These FAQs provide answers to questions we have received since announcing changes to Teacher income in this update on 27th June. Please read the article first before reviewing these FAQs.
What does Return Rate mean?
A Return Rate refers to a course or track's effectiveness at bringing listeners back to Insight Timer the following day. For example, if 100 people listen to a track today, and 80 of them return to Insight Timer tomorrow, the track’s Return Rate is 80%.
Does the listener have to listen to the same track when they return?
No, they simply need to return to the app the following day and complete an activity. Activities include things like listening to a track (any track), listening to a course, journaling, joining a live event, using the timer or checking in.
What is the Return Rate Bonus?
The Return Rate Bonus is additional income that teachers will now receive for tracks or courses which have higher than average Return Rates.
How do you calculate the Return Rate Bonus?
First we calculate the total number of track and course plays in a given month. Then we separate all tracks and courses into 5 distinct categories (Guided, Sleep, Music, Kids and Non-English). Finally, we assign bonuses to those tracks or courses which have higher Return Rates compared with the other tracks in their respective category.
Why are there different categories?
Different categories can have different Return Rates. For example, music tracks typically have higher Return Rates than guided tracks. Kid’s tracks on the other hand, are lower. Because it’s important that Insight Timer continues to offer a wide variety of choice for all listeners, the categorisation protects those teachers who publish important, but niche, content.
How much money is allocated to the Return Rate Bonus?
Each month we allocate between 25% and 30% of all teacher income to the Return Rate Bonus. This number may change over time.
Where do I find my Return Rate?
Each of your track’s Return Rates will soon appear next to each track inside the Teacher Dashboard.
How do I improve my Return Rate?
Understanding what drives higher Return Rates is not an exact science. As we learn more, we will share our findings with you here. So far, we have seen that:
- Teachers who actively engage with their students and encourage them to return to their practice frequently, tend to have higher Return Rates.
- Tracks which encourage a regular daily practice tend to have higher Return Rates.
- Teachers who promote Insight Timer via their own external channels tend to have higher Return Rates. (Conversely, Teachers who encourage listeners to leave Insight Timer, naturally tend to have lower Return Rates).
Should I remove tracks that have a low Return Rate?
No. Tracks with low Return Rates do not adversely impact your Return Rate Bonus because we do not calculate an average Return Rate for each teacher. There is therefore no reason to remove tracks which have low Return Rate. In fact, tracks with lower Return Rates can still generate meaningful income - they just won’t be eligible for the Return Rate Bonus.
Should I continue to reply to my community?
Yes. Teachers who continue to actively engage with their listeners will benefit from higher Return Rates.
What is the Teacher Assistance Fund?
The Teacher Assistance Fund is a pool of money - $550,000 - that we have set aside for those teachers who will receive less income as a result of these new changes.
How does the Teacher Assistance Fund work?
Over a period of three months in July, August, and September, teachers who receive less income (when compared with their average subscription income from March, April and May) will be compensated from the Teacher Assistance Fund with a 100% offset.
How do I know if I am negatively impacted by the new changes?
Your July invoice will include a contribution line item from the Teacher Assistance Fund if you have been negatively impacted by the new changes.