In this how-to guide, we’ll walk you through each step in the Glow page builder so that you can create a page to collect support from your listeners. With a Listener Support page, you’ll be able to easily let your listeners contribute to your show and build a more direct relationship with your audience.
If you want to offer an exclusive podcast to your listeners in exchange for payment, see our step-by-step guide to building a premium content membership.
Step 1: Choose how you want to monetize your podcast
On the offering page, select listener support.
You’ll also be asked for your main podcast RSS feed. You can find this URL in your podcast host website. We’re asking for this so that we can speed up the set-up process by pre-populating some fields with information about your podcast.
Step 2: Add your podcast’s details
On the details page you’ll enter some basic information so that your listeners know that they’re in the right place. You’ll also personalize your page with a headline.
Your Glow URL
This will be the short link that you announce on your show. Choose something short and easy to spell that’s relevant to your show.
Here are some examples of Glow URLs:
- Twenty Thousand Hertz: www.glow.fm/20k
- The Newsworthy: www.glow.fm/newsworthy
- Dig In with Zachary Woods: www.glow.fm/digin
Podcast website URL
If you have a website or a dedicated page on your podcast host’s website, link to it here to provide easy access for your listeners. Do not link to your RSS feed URL here.
Headline
We recommend creating a Headline in which your voice comes through. The most successful listener support programs hook their listeners from the start on their Glow page by welcoming them into their unique community.
Here are some examples of headlines:
- The Newsworthy: “Become an Insider”
- Dig In with Zachary Woods: “The Utensil Fund”
Step 3: Choose your pricing
On the pricing page, you have the flexibility to create a monetization strategy that best suits you and your podcast.
Monthly payments
By enabling monthly payments, you allow your listeners to subscribe to a monthly donation amount. We recommend setting your monthly payment amount at $3 to $5.
Yearly payments
By enabling yearly payments, you allow your listeners to subscribe to a yearly donation amount. Typically, a yearly payment is about ten times the amount of your monthly payment, giving your annual contributors a discount.
One-time payments
By enabling one-time payments, you allow your listeners to donate on a one-off basis. This is a great option for listener support pages, so that your fans can contribute without locking into a monthly or yearly commitment. We recommend setting your one-time payment amount at $5.
Additional donations
You can allow your listeners to contribute however much they want on a monthly, yearly, or one-time basis.
Step 5: Craft the benefits of supporting your podcast
You can articulate what your listeners get out of supporting your podcast on the benefits page. Whether an exclusive email, a special “Thank You” on the podcast, or the assurance that their money helps make the show happen, your benefits should convey to your listeners why they should support you.
Here are some pro-tips to crafting your benefits:
- A support tagline should be a be authentically yours. Keep it simple or go outside-the-box. Whatever you choose, your podcast’s mission should be laid out here.
- In the support description section, Glow recommends 2-3 bullet points/sentences that highlight what a listener’s donation will do for the podcast, what a listener will receive by donating to your podcast, or anything else you want.
See below for examples of two Glow podcasters’ benefits page and how the pages are structured to incentivize listeners with exclusive offerings, benefits, and more:
Step 6: Design the look and feel of your page
Glow’s design page puts even more power into your brand by allowing full customization and control.
Podcast cover art
You have the choice to add in your default podcast cover art to the top of your Glow page. To include your podcast’s cover art, check the box under podcast cover art titled “Show your podcast’s default cover art.”
You must have entered your main podcast RSS feed in step one to display your podcast cover art.
Hero image
The hero image is the backdrop for your podcast cover art and your entire Glow page. Choose one of the pre-selected Glow options available or upload your own image to serve as your Glow page’s background.
Main color
Your main color affects your header color and button background color. You'll enter a string of characters called a hex color code. We recommend using one of the main colors from your website.
Step 7: Connect your bank account
Glow uses Stripe to make it easy for your listeners to support you. So we can pay out those contributions to you, enter your bank account information at Stripe.
You must go through these payment steps whether or not you already have an account with Stripe.
On the earnings page, indicate how your podcast business is structured so that we can link your Glow page to your donation portal.
If you are unsure of which business structure describes your podcast, see this Stripe article for more information.
At this point, you will be redirected to the Stripe website to set up an account and link your Glow page to our monetization system. Follow the steps on the Stripe platform to initialize your payment method.
Step 8: Review your page and add finishing touches
On this page, you will review what your Glow page looks like thus far. If you haven’t added your main podcast RSS feed before, add it now in the section at the top of the page where it says “Main Podcast RSS Feed” .
Next, click the box next to “I agree to Glow’s Terms of Service” and you’ll be all set.
Step 9: Dashboard
Now you’ll be redirected to your dashboard, where you can see your total listeners, monthly revenue, and annual revenue on the left side of the page. If you need to edit your page in any way, click on the Edit button on the right of the page to change your Glow page. You can also download a CSV file containing a list of your subscribers.
That's it!
Now that your page is built, it’s time to launch your Listener Support program to the world. Here are some best practices for crafting your call-to-action for listener support.
