14 DAY TRIAL // Wizzard Media has announced In-App Purchasing for its Podcast App in the iTunes App store. Self proclaimed the world’s largest podcasting network, Wizzard reveals that its updated App was only recently approved by Apple. Although the company proudly states that its app is “available for Wizzard’s podcast companion App publishers immediately,” you can’t find a download link anywhere in the press release, or on its website.
Users of the Wizzard Podcast App can distribute podcasts directly to an audience's iPhones, or iPod touches. Wizzard claims its app is the number-one choice for podcasters worldwide, thanks to features like powerful audience statistics, brand customization, social networking, push notification and a split of the advertising and purchase revenues. It’s also coming to the iPad, Wizzard says.
“Now, podcasting becomes a platform that converts audiences to revenue, accelerated by the micropayment billing process that Apple has created with the App store. We believe this new process is the future model for how digital media will be published, audiences grown and revenues derived,” Chris Spencer, Wizzard Media CEO, says.
“Never before has there been a monetization method like this for podcast producers because the technology to simplistically charge for content was not available. After assembling a massive network of podcasts over the last three years, Wizzard believes its podcast App is the much anticipated positive catalyst for both revenue acceleration as well as its position in the surging mobile media landscape rapidly taking shape.”
“We know there is strong demand for the podcasts we distribute seeing downloads grow from 400 million to 1.4 billion in the last three years and monthly audiences grow from 4 million to over 18 million,” Laurie Sims, president of Wizzard Media, adds.
Wizzard Media manages to generate revenue in three ways, according to an official report issued by the company yesterday. One is by charging for publishing services such as podcast hosting, distribution and audience statistics. Wizzard can also raise cash through podcast advertising sales, but it also does it via (what else?) its Podcast App, alongside content sales and subscriptions. The company has already added advertising capabilities to its Podcast App, as well as the ability to sell podcast episodes and subscriptions for premium content via iTunes.