About This Side Hustle
The podcasting industry continues to grow, but most podcasters hate the editing and production process. As a podcast production service provider, you handle audio editing, show notes, transcription, and even publishing for podcast hosts. This service-based business has excellent recurring revenue potential since podcasters need help every single week.
Earning Potential
Basic podcast editing starts at $50-100 per episode. Full production services charge $150-300 per episode. With 8-12 weekly clients, income ranges from $3,000-8,000/month. Adding social media clips and marketing services increases revenue further.
Pros
- Strong recurring revenue
- Growing podcast market
- Work from anywhere
- Low startup costs
- Scalable with team members
Cons
- Tight weekly deadlines
- Repetitive work
- Client communication demands
- Need to learn each client's style
30-Day Launch Plan
Build Your Skills
Master podcast editing and production workflows
- Learn audio editing in Descript or Adobe Audition
- Practice editing raw podcast recordings (find samples online)
- Learn to write compelling show notes and timestamps
- Create a portfolio with 3 before/after editing samples
Package Your Services
Create service tiers and pricing
- Define 3 service packages (basic edit, full production, premium)
- Price packages from $75/episode (basic) to $300/episode (premium)
- Create a client intake process and onboarding workflow
- Set up file sharing and communication systems (Dropbox, Slack)
Find Clients
Market your services to podcasters
- Reach out to podcasters with poor audio quality
- Post in podcast-related Facebook groups and subreddits
- Offer a free test edit to promising leads
- List your services on Upwork and PodcastEditor.com
Deliver & Retain
Wow your first clients and secure retainers
- Deliver your first episodes ahead of schedule
- Create efficient templates and workflows for speed
- Offer monthly retainer discounts for commitment
- Ask for referrals to other podcasters they know
Tips for Success
- Specialize in a podcast genre for faster, better editing
- Use Descript for AI-powered editing to increase your efficiency
- Always over-deliver on your first episode to lock in the client
- Create systems and templates that let you handle more clients
- Offer show notes and social media clips as premium upsells
Skills Required
Tools Needed
- Adobe Audition or Descript
- Quality headphones
- Podcast hosting platform knowledge
- Project management tool