Podcast as a Muse?

[bornholtz]

I've had an idea for a video podcast for a couple of years and have never really acted on it.

I figured that I'd post small clips to the web site but then collect longer versions of the clips and package it as a DVD.

What do you all think about the ability of a podcast to be profitable enough to generate a decent income (few thousand $ per month would be nice). Can a site whose main income is from google ads be profitable enough to be my primary source of income?

Thanks.

[final_id]

Sounds to me like you're asking the central question, the one we're all seeking to answer. Can I make a go of ... this idea? If I were you I'd just start doing the math and the testing the way Tim suggests in the book.

Another question I have for you, is, have you considered your Dreamline in specific? You say, "few thousand $ per month would be nice," but you neither identify how many a "few" is, nor how much time you'd be willing to put in per month to gain that "few." If you have a little muse that makes you $1200 per month, and you find that you're working on it about 60 hours a week (a few hours on select evenings, plus all the free time on weekends), is that really worth it? It adds up to a mere $20 per hour and causes you more grief (no time for errands!) rather than less because it takes up all your free time. If, on the other hand, you have a little muse that makes you "only" $500 per month, but you find it generates that money "automatically" to the extent that you spend less than five minutes a month on it, then aren't you a LOT better off than with the $1200 example above?

Just some general thoughts.

Now specifically. What is your podcast about? I personally have never spent a penny on any RSS or podcast, and I see so many free ones out there that I can't imagine why people would. If there IS a market for it, then you need to find that market and tailor your product to the people who would buy it (Tim: find a market, THEN design your product), rather than being wedded to producing your original idea and then trying to find the people who might buy it.

Also, a DVD that is merely a bunch of clips tacked together might be very distracting and uncomfortable to watch. When I put in a DVD, I expect a good full hour of "uninterrupted" viewing. If the content is actually forty 1.5-minute clips, with bump-starts between each one, I might get rather annoyed.

[Drewkerr]

It is possible. Do small testing to see if there would be a market. Then if so go full speed ahead.

Drew

[jc_]

Hi Bornholtz,
I am considering a similar idea for a muse, and am probably facing a lot of the same questions as you.

The thing about 'podcasts' is that there are so many, a lot of which are available for free. If you're going to go this route, you might consider using podcasts as an inspiration, but finding something that makes your prodcut 'not just a podcast' and differentiates it from xyz video podcast. Even calling it something different could be enough.

Alternatively, you could offer a free podcast, and strike some deals so relevant advertisers advertise on your site.

In my case, instead of calling my muse a 'cooking podcast', I call it an 'audio cooking lesson', and offer it as a bi-monthly subscription (think 'xyz of the month' club). I'm also considering having packaged collections (similar to your DVD idea)

I have a first-draft of my site up on the web but haven't started the PPC advertising trial period yet, so who knows whether any of this advice is sage. If you want to take a look it's www.sounds-delicious.com

Jen