As AI-generated summaries disrupt traditional search engine traffic, cryptocurrency publishers are shifting their strategies toward original interviews and deeper, direct audience engagement, according to speakers at a TOKEN2049 Singapore panel series hosted by ChangeNOW.
A co-founder at The Block of Media outlined how the publication’s strategy has shifted away from relying on Google-ranked educational guides. Instead, the outlet is prioritizing conversations and interviews, repurposing those dialogues into written pieces and bite-sized video clips distributed across multiple platforms.
When asked how he would approach launching a media startup today, the co-founder stated, “I will not start a website. I will start with a person,” emphasizing the importance of selecting a niche audience and fostering personal connections.
Jaden of CoinEasy noted that the impact has been less severe in South Korea, where the firm engages users via local communities and the domestic search platform Naver. Even so, the company is actively exploring AI-driven distribution channels while ramping up offline gatherings and tangible merchandise for its community base.
The conversation additionally addressed the shortcomings of conventional digital advertising metrics. Pauline Shangett, Chief Strategy Officer at ChangeNOW, pointed out that immediate click-through rates fail to reflect the full impact of banner advertising. Familiarity builds through repeated impressions, she explained, which raises the probability that a user recalls the brand when a need arises later.
Expanding crypto’s reach beyond its core demographic was another key theme discussed during a separate wallet-focused panel that included representatives from MetaMask, Trezor, and ChangeNOW.
Asked what his top priority would be when launching a wallet from scratch, a representative from MetaMask remarked, “I would definitely focus on distribution.” He stressed the necessity of meeting users in their existing environments rather than waiting for them to migrate to Web3 independently.
Yana, Head of Business Development & Account Management at ChangeNOW, cautioned that marketing budgets cannot make up for a subpar user experience. “If the product is not good, users will not trust it and also will not come back,” she noted.
During a panel dedicated to infrastructure, Diana Alexandrova of WalletConnect shared a tangible illustration of simplifying crypto concepts: a brief video capturing a wallet transaction at a coffee shop in Lisbon. She encouraged teams to clearly demonstrate utility and encourage direct user participation.
A subsequent panel on super apps explored retention strategies for users once they are onboarded. Rubic co-founder Aleksandra Korneva pointed out that token swaps are often infrequent needs for many individuals. Participants discussed whether daily utilities like trading, payments, or other frequent actions could successfully drive users back to the same platform on a regular basis.
