How to advertise on The First Degree: what it costs, who buys, and how to book

The First Degree sells its host-read inventory the way most creator-led true crime shows do: quoted per campaign through its representation, not off a public rate card. Spotsnow data shows that direct-response reads account for almost all of the show's host-read ad activity, and its anchor advertiser, Quince, has run roughly 8 to 9 host-read spots. For a buyer, that mix reads as a coded, conversion-first feed rather than a branding play. Spotsnow estimates all of this from tracked advertiser activity, not audience surveys.

You can see the full profile for The First Degree on Spotsnow.

Why The First Degree is built for host-read direct response

Alexis Linkletter and Jac Vanek host, both investigative journalists known for their coverage of the Long Island Serial Killer and specials on Discovery+. The show sits in retail, which is where most of its spend clusters, inside the true crime category.

Spotsnow data shows the host-read reads here run almost entirely as direct response, meaning coded offers, vanity URLs, and promo codes the host says out loud. That format only works when attention holds through the break, and this show's storytelling is built to keep you there: a guest one degree from the crime, a slow reveal, then the host pivots into a personal endorsement in her own voice. A host-read borrows that trust. The listener who stays for the story stays for the code. Spotsnow estimates the show reaches roughly 200,000 listeners per episode, and calls that figure an estimate, not a counted number.

The audience skews young and heavily female, mostly US-based and middle income. Influence here is concentrated in the feed and on Instagram, where Spotsnow puts the following at roughly 88,000 followers. That's a tight, engaged base that trusts the two hosts as narrators, which is exactly the kind of attention a coded read converts against.

Who is advertising on The First Degree

The roster leans toward DTC essentials, fintech, telecom, and streaming, the categories that chase a young female buyer with a promo code. The most recognizable names include Quince, Progressive, Mint Mobile, SoFi, and Shopify.

The anchor advertisers, broken down

Quince

Quince sells affordable-luxury essentials direct to consumers: cashmere, silk, leather goods, and home basics at prices it undercuts against traditional retail. Spotsnow data shows roughly 8 to 9 host-read reads and an estimated over $60K in total spend, all direct response. A value-conscious, mostly female audience that trusts the host is the exact shopper Quince wants, and the repeat cadence says the read pays for itself.

TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit connects people to local help for moving, assembly, and household tasks. Spotsnow data shows roughly 4 host-read reads and an estimated over $30K in total spend, classified as direct response. A busy, US-based audience running households is a natural fit for a service that hands off the chores.

First Leaf

First Leaf is a wine subscription that curates bottles to each member's taste. Spotsnow data shows roughly 4 host-read reads and an estimated over $20K in total spend, again direct response. A subscription with a first-box offer maps cleanly onto a code-driven read for listeners who want a low-risk try.

The awareness outlier

Not everyone here buys for conversion. DSW runs a heavy volume of produced spots, not coded host reads, and Progressive and Monday.com do the same. Those are awareness and association plays, proof that a brand-lift objective can ride this feed even though the show's center of gravity is direct response.

All spend figures are Spotsnow estimates.

Why retail brands cluster here

The audience is the pitch. Two journalists have built a base that skews young, female, and value-minded, and it listens for the story, not the ad. That combination is gold for a DTC brand selling something you can try with a code: cashmere, a wine box, an errand you'd rather not run. The hosts' credibility does the pre-selling, so the offer lands as a recommendation instead of an interruption. Quince keeps coming back because the math keeps working, and a repeat buyer at that cadence is the loudest signal a media buyer will get. When retail spend concentrates on one show, it's rarely a coincidence. It's because the read converts against a shopper who already trusts the voice reading it.

How your ad could sound

Here's a host-read from the show in the host's own voice, for a watch brand:

Host-read on The First Degree

What works: the hook is personal and a little cheeky ("if you are a watch person and you haven't heard of movement watches... you are officially living under a rock"), and the proof is first-person, not scripted ("I just got my new movement watch... I've been wearing it almost every day"). The handoff into the offer feels natural, and the code is clean: "use code first." That's the template a coded DR read wants.

Two things to tighten. The offer and code land late in a long read, so a listener who drops early never hears the ask. And the CTA repeats without any reason to act now. A line of urgency, a deadline or a limited run, would push more of the audience to convert in the moment instead of "later."

View what a great sample ad looks like here.

What makes a show like this convert

1. The format does the selling. Nearly all the ad activity here is coded host-read direct response, so brands can tie a promo code straight to a sale.
2. Host credibility carries weight. Two investigative journalists with Discovery+ credits read the copy themselves, and the recommendation lands as trust, not filler.
3. The audience is a buyer, not a bystander. A young, mostly female, US-based base of roughly 200,000 estimated listeners is exactly who DTC essentials chase.
4. Repeat buying proves the math. Quince has run roughly 8 to 9 host-read spots; brands don't re-book that often unless the code keeps ringing.

The First Degree in a nutshell

The show reaches an estimated 200,000 listeners who skew young, female, US-based, and middle income, and who stick around for the storytelling. The buyers already here are DTC and retail names like Quince, TaskRabbit, and First Leaf, all running coded host-read spots. Inventory is quoted per campaign through the hosts' representation rather than off a rate card. If your goal is measurable, code-driven conversion, this is a direct-response feed first and an awareness play second.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to advertise on The First Degree?

The First Degree is sold on a quoted basis rather than a public rate card. Four things move the number: placement (mid-roll host-read prices above pre-roll and post-roll), read type (a host endorsement prices above a produced spot), commitment length (multi-episode flights and category exclusivity price better than a single test), and how close you are to the air date. For market context, a host-read spot on a typical show costs a brand roughly $20 to $30 for every thousand listeners it reaches. In-demand shows clear well above that. The more useful signal for this show is who already buys: Quince has run roughly 8 to 9 host-read spots, alongside TaskRabbit and First Leaf. Repeat buying at that level tells you more about where a show prices, and what it's worth to the brands buying it, than an outside estimate can.

How long could booking times take on The First Degree?

Ads run on most episodes, so the show is in demand and inventory moves fast. Plan on reaching out sooner than you think you need to.

How long does it take to run a host-read ad start to finish?

About 1 week to book, 2 to 3 weeks to produce and run, plus 2 to 3 weeks of lead time, so roughly 5 to 7 weeks end to end.

Where can I buy an ad on The First Degree?

The First Degree is sold through United Talent Agency. You can approach them directly, or book through a platform that already has the show in its inventory. You can view different advertising platforms here.

Does The First Degree work for a retail or DTC brand like mine?

It's one of the clearer fits in true crime. The top three spenders are all DTC and retail names running coded host reads, and the audience skews young, female, and value-conscious, which is the shopper those brands target. If you sell something a listener can try with a promo code, the format matches the audience.

The First Degree isn't the only feed reaching this audience. Spotsnow shows which true crime podcasts have host-read spots open right now, and which brands already buy them.