case study:
BETWEEN THE LINES
2024-Current
CASE STUDY: BETWEEN THE LINES
Between the Lines is a nonprofit organization focused on reducing recidivism and restoring humanity to the incarcerated population.
Founded in 2017, the organization combines mentorship, educational programming, reintegration services, and powerful storytelling to bridge the gap between prison walls and the outside world. Through in-depth interviews and authentic conversations, they provide a platform for incarcerated individuals to share their experiences, challenges, and transformation.
Their mission is simple:
Build bridges through truth, understanding, and opportunity.
CASE STUDY:
BETWEEN THE LINES
Between the Lines is a nonprofit organization focused on reducing recidivism and restoring humanity to the incarcerated population.
Founded in 2017, the organization combines mentorship, educational programming, reintegration services, and powerful storytelling to bridge the gap between prison walls and the outside world. Through in-depth interviews and authentic conversations, they provide a platform for incarcerated individuals to share their experiences, challenges, and transformation.
Their mission is simple:
Build bridges through truth, understanding, and opportunity.
THE CHALLENGE
When Between the Lines reached out in July of 2024, they already had something most organizations never find:
A powerful mission.
The problem wasn’t the message.
The problem was distribution.
Instagram had grown organically to approximately 125,000 followers through occasional viral clips, but there was no consistent content strategy behind the growth.
YouTube had fewer than 1,000 subscribers and had been inactive for more than four years.
TikTok didn’t exist.
Facebook had an audience but lacked a system for consistent growth.
Most importantly, the organization had accumulated years of powerful interviews inside correctional facilities, but the content was scattered across hard drives, largely unorganized, and underutilized.
The stories were there.
The system wasn’t.
THE CHALLENGE
When Between the Lines reached out in July of 2024, they already had something most organizations never find:
A powerful mission.
The problem wasn’t the message.
The problem was distribution.
Instagram had grown organically to approximately 125,000 followers through occasional viral clips, but there was no consistent content strategy behind the growth.
YouTube had fewer than 1,000 subscribers and had been inactive for more than four years.
TikTok didn’t exist.
Facebook had an audience but lacked a system for consistent growth.
Most importantly, the organization had accumulated years of powerful interviews inside correctional facilities, but the content was scattered across hard drives, largely unorganized, and underutilized.
The stories were there.
The system wasn’t.
THE STRATEGY
This project was never about posting more content.
It was about building a media company around a mission.
Organizing the Foundation
We began by reviewing and organizing years of archived footage, identifying the strongest stories and building a content library capable of fueling long-term growth.
Deepening the Storytelling
We worked closely with the founders to evolve their interview process.
Rather than surface-level conversations, we focused on uncovering deeper stories, childhood experiences, life decisions, prison realities, and moments of transformation.
This not only created more compelling content, but also allowed us to develop longer-form interviews that performed significantly better on YouTube and opened the door to meaningful monetization.
Building a Multi-Platform Content Engine
We developed a content strategy that allowed every interview to fuel multiple platforms:
- Long-form YouTube content
- YouTube Shorts
- Instagram Reels
- Facebook Reels
- TikTok content
- Podcast content
- Audience growth initiatives
Every piece of content had a purpose.
Every platform had a role.
Launching the Podcast
As the audience grew, we helped expand the brand into long-form podcast content.
These deeper conversations allowed viewers to connect with the stories behind incarceration in a way that short-form content simply couldn’t.
Today, podcast episodes regularly generate around 100,000 views, with top-performing episodes approaching one million views.
THE STRATEGY
This project was never about posting more content.
It was about building a media company around a mission.
Organizing the Foundation
We began by reviewing and organizing years of archived footage, identifying the strongest stories and building a content library capable of fueling long-term growth.
Deepening the Storytelling
We worked closely with the founders to evolve their interview process.
Rather than surface-level conversations, we focused on uncovering deeper stories, childhood experiences, life decisions, prison realities, and moments of transformation.
This not only created more compelling content, but also allowed us to develop longer-form interviews that performed significantly better on YouTube and opened the door to meaningful monetization.
Building a Multi-Platform Content Engine
We developed a content strategy that allowed every interview to fuel multiple platforms:
- Long-form YouTube content
- YouTube Shorts
- Instagram Reels
- Facebook Reels
- TikTok content
- Podcast content
- Audience growth initiatives
Every piece of content had a purpose.
Every platform had a role.
Launching the Podcast
As the audience grew, we helped expand the brand into long-form podcast content.
These deeper conversations allowed viewers to connect with the stories behind incarceration in a way that short-form content simply couldn’t.
Today, podcast episodes regularly generate around 100,000 views, with top-performing episodes approaching one million views.
THE RESULTS
In less than two years, Between the Lines evolved from a nonprofit with an underutilized content library into a media brand with over one million followers.
Audience Growth
Current Audience
- Facebook: 586,250 Followers
- Instagram: 308,160 Followers
- TikTok: 93,940 Followers
- YouTube: 90,700 Subscribers
Combined Audience
1,080,000+ Followers
Reach & Visibility
- 216.6 Million Impressions
- 7.6 Million Engagements
- 17.4 Million YouTube Views
The stories that once lived behind prison walls are now reaching millions of people around the world.
YouTube Growth
From fewer than 1,000 subscribers and a dormant channel to:
- 90,700 Subscribers
- 17.4 Million Views
- Over $60,000 in YouTube Ad Revenue
The platform has become a major engine for both awareness and sustainability.
Monetization
Beyond audience growth, the content ecosystem now generates revenue through:
- YouTube AdSense
- Facebook Content Monetization
- Podcast monetization
- Emerging brand partnership opportunities
The mission is no longer dependent solely on donations.
The content itself has become an asset that helps fuel future impact.
THE RESULTS
In less than two years, Between the Lines evolved from a nonprofit with an underutilized content library into a media brand with over one million followers.
Audience Growth
Current Audience
- Facebook: 586,250 Followers
- Instagram: 308,160 Followers
- TikTok: 93,940 Followers
- YouTube: 90,700 Subscribers
Combined Audience
1,080,000+ Followers
Reach & Visibility
- 216.6 Million Impressions
- 7.6 Million Engagements
- 17.4 Million YouTube Views
The stories that once lived behind prison walls are now reaching millions of people around the world.
YouTube Growth
From fewer than 1,000 subscribers and a dormant channel to:
- 90,700 Subscribers
- 17.4 Million Views
- Over $60,000 in YouTube Ad Revenue
The platform has become a major engine for both awareness and sustainability.
Monetization
Beyond audience growth, the content ecosystem now generates revenue through:
- YouTube AdSense
- Facebook Content Monetization
- Podcast monetization
- Emerging brand partnership opportunities
The mission is no longer dependent solely on donations.
The content itself has become an asset that helps fuel future impact.
THE TRANSFORMATION
This project has always been a true partnership.
The growth of Between the Lines wasn’t created by one viral video or one person.
It came from combining a powerful mission with a clear content strategy, deeper storytelling, consistent execution, and a long-term vision.
Together, we transformed years of untapped stories into a thriving media brand with more than one million followers, hundreds of millions of impressions, and a growing platform capable of creating both impact and income.
And we’re just getting started.
THE TRANSFORMATION
This project has always been a true partnership.
The growth of Between the Lines wasn’t created by one viral video or one person.
It came from combining a powerful mission with a clear content strategy, deeper storytelling, consistent execution, and a long-term vision.
Together, we transformed years of untapped stories into a thriving media brand with more than one million followers, hundreds of millions of impressions, and a growing platform capable of creating both impact and income.
And we’re just getting started.
CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM BTL
Man Serving 3 Life Sentences Plus 106 Years
YouTube Analytics
Release Date: December 23, 2024
Views: 4,200,381 (As of June 15, 2026)
Watch time: 284,026 hours
Gained Subscribers: 18.6K
This conversation with Kobe became our most viral video yet.
It’s part of our Live from the Yard series — where we take you inside the walls, straight into the stories of the incarcerated. No scripts. No filters. Just real people, sharing what the world was never supposed to hear. This is the kind of storytelling that doesn’t just get views — it makes you feel something.
He Spent 32 Years in Solitary Confinement—
This Is His Story
YouTube Analytics
Release Date: February 10, 2025
Views: 904,808 (As of June 15, 2026)
Watch time: 139,740 hours
Gained Subscribers: 5.8K
We launched a podcast that goes deeper than surface-level interviews — this is where stories from behind the walls get the space they deserve. In each episode, we sit down with the incarcerated to unpack their childhood, their turning points, and the path that led them here. This conversation with Mark “Turtle” Quiroz stopped people in their tracks — he spent 32 years in solitary confinement, and what he shares is something you’ll never forget.
CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS
FROM BTL
Man Serving 3 Life Sentences
Plus 106 Years
YouTube Analytics
Release Date: Dec 23, 2024
Views: 3,456,446
Watch time: 235,295 hours
Gained Subscribers: 16.3K
(As of 6/16/25)
This conversation with Kobe became our most viral video yet.
It’s part of our Live from the Yard series — where we take you inside the walls, straight into the stories of the incarcerated. No scripts. No filters. Just real people, sharing what the world was never supposed to hear. This is the kind of storytelling that doesn’t just get views — it makes you feel something.
He Spent 32 Years
in Solitary Confinement—
This Is His Story
YouTube Analytics
Release Date: Feb 10, 2025
Views: 603,341
Watch time: 90.9K hours
Gained Subscribers: 4.4K
(As of June 16, 2025)
We launched a podcast that goes deeper than surface-level interviews — this is where stories from behind the walls get the space they deserve. In each episode, we sit down with the incarcerated to unpack their childhood, their turning points, and the path that led them here. This conversation with Mark “Turtle” Quiroz stopped people in their tracks — he spent 32 years in solitary confinement, and what he shares is something you’ll never forget.
