Podcast Rate Card
What to charge, who to pitch and host-read scripts
Podcast Sponsorship Engine
Write your briefSample result, from a real run
Made from this brief: Ship It Tuesday - fortnightly interview podcast for technical founders and heads of engineering at UK startups of 5 to 60 people. Decisions with the numbers attached.
| Placement | CPM used | Working | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-roll | $25 | 3,800 × 2 × $25 ÷ 1,000 | $190 |
| Mid-roll | $35 | 3,800 × 2 × $35 ÷ 1,000 | $266 |
| Package | Includes | Working | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single episode | pre-roll and mid-roll | $190 + $266 | $456 |
| Monthly bundle | 2 episodes, pre-roll and mid-roll | ($456 × 2) - 10% | $820.80 |
| Quarterly exclusive | 6 episodes, pre-roll and mid-roll | ($456 × 6) - 15% | $2,329.40 |
| Annual presenting | negotiated, around 24 episodes | basis: $2,329.40 × 4 | negotiated, around $9,317.60 |
Full text
Rate Card: Ship It Tuesday
Downloads per episode: 3,800 · Episodes/month: 2 · Trend: growing
Niche band: mid - This audience of technical founders and heads of engineering at UK startups sits in the mid band because they have a high potential for purchasing decisions related to infrastructure and development tools.
These CPM ranges are industry benchmarks, not quotes, and they move. Check them against current listings in your niche before you send a number.
Per placement
| Placement | CPM used | Working | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-roll | $25 | 3,800 × 2 × $25 ÷ 1,000 | $190 |
| Mid-roll | $35 | 3,800 × 2 × $35 ÷ 1,000 | $266 |
Packages
| Package | Includes | Working | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single episode | pre-roll and mid-roll | $190 + $266 | $456 |
| Monthly bundle | 2 episodes, pre-roll and mid-roll | ($456 × 2) - 10% | $820.80 |
| Quarterly exclusive | 6 episodes, pre-roll and mid-roll | ($456 × 6) - 15% | $2,329.40 |
| Annual presenting | negotiated, around 24 episodes | basis: $2,329.40 × 4 | negotiated, around $9,317.60 |
Dynamic vs baked-in
Baked-in ads carry a 20-40% premium over dynamic insertion because they stay in the file permanently. For Ship It Tuesday, this premium would be 30%, making the baked-in rate for a single episode $594.80 ($456 × 1.3).
Revenue Map: Ship It Tuesday
Current stage: 1,000–5,000 - Ship It Tuesday can approach small to medium-sized brands in the infrastructure and development spaces, as well as indie hardware creators for integrations and sponsorships.
Open to you now
- Direct sponsorships - Research and reach out to brands like Hetzner, Descript, and Transistor for potential partnerships. Your first step is to create a list of 10 potential sponsors and draft a pitch email, highlighting your personal experience with their products.
- Affiliate marketing - Partner with platforms like Amazon Associates or specific infrastructure providers to earn commissions from sales generated through your unique referral link. Start by applying to these programs and adding links to your show notes and website for products like Hetzner servers.
- Patreon or membership - Consider offering exclusive content or rewards to loyal listeners who support the show financially. Research existing Patreon campaigns in similar niches to determine potential tiers and rewards.
Prospect List: Ship It Tuesday
Every row is a lead to CHECK, not a brand we know is buying. Nothing here has been looked up - the verification column is the work.
Categories worth targeting
- Cloud infrastructure providers - Technical founders and heads of engineering at UK startups need reliable and scalable infrastructure for their projects.
- Development tool companies - This audience is interested in efficient development tools to streamline their workflow.
- Server and hardware manufacturers - Ship It Tuesday's focus on infrastructure and development means this audience may be in the market for servers and hardware.
- Cybersecurity solutions - As technical founders and heads of engineering, this audience is concerned about securing their projects and infrastructure.
- Project management and collaboration tools - Effective project management is crucial for startups, making this category a potential fit.
Prospects
Sponsorship Outreach: Ship It Tuesday → Hetzner
Cold pitch
Subject: Hetzner Sponsorship Opportunity for Ship It Tuesday
Right, I run a fortnightly interview podcast for technical founders and heads of engineering at UK startups, called Ship It Tuesday. Honestly, our audience of 2,900 unique listeners per episode, with a 71% completion rate on 45-minute shows, is a great fit for Hetzner. Specifically, 100% of our listeners are technical decision-makers, and I can show you our infrastructure bills - we've run the show's own setup on a €14/month Hetzner box for three years, through two traffic spikes, with no incidents.
Our package includes pre-roll and mid-roll placements, with a reach estimate of 3,800 downloads per episode. The price for a single episode is $456, and we offer discounts for monthly and quarterly bundles. Want me to send the media kit and a couple of sample episodes?
Follow-up 1 - 5 business days
Subject: Re: Hetzner Sponsorship Opportunity for Ship It Tuesday
Still interested in discussing how Hetzner can reach our technical audience?
Follow-up 2 - 12 business days (final)
Subject: Re: Hetzner Sponsorship Opportunity for Ship It Tuesday
Last chance to get in front of our engaged listeners this quarter. Can I send some numbers and examples?
No third follow-up. If there is no reply after this, move on and re-approach next quarter with a new number.
Proposal
Host-read scripts: Hetzner
Placements sold: pre-roll, mid-roll · Insertion: baked-in
Mandatory from the brief: none, as this is a cold outreach
Personal experience: I've run this show's infrastructure on a €14/month Hetzner box for three years, through two traffic spikes, with no incidents.
60s · Mid-roll
"I want to flag something before I tell you about our sponsor, because context matters. Right, I've been using Hetzner for my own infrastructure needs, specifically their dedicated servers in Europe, for three years now. Honestly, it's been a great experience - we've had two traffic spikes, and the server has performed flawlessly. So, if you're in the market for reliable and affordable dedicated servers, I think Hetzner is worth checking out. They offer a range of solutions, from small to large, and their prices are very competitive. For example, their starter package is only €14 per month. I've seen firsthand how their servers can handle sudden spikes in traffic, and I'm confident they can do the same for you. Check them out at hetzner.com, and use the code [sponsor code] at checkout to get 15% off your first order. Again, that's hetzner.com, code [sponsor code]."
Disclosure: This episode is supported by Hetzner.
Code/URL repeated: Yes
30s · Mid-roll
How it works
Add your show and its niche
Be specific: "business" is not a niche. "Tax and bookkeeping for freelance designers" and "comedy interviews with musicians" sit at opposite ends of the CPM range, and a rate card built on the wrong one is wrong by a factor of three.
We draft it
The app works through its steps and hands back:
- Rate Card
- Revenue Map
- Prospect List
- Pitch Emails
- Ad Scripts
Refine and export
Change the brief and run it again, or open the full run to read, copy and download each file.
Questions
What is a credit?
The unit a run is priced in. Each app has a fixed price in credits, shown on its Generate button, and a run costs exactly that. Nothing is metered by length or time.
Am I charged if a run fails?
No. Starting a run holds the credits rather than spending them. The hold becomes a charge only when the run succeeds; a failed or cancelled run releases it.
Can I edit the brief and run it again?
Yes. Change any input and press Generate again, or open an earlier run and choose Adjust and run again to start from a copy of its brief. Uploaded files need attaching again. Each run is new and costs the applet's price; the earlier run stays as it was.
Where are my results kept?
Every run you start is listed under Your runs at /create/runs. Each one opens its own page, where you can read, copy and download the files it produced.
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