Making money as a podcaster or indie artist isn’t easy. Yes, there are ways to make money as a podcaster. But most require advertising or affiliate links. This can be time-consuming and tedious for your listeners.
Plus, the money you earn from those methods is usually insufficient. You can’t use it to support yourself or your podcasting business. So, what can you do?
The answer is merchandising! Merchandising is excellent for making money while increasing engagement with your audience. You can sell several physical products as merchandise. The potential for creative merchandise ideas is endless; they can be highly profitable.
This article will cover tips on how to start a podcast merch design business.
What Is a Podcast Merchandise?
You can use podcast merchandise to promote your podcast and make money. It’s a great way to connect with your audience and build relationships with them.
And what is a podcast merch example? It could be a shirt with your podcast’s logo or a coffee mug with your podcast’s title. Whatever you decide on, make it unique and interesting. This way, people will buy it for themselves or as gifts for their friends.
How to Start a Podcast Merch Design: 12 Tips
Know Your Target Audience
Before you design your podcast merchandise, you must know your target audience. This will help you decide what design elements and colors to include in your merch.
For example, say you have a podcast for people in their 20s who like rock music. Then using bright colors like red and yellow on your t-shirts won’t look very good.
Be Strategic With The Merch You Design
Your podcast merchandise should be something you can use to promote your podcast. So, if you want to know how to start a podcast merch design and on selling t-shirts, make sure they have a design that will catch people’s eyes.
What is a podcast merchandise’s best strategy? You can use a catchy slogan or an image related to your show. Whatever it is, make sure it will interest people in what you offer.
Stick To A Single Theme—Color Or Font
When you’re designing your apparel, please keep it simple. Try to pick one theme for all your designs. If you have a podcast about gardening, make sure your merch has something to do with plants or flowers.
The same goes for color and font. You don’t want people to think the different pieces are from other podcasts. Ensure that everything is easily recognizable as part of your brand.
Choose A Suitable Material For Your Product.
The next tip on how to start a podcast merch design is to choose a suitable material for your product. Many apparel options are available online, including t-shirts, hoodies, and snapbacks.
But before you order a batch of merch with your podcast logo, try out different materials. It’ll help you see what works best for you. And if you want something that will last a long time, consider buying cotton or polyester items.
Create Mockups Of Your Merch To Visualize It
What is a podcast merch without a mockup? Creating a mockup is the best way to start your podcast merchandise design. This allows you to see how things will look in real life, which will help you make adjustments if necessary.
You don’t want your merchandise shipped out before noticing something wrong.
Simple Is Better Than Complex.
You can’t afford to confuse your audience. So, only have a few details on your merchandise design. Some podcast merchandise creators will include too many elements in their designs. This makes them look busy and cluttered.
So, it’s essential to keep things simple—the simpler the design, the better it will be received by your listeners.
Get Inspiration From Other Designs.
There’s no law against getting inspiration from other designs. This is one of the best ways to ensure that your podcast merchandise will stand out in a crowd.
Look through the various podcast merch options available online. You can use it to see what catches your eye. Use those designs as a jumping-off point for creating something unique. This will make your listeners want to buy it.
Use Images Of Props Or Specific Locations That Are Associated With The Show.
Some podcasters and indie music artists might include images of props or locations. These are usually associated with their shows. It could be something as simple as a logo or the podcast’s mascot.
But it could also be more complex. You can include a picture of the studio where you recorded the podcast or an image of a concert venue. Suppose you want to go this route. Then ensure that any images you use in your design are appropriately licensed. This way, there aren’t any legal issues.
Consider using visual effects.
These can be foil, glitter ink, distress, or screen print, for a premium look.
You want to be creative and unique in your podcast cover design, so don’t be afraid to get creative. If you want a premium podcast cover look, consider using foil, glitter ink, or distress ink.
These are some of the most popular options for creating a unique design that stands out. You can also try screen printing for a more vintage feel or even vinyl stickers for an old-school look.
Don’t Forget About White Space.
What is a podcast merchandise design without proper white space? Many people think they need to fill their design with as much information as possible, but this is a mistake.
You must leave blank areas in your design. This way, your podcast merchandise design doesn’t look too busy or cluttered. White space can help make your podcast cover more readable. This is especially true when you have many texts.
Do Not Use More Than Two Fonts.
Having more than two fonts is a big no-no. Too many fonts can make your podcast merchandise design look messy and unprofessional. Make sure you pick a couple of fonts and stick with them throughout your design.
The best thing to do is to choose one for the main text. Then use another as a secondary font for headlines or other information.
Use Photos Of Yourself In Your Design
Suppose you use your podcast merchandise to promote yourself or your podcast. Then including photos of yourself is a good idea. This can be anything from a selfie with a microphone to an action shot like the one above.
It doesn’t have to be professional quality. Ensure it shows who you are as a podcaster. It should show what kind of content people can expect if they listen to one of your episodes.
Bonus: Use Memes
Good podcast merch has to be fun, and memes are a great way to do that. You can use memes in your podcast logo or on t-shirts as an inside joke between you and your listeners.
Final Thoughts
As a podcaster, you can maximize the potential of your merch by listing them on Disctopia. You’ll get paid directly without any sort of commission deducted. There’s no other podcast hosting platform that has such offer, it can only be Disctopia.
Merchandise is excellent for promoting your podcast show or music. So, the above tips on how to start a podcast merch design are helpful. It doesn’t matter if you use t-shirts, stickers, or buttons. This guide can help you create unique products that will be sure to sell.
