According to a company blog post, Apple is launching an affiliate program called Apple Services Performance Partner Program, which will offer users access to data for podcast marketing activities such as email, social promotions, and digital advertising.
Apple has introduced a new partner program for its forthcoming Apple Podcasts Subscriptions platform, which will enable its users to earn perks when a podcast connection they share results in a new subscriber.
Apple Podcast Subscriptions, which will be available this month, will enable users to subscribe to podcasts in order to gain benefits such as ad-free listening, early access to shows, and exclusive episodes.
For clicked links that result in a subscription, the affiliate program pays a 50% fee. For example, if a user clicks on a connection to a $10 podcast subscription, the user will receive $5 in commissions.
According to Apple, payment scales are based on local market prices around the world. When users register for the program, they are given a token used to identify their affiliate account when they share a connection to a paid-for podcast. This token collects all revenue produced by the user's affiliated links and pays out the commission within 30 days.
According to Apple's article, the payment scales globally depend on the local market price and where podcasts are available.
According to the post, there will be free marketing tools available, such as ones to help users create links with Apple Podcasts badges, a logo lockup, an app icon as an embed player, a QR code, or plain text.
The embed players often allow users to give listeners a free preview to help them get excited about the podcast in question, according to the post.
While Apple's wording indicates that the affiliate program is aimed at podcast creators, anyone can join and earn perks through these affiliated links.
Many that are accepted into the program, will receive an affiliate token, which is a string of characters that is exclusive for a user and can be added to their podcast. Its aim is to collect all podcast revenue produced through the connection in one place. A third party will be able to subscribe if they click the connection. According to the post, if they do, the user can earn affiliate commission on all podcast-related subscription purchases for the next 30 days.
Apple was considering entering the premium podcast market earlier this year as a way to better compete with Spotify. The tech behemoth can also consider original programming.
Apple's current partner services include iTunes Store, Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Apple Books content and subscriptions. Visit the Apple Services Performance Partner Program to apply for the podcast affiliate program.
