How to make a podcast in South Africa South African Podcasters Guild

What are the questions every podcaster wants answered about monetising with ads?
Well, in part 2 of my conversation with Francois Retief, COO of iono.fm, we hit almost every one of them, including:
1. What's the average audience size of a South African podcast?
2. What's a good audience size for my podcast?
3. Okay how many listens do I need to make R10 000?
4. How many listeners do I need to monetise a show?
5. What is syndication and how does it work?
6. How can we use analytics to improve our podcasts?
7. Where should I advertise my podcast?
8. Does guest quality affect how much you can sell ads for?
9. Is it more effective to sell your own ads or go through a service like iono?
10. Are brands more interested in niche or large audiences?
And more!

Team:
Audio recording: Rebekah van Zyl
Videographer and editor: Jason Hans
Host and audio editor: Jon Warncke

This is part 1 of the epic saga that was my conversation with Francois Retief, COO of iono.fm, South Africa's largest digital audio hosting service, which includes 2500+ South African Podcasts.
Francois has unparalleled access to specific, South-African-relevant data and analytics and he was kind enough to unpack all those numbers with us.

This two-part series is about making podcasting profitable through selling advertising, and part 1 is largely focused on some foundational knowledge everyone needs to understand. What's does the South African podcasting landscape look like, how do you even sell ads, and who figures out how much money you're going to get out of those ads?

Here's exactly what we cover in part 1:
3:25 My epic beard.
5:26. How do brands buy ads on podcasts?
6:05 What brands are advertising on podcasts?
8:03 Can we separate SA shows from international shows?
9:54 Where IS South African podcasting right now?
12:45 Are recorded radio shows a podcast?
18:30 What's the addressable market in South Africa for podcasts?
19:27 Are there any South African podcasts making it internationally?
21:07 Where are all the podcasts for kids?
22:23 Roadblocks to podcast growth
25:18 SAPG's Plans for a top charts
27:21 Do you see any gaps in the market for specific genres
29:15 Who loves podcasts in SA?
30:50 What is the average income of podcasters who have monetised?
36:33 How Advertising Works
36:38 What is CPM?
41:44 How valuable is a pre, mid, and post-roll?
44:10 Dynamic Ad Insertion
47:21 Different ads for different audiences
47:59 Average CPM for podcasts
48:26 What is an average radio CPM
50:22.386 How to increase your earning with value, audience, and frequency
51:53.271 What's the average audience size for a South African podcast?
57:42.590 What's a good audience size for my podcast?
1:03:00.517 Okay how many listens do I need to make R10 000?
1:08:00.323 How many listeners do I need to monetise my show?

Look out for part 2, coming soon.
And, of course, a huge thanks to our guest, Francois, as well as:

Rebekah van Zyl - Audio Recording
Jason Hans - videographer

In this episode, I was very lucky to get in the same room with seasoned branded content creator Spike Ballantine. Spike shares his treasure trove of insights into the world of branded podcasting - an essential listen for anyone looking to break into this domain of podcasting that more easily brings in an income than trying to monetise your own show.

NOTE: Just listen to the energy in the room in this episode and you'll hear the difference between a remote recording and an in-person one.

**In this episode:**
- What branded podcasts are and what they can achieve.
- Going beyond the simple interview.
- Creating a pitch, going after clients.
- How on-location recordings add flavour to the content.
- Understanding the audience
- Spike's perspective on the current growth of podcasting in SA, and how long it will take to fully mature.
- How to think BIG and then make a plan to get as close to that dream as possible.
- What it takes to be a show runner.

In this episode of How to Make a Podcast in South Africa, we have the pleasure of chatting with Gavin Kennedy, a seasoned podcast producer with an impressive track record.
Gavin has 11 studios at his recording facility. He's been involved in the production of hundreds of shows and thousands of episodes.
Who better to hear from if your dream is to go BIG in podcasting.

00:00 Podcasting industry still early; serving diverse clientele.
03:40 Affordable studios support beginners; space allocation crucial.
08:07 Focus on essential details, grasp client goals. Avoid distraction and understand business.
10:44 "Chaos Monkeys" book explores website design revelations.
14:57 Podcast answers FAQs to build trust with clients.
19:30 Content sponsored by legal firm for brand association.
21:33 Podcasts help gain deep expertise on topics by providing in-depth knowledge through research and content consumption.
25:01 Grateful for podcasting wisdom and experience. Thank you!

In this, the first episode of How to Make a Podcast in South Africa, we talk about the thinking you do before you make the show. What are you trying to achieve? Who is your target audience? Do you want to monetise your show? Is this podcast a job for you or a hobby?

I could think of no one better to ask these questions than Gavin Kennedy, owner of Solid Gold Podcasts and Audiobooks.
Gavin has been involved in the production of over 350 podcasts and audiobooks, and operates a collection of 11 recording studios in Randburg.

Some timestamps for you!
00:00 Gavin is an expert podcast producer.
05:53 Video production for promotion of audio content.
07:30 Helping people articulate goals and find clarity.
11:34 Structured conversations lead to intentional and insightful content.
16:15 Discovering priorities through value-based decision-making process.
20:00 Leaving job to start media business.
20:42 Audience is product, advertiser is customer.
26:26 Creating audience loyalty through genuine podcasting engagement.
28:13 Competing in media space for audience loyalty.
31:28 Profiting from audience through courses and merchandise.
35:31 Podcasts help nonprofits engage and retain donors.
39:12 Part one ends, part two coming soon.

If you've got any further questions for Gavin, jump into the General Chat of the SAPG Whatsapp Community and start asking!

Look out for part 2 of this episode soon.