Murder, She Told Goes Deep
Kristen Seavey grew up in Maine but left for the bright lights of New York City when she was just eighteen years old. Upon returning for what was meant to be a relaxing post-pandemic summer—she hardly expected to stay put—she found herself launching a deeply investigated, compassionate, and prolific podcast about murdered and missing persons from Maine, New Hampshire, and other small towns “from away.”
130 episodes later, we sat down with the host and creator of Murder, She Told to hear first-hand the diligence and stamina required to produce such a well-researched and gripping podcast.
Even within a genre that is saturated with mysteries, police records, and grisly details, Murder, She Told stands out. Rather than focusing on grim entertainment, Seavey remains loyal to a love of storytelling and upholds a profound respect for the families involved in her stories. Through countless hours of conversation, and scouring through personal items and official documents, Seavey can convey the bare humanity of the victims in her story rather than characterize them as one-dimensional ghosts of tragedy. The podcast platform only enhances this rendering, as Seavey explains:
“The intimacy [of audio storytelling] is what’s compelling, and the versatility of how and when people can listen is amazing.”
Hard Facts, Hard Work
At any given moment, Seavey has a roster of 50 or more cases, all of which could require attention and action at any moment or enormous patience when dealing with grieving family members or lost records. Once a case begins to take shape, it requires roughly 80 hours to produce a forty-five-minute episode. The laborious work of researching, fact-checking, coordinating schedules, organizing cases, recording, editing, distributing: most of this falls on the shoulders of Seavey herself, with some help on the odd bits and pieces of a complex podcast puzzle.
This is why advertising revenue is critical for content creators.
Fans of Murder, She Told are no different than the nearly 505 million podcast listeners around the globe. They have some understanding that ad revenue is necessary for these shows to continue to exist and, therefore, anticipate advertisements. However, they also expect that the ads they hear aren’t served at inappropriate moments or delivered with a jarring tone of voice that disrupts the listening experience entirely. Seavey takes this to heart and strikes a delicate balance of crafting the atmosphere of her show while carefully vetting advertisers. She is fiercely prudent with programmatic advertising in particular, turning off anything that could be potentially divisive or disturbing to her audience.
For Seavey, ad revenue is a path toward growth, which is ultimately a path toward helping more families. She approaches it the same way as she does her content—with an integrity that adheres to the respect she carries for the families she works with and her listeners. Murder, She Told is a great example of how advertisers can collaborate with creators strategically and respectfully, which builds listener trust and engagement, and makes profitability more likely.
Seavey is responsible to her listeners and keenly understands that profitability is a means to reciprocity. Her stories are intimate, delicate, and heartbreaking. Rather than simply listening, fans of the show are encouraged to get involved in meaningful and accessible ways. Sharing a post or flier, donating a dollar or two to a family’s fund, or even simply signing a petition are all ways the audience can directly impact the lives of real people featured on Murder, She Told.
“I’m cultivating an audience that doesn’t just consume but actively engages. People can help more than they think.”
There is More to Maine
A picturesque vacation land dotted with quaint cape houses and buoys is hardly the scene most imagine when thinking about true crime. Blueberry fields, lobster traps, and potato crops are the “platforms” that come to mind long before Spotify or Wondery. And yet, there is an abundance of audio artistry here. A rich landscape full of talent, innovation, and yes, mystery. So much so, it even surprised Seavey upon her return to the state. Maine, with its beauty, its tradition of storytelling, and its community of artists and makers, has continued to be a source of inspiration to her.
The same holds true for all of us here at SMI.
As a leading audio advertising business that began over 24 years ago, potential clients are often surprised to learn that we operate out of Maine. There seems to be an insidious assumption that talent and expertise exist elsewhere, in bigger cities, places with rush hour traffic year-round. Why does this myth persist even in the age of Zoom and global connection? That’s a mystery we can’t quite figure out yet!
We know there’s big talent and great storytellers right here in Maine.
Our team of experts is ready to bring your brand to a captive audience. Get in touch with us today to learn how!