Apple likes Services revenue, so you should listen to this podcast, claims report

Want to be featured on the App Store? Develop a new feature that uses Apple’s latest technologies. Looking for a similar featured spot on Apple Podcasts? Consider charging listeners for your podcast.

That’s according to Semafor at least, which cites multiple unnamed podcast executives who both claim that’s Apple’s criteria.

An executive at an independent podcast told Semafor that in recent months, when they asked the company how they could be promoted in the carousel, Apple leaders suggested that the show participate in the platform’s new subscription program. Another podcast exec told Semafor that while Apple Podcasts Subscriptions wasn’t a huge moneymaker for them, it was worth participating for the benefit of the podcast feed placement.

Come to think of it, the App Store seems to favor apps with paid subscriptions too. This officially-at-least unstated rule should surprise exactly no one. Apple openly loves its Services revenue.

Apple Podcasts as a service spent well over a decade without a direct monetization strategy. Encouraging podcasters to paywall content in Apple Podcasts (that may have already been paywalled using other methods) starting in 2021 has been a great feature for both podcasters and listeners.

The type of podcasts that Apple regularly promotes are typically huge revenue ships. Apple carved out a path to board that ship. The challenge for Apple, however, is boosting direct support revenue for podcasts. That’s because Apple is able to take a cut of that, but it can’t exactly make a claim to the big budget ad deals that support major podcasts.

Much like Apple, I also have an affinity for revenue so listen to my new podcast (it’s free) and support my sponsor (it’s worth it). Thanks, fam.