Owner at De Correspondent, to uncover his insights and best practices after successfully launching paid podcasts.
Key takeaways to copy & share
> De Correspondent's problem was that podcast-only listeners could consume most of its journalism without ever visiting the site, which made them impossible to convert and impossible to talk to > The split is deliberate. The two main shows stay free while stories read by an editor are premium, so the podcast still works for acquisition while the paid tier rewards subscribers > They can also unlock premium episodes temporarily during big news events, then re-lock them, using timeliness for reach and evergreen access as the reason to subscribe > Platform choice was about ownership. Spotify Open Access links subscriber credentials to Spotify accounts and sends non-subscribers to the site, while Apple keeps the customer relationship and the email addresses > Casper Wolfert is upfront that plays on premium content fall, and thinks it barely matters. With social and search declining, direct relationships are what keep you independent of platforms that can "flip the table at any moment"
