As interest in podcasting heats up, networks new and old are reaching out to podcasters to make it a group effort. Joining a network may be right for your podcast, but consider these five must-haves before you sign.A quick caveat before I start: Podcasters join networks for lots of reasons. Podcast networks exist for lots of reasons. Keep that in mind if anything I say below doesn’t sit squarely in the box you’ve defined for the podcast network of which you’re a part, OK?I’ve personally managed two moderately successful podcast networks, and I’ve consulted with many other podcast networks on a variety of strategic and operational capacities. It’s from those experiences I derive the following “must-haves” before joining a podcast network. But with all things in life, YMMV.1. You should be able to walk away from the network. If the network isn’t living up to your expectations, you shouldn’t be stuck. Once you’ve fulfilled your obligations, you should be able to disengage.2. You should own your own content. Who owns episodes made while on a network can be a little fuzzy, so make sure there aren’t any entanglements that cause you to give up more ownership than you want.3. Continuity for the show’s audience is paramount. When the dust settles, 301 redirects should be in place and kept in place. Not screwing over the audience is in both party’s best interests. 4. You should get a guaranteed minimum payment each month. It’s not your fault if the ad sales team for the network is bad at their job. The network should want to make sure you don’t take your podcast-shaped ball and go home.5. You should get a share of the network’s profits. If the rising tide lifts all boats, your boat and every other boat in the harbor should get a piece of the overall action, not just your own contribution. If you’re on (or own) a network that hits all of these marks (and then some), let me know about it. I’d love to sing their praises, as I get asked about joining podcast networks several times a week. I’m happy to refer good podcasters to good podcast networks.-----Links:• FREE 3-week trial of My Podcast Reviews - https://mypodcastreviews.com/pp• Email me - evo@simpler.media• New podcast apps - https://newpodcastapps.com• New support page in progress - https://podcastpontifications.com/support• Want to sponsor Podcast Pontifications? - https://podcastpontifications.com/sponsor-----A written-to-be-read article and a full transcript of the audio of this episode can be found at https://podcastpontifications.com/episode/before-you-join-a-podcast-network-check-these-5-boxes.Visit https://twitter.com/evoterra for more podcasting insights from Evo Terra as they come.Buy him a virtual coffee to show your support at https://BuyMeACoffee.com/evoterra.And if you need a professional in your podcasting corner, please visit https://Simpler.Media to see how Simpler Media Productions can help you reach your business objectives with podcasting.Allie Press assists with the production and transcription of the show. Learn more about Allie at http://alliepress.net.Podcast Pontifications four times a week to provide ideas and ask questions every working podcaster should be thinking about. Subscribe today at https://PodcastPontifications.com.Photo by Adeolu Eletu on