Crypto Credibility 101: Four Hard Truths for Founders Who Want Media Trust w/ Laura Shin
Laura serves straight-up truths you need to hear if you want anyone to take your crypto brand seriously.
Last week, I covered the “how-not-to-be-sleazy-in-crypto-media” rulebook based on the insights from Cami Russo. Today, I want to dig further into what it takes to build real media credibility, inspired by a recent episode with the author, host of the badass Unchained Podcast, and one of crypto’s sharpest journalists, Laura Shin. Formerly a senior editor at Forbes magazine, Laura was the first mainstream journalist to cover crypto full-time, and her podcasts and videos have over 20 million downloads.
Laura serves straight-up truths you need to hear if you want anyone to take your crypto brand seriously.
Disclaimer: The tips below are based on insights from Laura's conversation with Pedro Solimano on our Beyond The Beat podcast.
Let's do this.
Rule #1: Facts matter, tell them in an interesting way
Crypto’s got a huge problem.
On one hand, you’ve got the overhyped garbage that’s everywhere. On the other, you’ve got dense, snooze-fest reports that barely anyone wants to read. But Laura says that accuracy and readability aren’t opposites. You need both.
Take Forbes’ dive into “zombie chains.” They tackled this complicated, under-the-radar topic (basically, blockchains that are technically “alive” but serve zero purpose) by balancing facts with storytelling. They didn’t just vomit data, they made it readable and relevant. That’s what you need to be doing. If you’re explaining your product, make it interesting.
Want to get noticed? Learn how to tell a story that’s accurate and engaging. Otherwise, don’t expect people to sit through your 10-minute, jargon-filled pitch.
Rule #2: Own your screw-ups (x100)
I’ve said this before, and I’ll probably say it again until your ears bleed: being honest about your mistakes is one of the best things you can do.
And if that sounds like a lame corporate tagline, it’s because you haven’t seen it in action. Kyle Davies, as Laura pointed out, dropped the ball on taking responsibility during their interview. Laura didn’t dig that. I didn’t dig it. Heck, his dog probably doesn’t.
Want to see a positive example? Coinbase, one of the biggest names in crypto exchange, went public last year with an apology for saying that Pepe was a hate symbol. Did it make them look a little clumsy? Sure. But did they earn respect by owning it and fixing it? Absolutely.
If you’re a founder, there’s nothing worse than trying to dodge or spin your mistakes.
Acknowledge them, fix them, and move on. You’ll find that people appreciate honesty far more than a flimsy cover-up.
Rule #3: Get the clicks (without selling your soul)
Let’s face it, news publications need the ad revenue that comes with viral stories, but they also need to stay credible. As Laura points out, crypto is still “tribal” so it’s easy for the media to fall into cheerleading mode just to get clicks.
Look at Coindesk. Last year, they covered everything from Bitcoin Pizza Day memes to the Sam Bankman-Fried downfall. They’re balancing viral content with real investigations, and they’re careful about it.
Let’s see another example. By this point, we know that nothing gets the crypto media frothing like a new “Satoshi Nakamoto reveal” stunt. So a UK-based PR agency teased they’d finally unmask Bitcoin’s mythical creator on Halloween. Cue headlines. Major crypto outlets jumped on it, scrambling to milk the mystery for clicks — again. And, like clockwork, readers got... nothing.
The whole thing was less about uncovering Bitcoin’s creator and more about seeing how far the media would go for some juicy traffic.
As a founder, you have to understand that chasing eyeballs is fine — but don’t do it by compromising on truth. Otherwise, your audience will see through the fluff, and that trust you’re trying to build? Poof. Gone.
Rule #4: Talk like a normal human
This one’s simple but somehow still groundbreaking: speak like a person, not a blockchain. If you’re trying to crack into mainstream media or reach your audience on other platforms, you need to remember one thing — nobody’s here for your “cryptic” language (pun absolutely intended). Want people outside your Telegram group to get on board? Ditch the jargon and speak human.
Trust me, reaching a wider audience means making your message clear, not a code to be cracked.
Chaos Labs nailed this perfectly. The PayPal-backed Israeli startup recently raised $55 million — a big, headline-grabbing number. But here’s the kicker: they didn’t just stick to crypto circles. They secured mainstream coverage in outlets like CTech by Calcalist. That’s how you make complex ideas user-friendly so anyone can understand them.
If you’re in crypto, you’ve likely got something pretty complicated going on.
But if you’re pitching it like an engineering manual, no one’s sticking around. Break it down. Show people why they should care.
"Why don't you explain it to me like I'm 8 year old", Michael Scott.
Yes, I had to plug this part from The Office.
Bonus rule for my PR wizards: Soak up knowledge like a sponge
Succeeding in crypto media isn’t easy. So here’s a pro tip from Laura: find a journalist (note from yours truly: or a PR person) whose work you admire and learn from them. Study how they approach stories, reach out if you can, and pick up pointers on how they get to the heart of the story without fluff.
Don’t just be a fan, be a student. And if you’re lucky enough to get a mentor in the field, don’t waste it.
Crypto’s still figuring itself out. So if you want to be taken seriously, focus on your reputation. Own your mistakes, balance facts with story, and never, ever talk down to your audience.
⇒ Check out the full episode with Laura Shin on YouTube for more killer insights, and hit that subscribe button for more!
⇒ Here's my crypto PR firm: Chainstory. We are good, I swear.
⇒ I also share some stuff on Twitter/X. (Wu Blockchain follows me. You should too.)
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See you next week!