Crypto podcasters should always assume their audience knows nothing

Opinion by: Blake Cassidy, CEO of Bamboo

Crypto podcasts have been newcomers’ go-to source of information, helping bring crypto into the mainstream. Podcasters must remember, however, that fresh faces are constantly tuning in as they grow.

While you may say, “FOMO, buy the dip, ignore the FUD because WAGMI,” your poor listener — tuning in for the first time just trying to learn crypto — might decide learning Spanish is easier.

Keeping regular listeners engaged is important, but so is making sure newbies, who are only listening because they’re sick of hearing their mates brag about crypto at work, can follow along, too.

You can see this balance pulled off well in some of the biggest crypto podcasts out there. Crypto podcasts that cater to the hodler and the novice enjoy dedicated followings and high view counts, whether the market is feeling bullish or bearish. 

Some worry that making things newbie-friendly will turn off industry professionals, but that’s not the case. Even the experts appreciate simplified content — it helps them stay on top of the week without digging through all the noise themselves.

How do you get that balance right? Work in the week’s biggest news, and it’ll appeal to everyone — whether they’re new to crypto or industry veterans. Even if it’s just a segment of your podcast, crypto enthusiasts at any level love having a go-to podcast that sums up the week before they’ve even had their morning coffee.

Accessibility has always been one of crypto’s biggest hurdles. The tech, the endless list of coins, even Web3-powered video games — many see it all as too complicated, unnecessary or just another scam. Some of these views represent a misunderstanding at best and outright ignorance at worst.

On the flip side, podcasters talk about quantum-resistant blockchains, unlimited transactions per second or Ethereum’s dreaded Surge, Verge, Purge and Splurge malarky. 

Podcasters can play a key role in moving blockchain solutions further into the mainstream by helping to overcome the high knowledge entry requirements we’ve seen previously.

There is a balance, however, as nobody wants to listen to an explainer podcast that feels like a weekly dictionary of crypto-bro jargon. The key is for podcasters to imagine they are in a room with a friend who knows nothing about crypto and someone who’s already clued in. Create content that works for both. If jargon is a must, which is often in this niche, a “here’s what we mean when we say this” now and then can go a long way to avoid alienating newcomers.

Non-technical terms like “WAGMI” and “NGMI” should be spelled out instead of gatekeeping if we want to see retail swarm exchanges. 

Several successful podcasts do a great job of providing timestamps in their podcast episodes, which often run longer than an hour. If an audience member can quickly understand what is included in the podcast and navigate to the sections most interesting to them, this will only strengthen engagement and loyalty.

Additionally, similes, analogies, metaphors and outright storytelling can help demystify some harder-to-grasp crypto concepts. 

There are so many ways that podcasters can help rather than hinder the mainstream adoption of crypto. In any discipline, providing clear and concise information so that audiences can make more informed decisions is a responsibility — why should crypto podcasts be any different?

Opinion by: Blake Cassidy, CEO of Bamboo.

This article is for general information purposes and is not intended to be and should not be taken as legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed here are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views and opinions of Cointelegraph.