When considering CPM rates and expanding them to make more from your advertisers, there are a few things to keep in mind. Value equals value. But what does that mean? Let’s take a closer look at average podcast CPMs and how you can increase yours.

CPMs Standards

Did you know CPMs are on track to continue increasing over 2021’s gains? It’s true. Taking advantage of these high CPMs in podcast advertising can help you make money from your podcast. But how do you know what to charge? A lot of it comes down to how much value you’re providing.

If you don’t know, the model of advertising for podcast ads is the cost-per-mile or CPM. A CPM is the cost of 1,000 ad impressions or listens. You can sell podcast advertising on a CPM basis. That means you’re not selling it per single listen or download; instead, you’re selling by the thousands.

One interesting trend in this advertising style is that CPMs are always at their highest from September to December. And typically, these high-performing times get better with each year.

This can mean that if you aren’t making as much content during the end of the year because of holidays and events like Black Friday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, you’re significantly missing out.

While we all want to take time off during this period, lowering the amount of published content could mean that you’re missing out on hundreds and even thousands of dollars in advertising. During this time of the year, ensuring you have a backlog of content ready to capitalize on advertisers who want to market aggressively during the holidays can be wise.

The Average Rates Right Now

There is a current standardized scale that works for most podcasters and advertisers. Per AdvertiseCast, the average podcast advertising rates are as follows:

· $15 for a 10-second ad CPM

· $18 for a 30-second ad CPM

· $25 for a 60-second ad CPM

Tyler Huggins, the Advertising Specialist here at StreamGuys, said, “Direct sales can be $30 down to $10 ($25 is what we usually hear), second seat-style sales are around $15 - $25, and programmatic sales are like $10 or less.”

However, premium additions can allow you to charge a bit more for top ad services. Ad sales are just like any other form of sales. You can get more value if you provide more value. Here are some ideas.

Offer performance tracking

· Weekly analytics and ad performance reviews

· Tracking URLs

Advanced Targeting

· Sell advertisers specific geo-locations that they want to target

· Sell impressions for specific demographics at a premium

· Sell premium spot locations

Do your homework

· Use your website and unsold impressions to learn more about your audience

· Run surveys to learn more about your audience’s buyer habits

Final Tips & Trick to Maximize Your Ad Earnings

1. Schedule your podcast episodes on a set publishing schedule. Using software or an online tool can help you post consistently.

2. Increase the number of ad spots, particularly midrolls, you use compared to what you typically do. It is particularly true during the holidays.

3. Release more content. Returning to evergreen content or doing something like a round-up of the best moments of the year or month can be republished in a new format. New listeners may have missed previous episodes, which gets that message out to more people.

4. Include relevant keywords in your episode titles and descriptions. It helps advertising sales teams search for and include your podcast in direct campaign proposals that demand higher CPMs.

If you’re looking to grow your podcast, be sure to check out all the things StreamGuys can do for you. We’d love to help you make the most of your content, audience, and advertising. Reach out today over the phone or through email at support@streamguys.com.