When a creator decides to launch a premium subscription, the key question we always hear is this: how many listeners will I be able to convert into paying subscribers? 

We use downloads per episode as a benchmark to project a creator’s potential conversion rate, and the average across our top 20 creators is about 5%. But Em Rusciano of the Emsolation Podcast, blows that number out of the water - to-date she’s converted about 25% of her free listeners into paid subs.

So how did she do it? Let’s dive in.

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The Emsolation Podcast

Emsolation started during the 2020 COVID lockdowns - Em was in isolation so Em-solation (see what she did there) was born. Em is a well-known writer, singer and comedian in Australia. She is joined by her childhood best friend, award winning screenwriter Michael Lucas, on the show. 

The show’s elevator pitch is:

Join multi-media maven Em Rusciano—writer, singer, comedian, producer, podcast princess, and disability advocate—and her best friend of 30 years, award-winning screenwriter Michael Lucas (Offspring, Party Tricks, Rosehaven, The Newsreader), each week for an unpredictable mix of deeply personal anecdotes, obsessive pop culture dissections, and truly unhinged movie and TV reviews. If you’re after a show full of humor, heart, and hot takes, we’ve got good news for you! We should also warn you: Emsolation isn’t just a podcast—it’s a community. A place where listeners feel seen, heard, and thoroughly entertained. Welcome to the family! We’re so happy you’re here. You’re now an official Emsolator.

As you can see, Em believes in fostering a strong and loyal community from the moment someone encounters the show. This strategy proved invaluable when it came time to launch her premium subscription, EXTRA. 

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Launch with a compelling story

A common theme across our most successful launches is to have a strong story that you’re proud to tell your community about. 

These differ from case to case. For Huberman Lab it was to help raise funds to support the foundational scientific research they talk about on the show. For This American Life it was to combat the volatility of the podcast advertising market, ensuring the show could continue to be made for years to come.

For Em, the decision to launch a premium subscription went hand in hand with taking her show, formerly the first Spotify exclusive in Australia, fully independent.

In her announcement post, Em outlined the thinking behind the move, what becoming a subscriber would get you, and how to sign up, introducing the idea to her fans in an easy to follow way.

The following day, Em took to Crowdcast to speak to her audience live and reiterate the points she made in her original post - during the stream, over 1,500 people signed up for Emsolation Extra. Clips from the stream were shared on social media, as well as a recap email for everyone in attendance:

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Links, links, everywhere 

Em offers up a masterclass in making sure her potential subs don’t have to go digging to find out about her premium subscription. Links are always included in her show notes:

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And the show’s Instagram boasts helpful story highlights:

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Not only does her JOIN EXTRA highlight walk people through the sign up process step by step, there’s also an EXTRA AMA story that details how the Emsolation team uses Supercast’s built in Ask Me Anything feature to connect with subscribers, as well as an entire UPGRADE highlight that helps users understand how to make the switch from a monthly subscription to an annual subscription. Em also uses her personal instagram page (242k followers) to promote Extra, resharing posts about Extra on a regular basis. 

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Create a strong sense of FOMO

Em thoughtfully sprinkles premium teaser podcast clips across social media to give her community a peek behind the paywall: 

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Across the top creators on Supercast, teasing premium content like this, or on the free podcast feed, is the strongest way to drive subscription signups.

She also skillfully uses social proof and insider comments to show people who aren’t subscribers exactly what they’re missing out on. Remember, consumers need to see an offer seven times on average before finally hitting the buy button!

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‍Show momentum and keep things evolving 

Em goes above and beyond to ensure her premium community feels recognized and appreciated for their support.

From email:

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To social:

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It’s always easy to feel the love Em has for her community! 

And the work she puts in pays off. For instance, one of the perks she offers her subscribers is early access to live event ticket sales - multiple times her shows have sold out to premium subs before tickets go on sale to the general public.

And thanks to Supercast’s ability to offer gift subscriptions, her community is able to do things like this for one another, a reflection of how much of an impact Em has on her listeners:

We’re thrilled to be Em’s partner in building a thriving, independent podcast beloved by so many, and we know Em has big plans for the next year ahead!

Check out Emsolation Extra for even more powerful insights into how to maximize your conversion and create a community of passionate supporters.