Running a podcast may be cheaper than other forms of media, but it’s time-consuming and includes its own expenses. Many podcasters use Patreon or PayPal to collect donations, but there is another choice that’s more affordable and offers far more perks. In this article, we’ll show you how to use Donorbox to fund your podcast in four easy steps.
Podcasts are not new, but they have exploded in popularity recently. Today, there are over 2 million podcasts to choose from, and you can find one on literally any subject. These podcasts can be entertaining and informative and are easy to listen to when doing other projects.
Running a podcast may be cheaper than other forms of media but is time-consuming and includes its own expenses. Individuals and organizations that create these podcasts must find ways to cover the costs. Donorbox is a great tool for collecting donations for a podcast and one that is affordable and includes loads of features.
In this article, we’ll tell you how to raise funds for your podcast with Donorbox in 4 easy steps.
Bonus resources we have for you –
Let us have a look at how easy it is to raise funds for your podcast with Donorbox.
Contrary to what you may think, you do not have to be a nonprofit to create an account with Donorbox. In only minutes, you can sign up for a Donorbox account and start creating your first campaign. All you need is an email address, password, and a few other essential details; no documents needed. And the best part – it is free to sign up with Donorbox!
Once you have an account, it’s easy for nonprofits, companies, and individuals to create a donation or campaign form. Click the ‘Create Campaign’ button on your Donorbox dashboard.
This will open up our campaign creator. Here, you can name your campaign, add a campaign description to let your donors know exactly what they are contributing to, edit the language or currency of your form, and more.
You will be guided through each step of building your campaign form. They’re quite customizable – add pre-filled donation amounts to your form, create a donation tier for your podcast needs, and edit your automated email receipts. You can also add custom questions and enable different recurring intervals.
With Donorbox, you automatically get a campaign page as well, that you can customize to your podcast’s branding. You can add your logo to it, choose the brand color, add an image of your choice to the background, have a donation thermometer to track how quickly you reach your goal, and a donor wall for people to leave messages of support.
Before you’re done, you must choose a payment processor. Donorbox partners with Stripe and Paypal, and you can choose either one. Both include a 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee per donation. If you are a registered nonprofit, discounted prices are available.
We have a detailed blog on how to connect to Stripe and Paypal and accept donations on Donorbox. Check it here.
After finalizing all the details, you are finally ready to go live and start accepting donations. There are 4 ways you can do it –
Donorbox easily integrates with most website builders and utility tools such as Weebly, WordPress, Wix, Joomla, Squarespace, Mailchimp, Salesforce Nonprofit Starter Pack, and more. Check our list of integrations here.
Many podcasters use Patreon or Paypal to collect donations, but there is another choice, Donorbox, that’s more affordable and offers far more perks.
Patreon is a membership-based platform for creators, that has quickly become a popular tool for podcasts, but their fees can quickly cut into your donations. Patreon’s platform fee of 5% (for the lite version) along with the addition of 2.9% +$0.30 processing fee can limit the amount of funds you collect. With higher plans, it goes up to 8% (Pro) and 12%(Premium).
PayPal has a credit card processing fee of 2.9% + 30¢.
Donorbox is free to start with, requiring no monthly fees or contracts. It offers the same processing fee as Patreon, but our 1.5% platform fee makes us the most affordable option out there. On Donorbox, you also have the option to ask your donors to cover the processing fee with a simple checkbox on the donation form. So the total amount of their donation goes to your podcast. You can check the pricing details here on our website.
We have created this pricing table as a comparison between Donorbox, Patreon, and PayPal. Have a look at it for better understanding –
Patreon and Donorbox use PayPal as their payment processor, so you may be wondering why don’t I just use PayPal instead? That’s a good question, and the answer is what you get in exchange.
PayPal is a trusted online payment system used by millions, but that is where their services stop. Donorbox offers much more.
Here’s a list of benefits of Donorbox over Patreon and PayPal –
We have a blog on why many nonprofits choose Donorbox over PayPal. Give it a read here.
There are already several podcasts using Donorbox to accept donations. Below are a few examples that may give you ideas on how to get the best response from your donors.
Pulpit Fiction is a podcast for preachers and bible geeks. They put out 60 shows a year and provide interviews and bible lessons for their listeners. Their donation page does a great job of breaking down exactly how a donation helps put on a show. Check out the page for its effective donation form – the suggested amounts, donation tiers, the monthly recurring interval, and the swift 3-stage donation process.
The Future is Beautiful creators wrote a book and have a podcast to inspire all of us to become advocates for creating a beautiful world. Their podcast interviews people changing the world and explores ways politics, spirituality, sustainability, and creativity are combined.
Their donation page does an excellent job of encouraging people to become patrons with a monthly and yearly recurring donation plan and connect with others worldwide.
US People is the beautiful website of the professional photographer, writer, and podcaster, Savia Rocks. Their donation page is compelling, thanks to the imagery and content. US People does an excellent job requesting recurring donations and explaining how their listeners benefit from joining other patrons.
This podcast has also added a financial goal and donation thermometer that creates a sense of urgency and encourages listeners to give more to make them meet the goal.
By creating a podcast, you have joined an elite group of individuals sharing their experience and expertise with the world. We know how much work you’re putting into your show and want to help you raise the necessary funds to keep going. With that in mind, we have written an article listing other podcasts to inspire you.
If you’re ready to start collecting donations from your listeners, we’d love to help. Learn more about the features we have to offer on our website. If you’re looking for more tips and resources on how to raise funds online, check out our blog.
Kristine Ensor is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience working with local and international nonprofits. As a nonprofit professional she has specialized in fundraising, marketing, event planning, volunteer management, and board development.
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Kristine Ensor