The three formats
Pre-roll
Thirty seconds, before the intro.
- Host-read, written by me
- Marked as an ad, out loud
- In the show notes and the transcript
- A worked example
- Placement inside the conversation
Mid-roll
Sixty seconds, at the natural break.
- Host-read, written by me
- Marked as an ad, out loud
- In the show notes and the transcript
- Placed where people are still listening
- A worked example
Full read
Ninety seconds to two minutes, written into the episode.
- Host-read, written by me
- Marked as an ad, out loud
- In the show notes and the transcript
- Placed where people are still listening
- A worked example, if the product has one
The audience
| Size | 1.2 million |
|---|---|
| How that is counted | People who get the show or the letter. A person is counted once |
| Where they listen | Mostly YouTube and Spotify, some Apple Podcasts |
| Roughly who | Salaried, thirties to fifties, more women than men, mostly UK |
| What they came for | Being taught something, not being told what to buy |
| Cadence | Weekly, Thursdays |
That is the whole of what I know and the whole of what I will claim. There is no chart, because I would have to invent the data to draw one.
What each format is
Pre-roll
First thing, before the episode starts. Cheapest, and the one people skip most.
Mid-roll
At the break, once the episode has earned attention. This is the one that works.
Full read
Written into the episode with a worked example, where the product genuinely has one.
I write every read myself, or there isn't one. That is not a flourish — it is the reason they work. The audience can tell when a host is reading something handed to them, and once they can tell, the slot is worth nothing to you.
Before you enquire
What won't you take?
Anything promising a return. Anything trading on urgency or fear. Credit products aimed at people already in difficulty. Trading platforms, spread betting, and anything with the word "signals" in it. Crypto of any kind. And anything I would not use myself, which is a judgement call and I make it.
Do you do affiliate deals?
No, and not on the site either. The moment my income depends on what a listener buys, every episode I make about that category is compromised — including the ones where I say nothing. It is a flat fee or it is nothing.
Can we approve the script?
You can correct anything factually wrong about your product, and I want you to. You cannot rewrite it into your own copy. If we cannot agree on wording, I return the fee and we part on good terms; it has happened twice.
What's the lead time?
Four weeks, usually, because episodes are recorded ahead. A slot can occasionally be found sooner if something drops out, and that is worth asking about rather than assuming.