Otto Jacobsson, the CFO of YAP Global, a leading web3-focused PR consultancy, recently spoke with AltCoinDesk at the Binance Blockchain Week 2025, held in Dubai, UAE. The conversation spanned across the evolution of crypto journalism, the use of AI, and the significance of storytelling in the crypto media space.
Find a niche or perish
The first question was about the changing role of crypto journalism since Jacobsson entered the industry. He remarked that many crypto publications are struggling to find a sustainable business model.
While business models based on ad revenues and sponsored content have worked for crypto publications over the years, they can sometimes be less reliable, especially during bear markets when projects are looking to cut costs across the board.
The point here is you really want to find your niche. Crypto is not just one thing anymore, you can’t just say ‘we cover crypto.’ You have to be a little bit more specific than that, I think.
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Separating noise from signal in the crypto space
Jacobsson said that the assumption that building the technology will attract users on its own does not hold true. He cautioned that while many developers might claim to be building real projects, more often than not, it turns out to be nothing, and sometimes even scams.
You have to have a clear compelling message that cuts through the noise.
Otto Jacobsson, CFO, YAP Global
He added that the key component of effective communication can be judged by what tangible benefits the project provides to its users or community.
The best businesses in this space are using the fact, or working with the fact, that they have a loyal community, often token holders, who are very incentivized to support them and buy their products.
Otto Jacobsson, CFO, YAP Global
How will crypto storytelling evolve in the age of AI?
Speaking on the impact of AI-generated content on crypto content, Jacobsson said that everyone first needs to be honest and accepting of the fact that generative AI is a tool to be used.
He referred to the fact that there are some crypto publications that leverage AI to write articles that are otherwise not very well written, or provide much value or insight.
From YAP Global’s perspective, Jacobsson noted that it is in a bit of a unique situation since, although their work mostly revolves around getting media coverage for their clients, with the rise of AI, the work has also included catering to another type of audience, i.e., generative AI models.
How to build a career in crypto PR space?
Concluding the talk, Jacobsson stated that the crypto industry is too big now to simply say that “you’re just interested in crypto.” Having a niche interest in the industry is pretty much a non-negotiable now.
This doesn’t mean that you have to be a technological person. However, you need to have a particular field of interest within the crypto industry, such as macroeconomic factors influencing digital asset prices, decentralized finance (DeFi), regulations, ecosystem developments, and so on.
Summing it up
Jacobsson’s insights underscore a wider shift happening in the crypto space. As the industry matures, price-driven hype and superficial narratives appear to be giving way to more nuanced, value-driven storytelling.
Regardless of the fact that it’s crypto journalism, public relations, or projects’ messaging toward their community, the same theme remains critical – simplicity, honesty, and specialization.
The path forward for those who wish to make a career in this adolescent industry remains clear – substance over hype, using AI responsibly, and focusing on real-world use cases for project tokens.
