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PodBiz | Where's The Money In Podcasting?

PodBiz | Where's The Money In Podcasting?

By: Norma Jean Belenky & John Kiernan
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About this listen

Where's the money in podcasting? Hosted by Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, PodBiz dives into the strategies, trends, and tools driving podcast monetization and industry growth. From ad revenue and branded content to audience development and production workflows, we spotlight the real business behind the mic.

Each week, we speak with creators, executives, and innovators answering the one question on everyone’s mind: Where’s the money in podcasting?

Whether you're monetizing your show, launching a network, or just obsessed with the space, PodBiz is your insider guide to podcasting’s biggest opportunities.

Listen to new episodes every Monday- Let’s get down to PodBiz!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Norma Jean Belenky & John Kiernan Career Success Economics Marketing Marketing & Sales
Episodes
  • The Content Funnel That Actually Converts with Chris Stone

    The Content Funnel That Actually Converts with Chris Stone
    Apr 13 2026

    How do you turn a podcast into a system that actually drives revenue?


    Chris Stone has spent his career building audiences across legacy media and modern podcast ecosystems. From The Telegraph to the New Statesman, and now through Podcast Strategy Weekly and Podcast Crew, he’s focused on one thing: how content turns into trust, and how trust turns into business.


    “The money in podcasting… it depends on where you are in podcasting. If you have massive reach, then obviously advertising and sponsorships… but I think for most people, the money… is using podcasting as a trust building layer within your content ecosystem.”


    In this episode, Chris breaks down the layered structure behind high-performing content businesses, why most creators misunderstand monetization, and how to build something people actually want to be part of.



    In this episode:
    • Why podcasting works best as a trust layer, not a revenue stream on its own
    • The “party” framework for building a content ecosystem
    • How free content, newsletters, and community connect into monetization
    • Why value-first content outperforms aggressive selling
    • The role of video in scaling audience growth
    • How legacy media strategies translate into podcasting today
    • What indie creators get wrong about content and revenue
    • Why failing fast is the only real way to grow



    Episode Moments:
    • (01:22) Where the money in podcasting actually is
    • (05:59) The content ecosystem “party” framework
    • (11:34) Building Podcast Strategy Weekly and paid conversion
    • (16:15) Lessons from legacy media
    • (19:03) Branded podcast trends
    • (22:53) What works for indie creators
    • (29:01) Podcast Crew and industry infrastructure
    • (33:42) Video as the biggest growth lever
    • (39:58) Audio vs YouTube packaging strategy
    • (44:14) How news podcasts build audience
    • (48:53) Community as the core driver
    • (51:25) Why you have to fail fast

    About Chris Stone

    Chris Stone is the founder of Podcast Strategy Weekly and Podcast Crew, a professional hiring network for the podcast industry. He is also Executive Producer at the New Statesman, where he leads podcast and video strategy. With a background across The Telegraph and Evening Standard, Chris specializes in audience growth, content strategy, and monetization across media platforms.

    Find Chris at Podcast Strategy Weekly: podcaststrategy.substack.com and The Podcast Crew: podcastcrew.co.uk


    Some Additional PodBiz Buzz“I have found that providing as much value up top and for free as possible is really beneficial. People need to know that your content is going to be worth the time.”“Once a listener has been through those stages… they’re more likely to then go out and tell other people, hey, there’s this great party, come to this party next time with me.”“And there are going to be… things that you will end up doing that don’t exist right now.”

    PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?

    Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.

    Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    53 mins
  • How Brands Actually Spend in Podcasting with Courtney O’Connor

    How Brands Actually Spend in Podcasting with Courtney O’Connor
    Apr 6 2026
    What actually makes a podcast worth buying for advertisers?


    In this episode, Courtney O'Connor, Director of Podcast Media at Oxford Road, breaks down how brands actually evaluate, buy, and scale podcast campaigns. From her early start at Veritone One to now leading podcast strategy at one of the most established agencies in the space, Courtney has operated inside the shift from indie creator reads to performance-driven media buying at scale.


    Courtney brings a media buyer’s perspective from inside one of the most established agencies in the space, where performance, not just reach, determines how dollars are spent and shares the case that alignment between brand, host, and audience is what actually drives results. The conversation also explores how host-read advertising continues to anchor the ecosystem, even as video, attribution, and platform fragmentation reshape how campaigns are executed and measured.


    In this episode, we cover:
    • Why host-read ads remain the entry point for many brands
    • How media buyers actually evaluate podcasts beyond downloads
    • Why audience fit matters more than scale in campaign performance
    • How small, niche shows can still drive meaningful results
    • What brand safety looks like in practice across advertisers
    • Why podcast advertising is fundamentally a trust-based ecosystem
    • How fragmented data and attribution impact buying decisions
    • The shift toward video and multi-platform consumption
    • Why “test, learn, scale” is the operating model for campaigns


    Episode Chapters

    (00:31) Where the money is in podcasting: host-read media

    (01:40) Courtney’s path into podcast advertising

    (05:21) Evolution of brand and creator relationships

    (06:01) Why downloads aren’t a deal breaker

    (07:28) Indie creators vs celebrity talent

    (10:14) Trust and performance in podcast advertising

    (12:15) Metrics, attribution, and data challenges

    (16:24) Fragmentation across platforms

    (18:08) Brand safety and campaign fit

    (20:52) Matching brands with creators

    (23:51) Trends in podcast media buying

    (25:17) Video and changing consumption

    (26:07) Test-and-learn mindset

    (27:13) What goes into campaign execution

    (28:07) What’s next for podcasting


    About the Guest

    Courtney O'Connor is Director of Podcast Media at Oxford Road, where she leads host-read podcast advertising strategy for brands investing in the medium. She began her career at Veritone One and has grown alongside the podcast industry as it evolved into a performance-driven channel, working across creator partnerships, attribution, and campaign strategy.


    Connect with Courtney

    Connect with Courtney on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coconnortcu/


    Some Additional PodBiz Buzz“I’m going to say the money is in endorsed host-run media. I love that is what the industry was built on… connecting brands with creators that have this unbreakable trust with their audience.”“I personally have bought podcasts with 65 downloads… there is a time and a place for it and if it’s the right fit, we’re going to buy it.”“We are working in a trust based ecosystem… our brands are trusting us to make the right decision with their dollars and spend it wisely.”“That is exactly what it is… matchmaking in connecting those brands and creators that make sense.”“We have to be the best stewards of our clients’ money… if it doesn’t work, that campaign is going to stop and the client’s not going to come back.”

    PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?

    Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.

    Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    29 mins
  • Packaging, Positioning, and the “Invisible” Money in Podcasting

    Packaging, Positioning, and the “Invisible” Money in Podcasting
    Mar 29 2026
    What if most of the money in podcasting isn’t in podcasting at all?


    In this episode, we’re joined by Jeremy Enns, founder of Podcast Marketing Academy, to break down where podcast revenue really comes from, and why so many shows miss it.

    Jeremy challenges the idea that growth is about tactics. Instead, he makes the case that concept, positioning, and packaging are the real drivers of audience and revenue.


    He also introduces a critical shift: podcasts aren’t just content—they’re conversion accelerators within a broader business system.


    “There’s way more money that never gets accounted for… businesses that use podcasting to drive business.”


    In this episode, we cover:
    • Why most podcast revenue is “invisible” and happens outside the industry
    • Podcasting as a conversion accelerator (and how it shortens sales cycles)
    • The difference between advertising, partnerships, and equity-based deals
    • Why concept is the most overlooked lever in podcast growth
    • How poor packaging kills great content before it gets a chance
    • The role of podcasts inside a larger media and business strategy
    • Why most creators misunderstand content strategy entirely
    • The shift from tactics to belief-building in marketing
    • Long-term thinking, detachment, and sustainable growth in podcasting


    Episode Chapters

    (00:05) Packaging vs. promotion in podcast growth

    (01:08) Where the money in podcasting actually lives

    (03:49) Sponsorship vs. products and services

    (05:30) Creative monetization: equity and partnerships

    (07:16) Podcasting as part of a broader media strategy

    (09:13) The myth of art vs. business in podcasting

    (14:08) Why marketing feels “smarmy” (and how to fix it)

    (17:25) Audience clarity and value proposition

    (18:18) What makes a show inherently shareable

    (21:24) The slow burn of podcast growth

    (26:46) Why concept is everything

    (28:00) Content strategy and belief systems

    (31:50) Positioning your podcast within your business

    (36:09) Detachment, long-term thinking, and creative success

    (42:57) Why there are no shortcuts in podcast growth


    About the Guest

    Jeremy Enns is the founder of Podcast Marketing Academy, where he helps creators and businesses grow podcasts through strategy, positioning, and concept development. With a background in audio engineering and years of experience working with podcasters at every level, Jeremy focuses on the intersection of craft and marketing, helping shows become both compelling and commercially effective.


    Connect with Jeremy

    Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-enns/

    Explore his work at Podcast Marketing Academy: https://podcastmarketingacademy.com/scrappy-podcasting-newsletter/


    Some Additional PodBiz Buzz“There’s way more money that never gets accounted for… businesses that use podcasting to drive business.”“Normally my time to conversion was 12 to 18 months… after the podcast, a couple weeks later they’re ready to talk.”“If you don’t get the concept right, everything is going to be harder downstream.”“People do judge shows by their cover, by their title, by that one sentence blurb.”“The game is staying in the game while you build your skills.”“If you package great work, it will grow itself.”

    PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?

    Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.

    Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
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