In this episode of PodBiz, NJ sits down with Alberto Betella, co-founder of RSS.com, for a platform-level look at where revenue actually lives.

Alberto’s answer begins with scale. Advertising remains the largest total addressable market in podcasting and continues to grow. But volume drives ad revenue. For smaller or niche shows, funding models and subscriptions may be more realistic starting points.

Alberto explains.

From Podcasting 2.0’s funding tag to Apple subscriptions and delegated delivery, this conversation explores how reducing friction directly impacts monetization. When payments are simple, revenue becomes possible. We also go deeper into RSS.com’s origin story from a 2006 open-source publishing tool to a modern hosting platform — and Alberto’s background in affective computing, now known as Emotion AI.

His product philosophy is clear:

• Why advertising dominates revenue conversations
• When funding and value-for-value make strategic sense
• Apple subscriptions, early access, and frictionless payments
• Education as the biggest monetization gap
• Building RSS.com from bootstrapped beginnings
• Emotion AI and Alberto’s path from academia to SaaS
• The Podcast Standards Project and industry collaboration

(01:47) Ads, TAM, and revenue scale

(03:20) Funding tags and direct listener support

(08:21) Apple subscriptions and reducing friction

(13:17) Educating creators at scale

(25:25) The origin of RSS.com

(31:48) “It’s difficult to be simple”

(37:54) Industry standards and collaboration

Alberto Betella is the co-founder of RSS.com. With a PhD in affective computing, he began building podcast publishing tools in 2006 before launching RSS.com with Ben Richardson. Today, he focuses on product strategy, infrastructure, and advancing open podcast standards across the industry.

PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?

Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.

Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on PodBiz, we’re joined by Catrin Skaperdas, Marketing and Audience Development Director at The Podcast Guys, whose career spans Cumulus Media, independent consulting across European markets, and now building marketing infrastructure inside a growing UK agency.

Catrin makes one thing clear: marketing is not an afterthought. It belongs in the room from day one.

As she puts it:

And when it comes to monetization for independent creators, she’s equally direct:

This is a grounded, practical conversation about audience growth, branded podcast strategy, European market nuance, and why downloads alone don’t define success.

• Why monetization isn’t “one giant pile of money”
• How indie creators can build revenue beyond ads
• Why brands must budget for marketing as seriously as production
• What podcast audits reveal about discoverability
• Why European podcast markets operate differently country to country
• The real meaning behind “the death of the download”
• Why consistency builds subconscious audience trust
• How audience development evolves from execution to leadership

(01:54) Where is the money in podcasting?

(04:52) Paid promotion and podcast listener targeting

(08:39) Why brands must fund marketing properly

(14:36) Building and launching Italian For Sure

(18:12) Why audience development starts in development

(22:39) U.S. vs European podcast markets

(25:49) Mindset and staying current in the industry

(27:46) Moving beyond downloads as the primary metric

(30:09) Building marketing departments inside agencies

(38:54) Consistency, seasons, and avoiding podfade

(44:21) Accessibility, video pressure, and the future of podcasting

On consumption over downloads:

On scrappiness:

On consistency:

On marketing clarity:

PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?

Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.

Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on PodBiz, NJ sits down with Matt Cundill (AKA Captain Canada), founder of Sound Off Media, longtime radio and podcast strategist to talk about what monetization really looks like for independent podcasters.

Matt breaks down what he calls “small buckets of money” and why the biggest revenue often comes from one or two direct advertiser relationships rather than large agency buys. He explains how newsletters, websites, and owned inventory often get overlooked, and why podcasters should think beyond just pre-roll and mid-roll ads.

He also shares insights on Canadian podcast markets, exportability, and why comparison across borders can distort expectations.

As Matt puts it:

The conversation moves into audience development, consumption data, and what makes a show sustainable long term. From three-year audience timelines to personality-driven growth, this episode is a practical look at podcasting as a business.

• Why “small buckets of money” add up

• The one or two advertisers every show should focus on first

• How to leverage newsletters and inventory beyond the audio feed

• Why Canadian podcasts face different scaling realities

• The three-year rule for building an audience

• Consumption metrics and why 80 percent matters

• Personality, hosting skills, and mic discipline

• Taking breaks without killing momentum

• Why video is a marketing tool more than a revenue engine

(01:55) Where’s the money in podcasting

(04:15) The one or two advertisers that matter most

(06:21) Grants, foundations, and brand fit

(09:51) From radio to podcasting

(11:18) Dynamic ad insertion and monetization

(17:22) Three years to build an audience

(23:08) Consumption data and tightening your show

(27:18) Canadian markets and scale realities

(34:33) What Matt would do differently

(37:35) Video as marketing and the coming equipment glut

Matt Cundill is the founder of Sound Off Media, a podcast network and consulting company based in Canada. With a background in radio programming and voiceover, Matt helps podcasters refine their sound, grow their audiences, and build sustainable advertising models.

Find him on socials at @mattcundill on X, Instagram and Facebook.

PodBiz is the podcast about the business of podcasting. Hosted by industry veterans Norma Jean Belenky and John Kiernan, the show features conversations with creators, executives, and platform leaders to answer one question: Where’s the money in podcasting?

Each episode dives into monetization strategy, adtech, branded content, IP development, and audience growth. Guests include leaders from Acast, Captivate, Crooked Media, Buzzsprout, True Native Media, Podfest, and more.

Learn more: njbmedia.co | thepodhouseproductions.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.