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Podcast hosting company Libsyn has announced it is buying monetization platform Glow. Glow is similar to Patreon, it enables podcasters to build membership programs and generate listener-supported revenue.
Libsyn will integrate Glow as part of its hosting and monetization platform, in the future. Libsyn-hosted podcasters will be able to experiment with and charge for premium content, accept secure payments and distribute the content to listeners in their podcast player of choice. They will also have the option to accept donations from listeners, using the same Glow payment system.
“Libsyn saw the potential of podcasting before almost anyone else, and once again, we are thrilled to be at the forefront of a wave of podcasters who will generate revenue largely from their listeners,” said Libsyn President Laurie Sims. “As shown by our recent acquisition of AdvertiseCast, monetization for podcasters is becoming increasingly important, and Glow will help expand Libsyn’s positioning with podcasters who seek to monetize their content and build direct relationships with listeners. We are thrilled to be working with the team at Glow to bring its tools to Libsyn’s customer base.”
“Our mission at Glow has always been to empower creators, and Libsyn has been at the forefront of that movement for over 16 years,” said Amira Valliani, Glow’s founder and CEO. “This acquisition represents a big step in listener-supported podcasts moving into the mainstream and unlocking new dollars to support the ecosystem. We’re excited for Libsyn to be the steward of Glow’s product going forward.”
Podcasters on Libsyn will be able to begin taking advantage of new membership offerings in the coming months as part of the Libsyn 5 platform. However, hosting on Libsyn will not be required to utilize Glow. Libsyn plans to support all podcasts with monetization efforts regardless of where they host, enabling current Glow customers to continue to generate membership revenue without interruption.
As part of the transaction, the Company did not acquire the growth platform Refer-O-Matic, which Vallani and her team will independently focus on under the Creator Machines entity.