The ‘No Such Thing As a Fish’ Podcast Goes Freemium

Around 20 years ago, panel shows began to flood UK television screens. Many came and went, yet a few stood out. Of all, one reigned supreme. 

QI has become a flagship of BBC television output ever since. Partly down to its great hosts and guests, and down to its offbeat splattering of general knowledge, it has remained popular for almost 20 years. 

Behind the scenes its researchers have slaved away, finding the most absurd facts and anomalies in our world. A podcast discussing these, created by the show’s writers, was guaranteed to be a sure-fire hit. It would have been easy to predict it would quickly become one of the most popular podcasts. However, you can now get it on a freemium model, meaning you do not have to listen to ads. 

As well as being able to listen to selected episodes for free without ads, the creators of the podcast have also given access to bonus episodes that people may access similarly. Done in conjunction with Apple Podcasts, it leaves many people asking what freemium is and why so many people are doing it. 

What is Freemium?

Freemium is an amalgamation of the words free and premium. It is a popular marketing tool in the digital environment, particularly for entertainment and services. A provider will allow people to access certain features for free, and then charge extra for additional content and features. 

Some companies will do this by offering a limited free trial that expires after a given period. Others may allow the free period to go on indefinitely. 

These freemium models take different approaches and can be found in lots of sectors. One example is the gambling industry where users can access the best slot sites in the UK and play for free. These free demos give players the chance to try a range of games and settle on the best one or ones for them before putting down any real money. Additionally, players – both new and existing – can often make use of free spins or bonuses, giving them further opportunity to play for free. Along with a wide selection of different games to play, this had made the industry extremely competitive.

You can also find it on many online services, from SEO products to grammar checkers. They will provide basic products and then charge for higher-end services. 

How Does Freemium Earn Money?

This begs the question of how these services earn revenue when they give their product away for free. However, in the digital marketplace, this is an old-fashioned notion. Giving tasters away for free is no different to someone in the supermarket letting you taste a new product or handing out cosmetic samples. The money lost is minimal and is often recouped in the amount made back in sales from people who decide to take up the paid option. 

Freemium models tend to work best when overheads are low. For example, in a podcast, once the equipment is purchased it is only the guest and presenter’s wages that need paying. Overheads are almost non-existent. This is the same with many online services. Once set up and developed, they need engineers to keep them running but the costly work is done. 

Of course, freemium is a way of building the user base of a product. This is no different from how software or other products would use the model. Once the customer is through the door, you then have their trust, and they are more likely to come back. When hundreds of podcasts get released every day, one with the term “free” on it is bound to attract attention.

Reversing the Model

It is also worth noting that some companies which have thrived on freemium models are now going back on this. Many streaming services, such as Netflix, have long held freemium trials. They are now discussing having free, ad-supported services, going back on the freemium model. The argument for many with this is that it is just old-fashioned television. In any eventuality, consumers are getting the best deal as they get to sample services, software, and great podcasts for free.