Make your own podcast merchandise

Want to elevate your podcast game?

Start designing and selling podcast merchandise to make some profit. You already have an audience and stories to tell – monetizing your show is the next step.

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Make your own podcast merchandise

28+ percent

A record-setting 28% of the American population (80 million people) regularly listen to podcasts. Even a small piece of that means massive profit.

Engagement

Podcast audiences often connect emotionally with their chosen content creators. Deepen this relationship with a line of cool merchandise.

Quality products

You don’t want to cheapen your brand by pushing shoddy merchandise. Printify offers sturdy, functional, and beautiful custom merchandise for your show.

Want to start selling your own Podcast Merch today?

Then fill out the contact form and we will reach out to you with all the details on how to build your successful merch empire.

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Podcasts: the media of the future

Even though podcasts have been around for almost twenty years, the format we know now has blossomed in the past five or six years, and it’s continuing to grow. More Americans today listen to their favorite podcast than go to church on Sundays.

What makes this format so appealing is that it requires no effort, as opposed to reading books or watching videos. If the latter two require your undivided attention, podcasts can be listened to while doing other stuff – commuting, working out, cooking dinner, or painting… you get the picture.

And speaking of working out, more people are opting to listen to podcasts instead of their favorite tunes, as people are so focused on productivity that they feel like listening to music is a bit of a waste of time. Whereas listening to a podcast allows them to learn new stuff; multitasking at its finest.

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Podcast industry in numbers

How old is the podcast listener

Generally speaking, podcasts appeal mostly to younger audiences – 41% of the total American population aged 12+ years can now be considered regular podcast listeners. To give you a more detailed picture, 49% of monthly US podcast listeners are aged 12-34, 40% are 35-54, and 22% are 55 and older. What’s great about younger audiences is that they have more money (and more time for that matter) to spend on listening to and buying podcast merchandise.

Popularity growth

The format’s increase in popularity overlaps with a general increase in digital media consumption, specifically on mobile devices. This also helped because the selection of quality podcasts is virtually limitless. The choice of content is from politics and sports to true crime to pop culture. According to research, by the end of 2022, it will be a $1 billion industry.

Geography

Sweden is top-ranked when it comes to listening to podcasts. According to Statista, 47% of respondents admit to listening to at least one podcast in the last 12 months. In 2022, the number of monthly US podcast listeners will increase to 125 million.

How to sell podcast merchandise — in 5 steps

If you’re here, you’ve probably already started a podcast and have a loyal listener base. The next logical step for you is to monetize it – create one of those small businesses that generate income with almost no investments. That’s why many established companies sell their company merch – to boost brand awareness and loyalty among customers. It’s also a great way to reward employees or show appreciation to clients and can be a unique and memorable gift for special occasions.

And here’s where Printify comes in. When you partner with us, consider that money is already on its way to your bank account – yes, it’s that simple. To start selling podcast merchandise, you need to open your podcast store and follow these 5 easy steps.

1. Sign up with Printify

The simplest way to start selling your official merchandise is to sign up with a print-on-demand (POD) platform like Printify. Working with Printify is so easy since all the heavy workload is taken off of your hands: In this step, you only need to Sign up & create an account. It takes just a few minutes, and you can do it here.

For deeper insights, check out our guide how to start a POD business guide.

2. Decide what to sell

3. Create and upload custom designs

Although the success of podcast merchandise relies heavily on unique designs, artistic skills are optional. You don’t necessarily have to be an experienced designer to come up with design ideas. Do it yourself or hire independent artists to do it for you, and we will do the rest: production, packaging, and shipping – no piles of stock, no unsold items, just profits!

Once you have your designs, you’re ready to tackle the creation of actual products, which is super easy with Printify’s Mockup Generator:

Choose the product or products that you would like to offer to your audience;
Use the Mockup Generator and play around with your uploaded designs;
Take advantage of our text tool to add words that matter;
Voila! – you’re ready for the next step

4. Set up a store

Now that you’ve designed your products, your next step is to publish them to your store and start selling. Luckily, Printify makes integrations with some of the most popular online marketplaces and eCommerce platforms smooth as butter: no matter which you choose – Shopify, Etsy, eBay, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or other – connecting your store to Printify is simple and straightforward.

To give an example, here’s a quick video on how to open a store on Etsy.

If none of the above options are a good fit, it’s time for the Printify Pop-Up Store.

Podcasters enjoy the simplicity and quick set-up with Printify Pop-Up. Open an online store instantly to sell print-on-demand products via your own unique store link and profit thanks to zero commissions.

Learn more about Etsy integration.

Make It Pretty

When you’ve chosen the platform or marketplace and opened your store, think of how your listeners will see it. When coming up with merchandise designs, remember to also create various banners and profile photos for your store. You want to make your customers feel good while they browse your products, so a good-looking, simple and esthetically pleasing storefront is a must.

5. Start selling podcast merchandise

The fifth and final step is where all the fun really begins: you can now publish all the custom merchandise you’ve created and start making money.

In this step, you don’t need to do anything: once a listener purchases from your online store, Printify will automatically receive the order request. And within a couple of days, our print provider, that you have chosen, will print, package and ship your podcast merchandise directly to your customer. Meanwhile, you can get busy promoting your designs all over your channels.

Pro Tip: You want to set your prices right – don’t go too low and don’t go too high. To learn more about pricing custom products, read this guide.

Create your own custom podcast merchandise

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Design ideas

When thinking of podcast merch ideas, here are some more items that would be fun to design

1. Socks

Custom socks are wildly popular among all age groups. Create stunning all-over-print socks where the design covers every square inch or opt for a strategically placed logo or catchphrase. Socks also make great gifts for every occasion and are relatively inexpensive to produce, so can generate higher profit margins for you.

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2. Bags

This is one of those categories where you can really play around with different designs: from backpacks and luggage to small makeup pouches and tote bags. If you feel like your podcast’s audience is more masculine, opt for a handy backpack that they can carry their gym clothes or laptop computer in.

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3. Lamps

If you truly want to stand out from the crowd, designing a custom lamp to add to your store is the way to go. A nicely designed lamp can completely transform a space, both aesthetically as well as practically. A custom lamp can also be a statement piece that reminds your listener to illuminate their senses by listening to your latest episode.

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4. Phone cases

Phone cover art is a whole genre. A phone case is what nearly every smartphone user on this planet buys, at least once a year. Phone cases are super easy to design, and they sell extremely well; you can even cater to your eco-conscious audiences by offering biodegradable cases with your podcast logo.

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5. Stickers

Stickers are one of the best mediums to advertise your podcast. They’re super inexpensive to produce and ship, as they weigh next to nothing, so you can put generous markups when pricing them. Stickers are everywhere – on laptops, phone cases, notebooks, on streets and bars all around the world… People just can’t resist stickers.

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6. Posters

Custom posters in different sizes can act as statements to create a truly personalized environment. When it comes to podcast merchandise, a nicely-drawn poster can easily become your fan favorite. They’re easy to design, cheap to produce and ship, ando very impactful when strategically placed on a wall. Secure your place on your fans’ walls and start designing custom posters.

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7. Hats

A customized hat is another wildly versatile item on this list. Baseball caps or beanies with an embroidered logo scream style. Everyone likes hats, so create a line of hats for your fans to wear in public and notify everyone about this cool podcast community that they’re a part of.

To make your life simpler, here’s a more comprehensive guide on these and other high-profit-margin products that can help when you’re just starting out in podcasting merchandise.

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Validation is everything

Don’t forget to validate your designs. What may seem like a fabulous idea in your head might be misunderstood entirely by your customers. The most common way to validate podcast merchandise ideas is by sharing designs on social media, online forums, or your personal network. Don’t worry about physical stock that might collect dust in the corner, as items are only produced after you’ve made a sale.

Another great way of validating your custom merchandise is to order samples before you start selling. This way, you can touch and feel the end product, and if something isn’t right, you can make adjustments before offering the merchandise to your listeners. By ordering product samples, you also instantly become a walking billboard and can show off your latest arrivals.

Designs & tips

Think beyond your logo

If you already have a listener base and your podcast artwork is recognizable to your fans, is it really something they would want on their t-shirts, accessories, posters, or mugs? Unless your logo is creative and memorable… they probably won’t. Your fans want to share the meaning behind your podcast. They want to show off the very thing that makes them feel like they’re part of an inner circle.

Your podcast merchandise represents your brand – just like musicians do with custom band merch. Never skimp on quality, and always think about how you want people to think about you and your podcast.

One design is not enough

It’s tempting to come up with a great-looking logo or catchphrase and add it to a bunch of different products, especially when using a print-on-demand service like Printify, where you can create as many products as you like with our Merch Maker. However, a design often does not work the same on all items – what works on a podcast t-shirt may not look good on a poster or a smaller item like a watch strap.

As a rule of thumb, smaller items require their own, simpler design variations to look attractive. When you think about designs for your podcast merchandise, keep this in mind.

Color gradients

Color gradients are one of the most versatile design methods to transform the look and feel of any product. Because color is the most powerful tool in design, gradient color is a vibrant way to draw attention and create depth and dimension to any custom printed product. It just has this limited edition feel that you can use to your advantage, by incorporating gradients into your podcast merchandise designs.

Gradients consist of two or more colors merging into one another, creating a pleasing blend of color across shapes, typography, illustrations, and other types of artwork. Gradients enable you to almost create new colors and elevate your merchandise to another level.

Flags & countries

A big theme when it comes to podcast merchandise is the country of origin of you or your ancestors. Incorporate the flag of your motherland to show off your ancestry and appeal to your listeners’ patriotic feelings, or to simply show off the beauty of your flag.

The clothes you wear make a statement regarding your values. By incorporating one or more flags into your designs, you can show the world where your kickass podcast comes from, or who it supports.

Cartoons and anime

Are you an avid anime fan? Are you looking for a way to show your love of cartoons and anime on your podcast merchandise but don’t know how to organically integrate them into your designs? One of the best ways is by creating an original anime character; in this case, you. Yes! You yourself can become a stunning anime character and represent your podcast.

Animals

Whether you’re hosting a comedy podcast, or you prefer talking about politics, fashion, or even cooking, there is always room for an animal or two. Abstract shapes or a realistic livestock image can become the central object of your merchandise design or even your podcast’s cover art. You can mix different design ideas: gradients, animals, hashtags, and even flags.

Beach

This is such a broad theme to explore and utilize: palm trees, surfing, sunglasses, beach balls… the world is literally your oyster. If you’re based in a region that is known for its beaches or the theme of your show allows it, create beachy, sun-filled designs with classic shapes, but with your own twist.

Born in the USA

Oh, star-spangled banner. how we love thee. Combine it with your podcast theme.

Frequently asked questions on podcast merchandise

How long does it take to create podcast merchandise?

It depends on how quickly you can come up with your designs, either by creating them yourself or by hiring independent artists to help you out. When you have your podcast merch designs ready, you’ll want to browse through our catalog of over 800 customizable items and choose the ones that you’d like to offer to your listeners.

When you’ve selected the product to design, it’s time to take it to our Mockup Generator, and from there, you’re but minutes away from publishing your new merchandise to your store.

If you’re wondering about production or processing time, it depends on the print provider you’ve chosen. Some products are offered by different print providers around the world, so check their rating, average production time, and shipping costs and choose what suits your audience the best.

When is the best time to sell podcast merchandise?

Will the design fade or come off?

It should not fade if you follow the care instructions of the product carefully. Some materials, like PU leather, are more prone to fading when exposed to sunlight. If you design a PU leather backpack with your logo, take care of it and it will serve you for years to come. If a product fades, it means it has been mistreated in some way – washed at too high of a temperature, scrubbed with harsh bristles, etc.

Is there a minimum or maximum order size?

We love answering this question because the answer is no and no. Printify will never tell you how to handle your business. Even if you only want to order a single podcast t-shirt with a logo for yourself, Printify is okay with that. And if your listeners purchase dozens of podcast t-shirts, mugs, and posters every day, we can handle that, too.

By the way, if your awesome merch business really kicks off, it’s worth becoming a Printify Premium subscriber, which lets you save up to 20% on all items, thus allowing you to earn more.

Is selling Print on Demand merchandise profitable?

It certainly is. First of all, to start a POD business, you don’t need start-up capital, which means that every item purchased by your fans converts to profit for you. If you price your items right, you could end up with handsome profits.

With Printify, you can price your items as high as you want – just keep in mind a couple of things: more exclusive products like custom lamps come at a higher starting price, therefore won’t generate a lot of profit. Moderately-priced goods can render a lovely cash flow. Pay special attention to posters and stickers, as these items are among the most inexpensive to produce and ship, and can become a steady source of income.

The success of your brand depends on the connection between your podcast and its listeners: how many there are, whether they like your merchandise aesthetics and whether they feel like they want to show off your brand for everyone to see as a sign of belonging to a special inner circle.

Start selling podcast merchandise with Printify

Podcast popularity keeps increasing and new podcasts sprout like mushrooms after rain almost every day; there is no shortage of topics to cover. With this in mind, remember that dedicated podcast listeners are happy to support their favorite show by purchasing its merchandise. Create matching product sets to sell more. Instead of just buying podcast shirts, guide your listeners to purchase a baseball cap, mug, pack of stickers, and a hoodie.

One of the best ways to create podcast merchandise is through a print-on-demand business model. You don’t need to buy blank shirts and other items, look for a printing facility and then store them in your basement in hopes that somebody will buy them. POD is the fastest, cheapest, and most lucrative way to monetize your podcast with zero investment and hassle. Trust your business to us and we’ll do the heavy lifting of producing, packaging, and shipping your products, while you focus on marketing and, of course, profits.

Create your own custom podcast merchandise

Monetize your podcast