Apple Launches An Affiliate Program For Paid Podcast Subscriptions

Apple is launching an affiliate program called Apple Services Performance Partner Program, which will give users access to data for podcast marketing activities like email, social promotions and digital ads, according to a company blog post.

Users can also earn commissions whenever a listener buys a subscription from their affiliated link, the post stated. Commissions will come in addition to the other payments users might receive from the sales of premium content.

Users who link Apple Podcasts as an affiliate will be able to earn a 50 percent one-time payment for the first paid month of every subscription membership they drive on a 30-day cookie window, according to the post. Users who link to podcasts costing $10 per month, for example, would earn $5 in equivalent commissions.

Apple noted in the post that the payment scales globally based on the local market price and where podcasts are available.

There will also be free marketing tools available, the post stated, including ones to help users make links with Apple Podcasts badges, a logo lockup and an app icon as an embed player, a QR code or plain text.

In addition, the post stated that the embed players give users a way to offer listeners a free sample to help them get excited about the podcast in question.

Those approved for the program will gain access to a unique affiliate token, which will be a string of characters unique to the user that they can add to their podcast. It is intended to centralize all podcast revenue generated from the link. When a third-party clicks the link, they’ll be able to subscribe. If they do, the user gains affiliate commission on all podcast-related subscription purchases for 30 days, according to the post.

Earlier this year, Apple was considering dipping into the premium service podcast space as a way to better compete with Spotify. The tech giant may also consider funding original programming.