How to Make Money From Your Podcast - Without a Big Show

Often, when people say they want to make money from their podcast, they are really frustrated.

They are not getting leads.
They are not making sales.
They do not qualify for sponsorships or ads.
And it feels like the podcast is just another expense in their business, rather than something that actually pays them back.

Many podcasters assume that the only way to make money is to have a big show.

Thousands of downloads.
Well-known guests.
Sponsors reaching out.
Ads run in every episode.

That belief is one of the biggest reasons podcasts do not make money. You absolutely do not need thousands of downloads each week to make money with your podcast.

The biggest misconception about podcast monetization

A small podcast can absolutely make money.

You do not need thousands of downloads.
You do not need celebrity guests.
You do not need sponsorships or brand deals.

What you do need is a podcast that is connected to your business and speaks directly to the people you want to work with. Some of the most profitable podcasts I have seen are not large shows. They are focused shows with a very specific audience and a very clear connection to how the host helps people.

Why Ads and Sponsorships Shouldn't Be the Goal for Most Podcasters

Ads and sponsorships are often positioned as the end goal of podcasting, but for most business owners, they are not the most profitable option.

To qualify for sponsorships, you usually need a large number of downloads per episode. Even then, the payout is often small compared to what you could earn by selling your own offers. More importantly, ads do not build a relationship with your audience. They interrupt the experience rather than deepen it. Sometimes there's such a mismatch between the podcast content and the ad that it ends up turning listeners off.

This happened to us. My son (10) loved a kids' podcast, and we used to listen to it most of the time when we were in the car. He couldn't wait for the new episode to come out each week. They monetized the show with ads, which I understood, they wanted to make some money for their time investment. However, the ads tended to be for addiction treatment and other non-kid-related topics. I was turned off by the ads and started fast-forwarding through them because I really didn't want him to hear. They also added so many ads that the first 2 minutes of the show are all ads before you even get to the intro. It's been about a year since they added all of the ads, and I've noticed he slowly stopped wanting to listen because he finds it annoying to have to keep fast-forwarding through the ads. It's unfortunate because it was such a great family podcast, but the age-inappropriate ads were tough.

If you are a coach, consultant, course creator, or service-based business owner, your podcast has the potential to do something far more valuable than just running ads or getting sponsorships. Ads and sponsorships shouldn't be your end goal, in my opinion and experience.

Your podcast can nurture your audience, answer questions, and ultimately help them get closer to the point of conversion (meaning becoming a customer).

A podcast is a Nurture Tool, Not Just a Visibility Tool for Your Business

What I have seen consistently, both in my own business and in my students’ businesses, is that podcasts are incredibly effective at building trust.

People listen to your voice.
They hear how you explain things.
They understand how you think.

That creates a much stronger connection than a blog post or social media alone. If your podcast is released consistently, you become part of their routine. They know you have a new episode every Tuesday, so they plan on listening to it every Tuesday on their walk or every Wednesday on their commute. They fit you into their life each week.

I regularly hear from students and clients who say that their easiest sales come from podcast listeners. People show up to consult calls already confident in the decision to work together. Course buyers often tell me they binge-listened to the podcast before signing up.

That is not an accident. It is what happens when a podcast is used intentionally.

How Podcasts Actually Make Money Without Ads or Sponsorships

Podcasts make money when they are tied to your business. It really is that simple. We want to make sure the content you're creating for your podcast supports your business.

That means:

You talk about topics that relate to your offers
You create content that helps your ideal customer
You guide listeners toward the next step

That next step does not need to be aggressive or salesy. In fact, I believe 100% that it should not be obvious, super in your face, aggressive or salesy. You are serving and nurturing your audience. People are choosing to spend their time listening to your show, they are interested in the topic, and they believe that you can help them. They're starting to trust you, don't alienate them by being overly salesly or annoying. You want to be helpful and provide value in exchange for their listening time.

It can be as simple as:

Mentioning a free guide that naturally fits the episode topic
Inviting listeners to learn more about how you help people
Directing them to a consult page or program when it makes sense

It doesn't have to be a big deal; it should flow naturally within the conversation. If you're talking about a topic and you have an opt-in that helps them go further with that topic, mention it, tell them where they can find it on your website, or how they can get a copy of it if they'd like.

Often, when I work with folks 1:1, one of the first things I do with them is to optimize their podcast for leads. Sometimes there's no mention of an opt-in or a way to work together other than in the outro. Other times, there's no opt-in on the show notes page. If people are listening to your show or reading your show notes, they're getting to like, know, and trust you, and because of that, they may decide they want to work with you, so we want to get them into your world so you can continue to nurture them. If you don't share how you can help them, they may go looking for a solution related to your topic somewhere else because you've taught them it's important, and they know they need to work on it, but you haven't told them you can help them out. It's not that they don't want to work with you; it's that they don't realize it's an option. You have to tell people how you can help them. Just weave it into the conversation naturally, where it makes sense. Don't spend your whole episode trying to do it and annoy people, but let them know about your freebies if they'd help them, or tell them about what it's like to work with you, if the topic fits.

Why Small Podcasts Often Outperform Big Ones

A smaller, focused podcast often converts better than a large, unfocused one. When your content is created specifically for the people you want to serve, those listeners are far more likely to take action. I have seen podcasts with small download numbers grow email lists consistently, book high-value consult calls, and sell courses and services with ease.

I have also seen podcast listeners discover businesses through Google, blog posts, and even AI tools, then listen to multiple episodes before deciding to work with the business owner. I have several students who have had new life coaching clients find them through ChatGPT initially because it recommended their podcast. They've listened to the shows and found what they were looking for, and then reached out to ask if they are taking clients or have openings. They've told me they've had some of the easiest consult calls they've had because the person already knew that they liked them and their teaching style and wanted to work with them. They'd binged their episodes and fallen in love with their content.

I hear this sometimes in my free training classes and from new students. It makes me so happy to know that the podcast content I put out helps them learn a bit more about how to market their businesses and that it's working and they're growing. They often will listen for a while and then decide they want to work with me, either 1:1 or in the group program.

Your Podcast Does not Need to be Big; It Needs to be Intentional

If your podcast feels like it is only costing you money, it is not because podcasting does not work.

It is usually because:

The content is not clearly tied to your business
There is no defined path for listeners to move from listener to buyer
The podcast is treated as a standalone project instead of part of a larger strategy for your business

When your podcast is aligned with your offers and your audience, it becomes one of the most effective marketing tools you can have. Tie your episodes to your business, highlight your products and services, offer your consult call or opt-ins naturally in the flow of the conversation, not as an awkward afterthought or only in the outro. Let your listeners know that you can help them and would love to work with them.

A Different Way to Think About Podcast Success

Podcast success is not about download numbers alone. It is about who is listening, what they do next, and how the podcast supports your overall business.

When you think about your podcast this way, monetization becomes much simpler.

You do not need a big show.
You do not need sponsors.
You do not need to wait.

You need clarity around how your podcast fits into your business and how it helps people take the next step with you. And when that clicks, podcasting stops feeling like an expense and starts becoming one of the most valuable assets in your business. If you're ready to learn how to make money from the podcast you have today, join me in Simple Podcast SEO, and I'll show you how to increase your audience, create episodes that will tie to your business, and monetize the show even if you don't qualify for ads and sponsorships yet.