Building a resilient media brand, Alena Afanaseva argues, means prioritising endurance over quick wins as platforms such as Google reshape how audiences find information. According to the interview coverage by BeInCrypto, Afanaseva urged media leaders to favour credibility and measured strategy rather than chasing traffic spikes that can evaporate when algorithms change. (Sources: [2])

For founders seeking visibility, Afanaseva counsels that personal branding must grow from an authentic centre rather than from a pursuit of virality. According to the discussion, she recommends identifying and amplifying genuine strengths, public speaking, analysis or writing, while using professionals to extend rather than replace one’s voice. “If there is something fake in between, it’s not going to work,” she warned. (Sources: [2],[3])

Afanaseva’s route into crypto journalism followed a career in finance and market commentary, including public Bitcoin commentary as early as 2014. She described early digital-asset coverage as chaotic and unsuitable for standard analytical methods, forcing BeInCrypto to build networks, processes and editorial discipline from scratch to navigate a field dominated by hype. (Sources: [2],[5],[4])

That discipline, she said, explains why BeInCrypto avoided the traffic collapse some peers suffered during waves such as the memecoin boom. The company adopted strict newsroom-commercial boundaries, limited the use of press releases and refused lucrative promotional deals that would have undermined long-term trust. “We said no to millions of dollars because we realized it would kill the website long-term,” Afanaseva said. (Sources: [2],[5])

Afanaseva framed recent shifts at Google and the rise of AI-driven summaries as reinforcing those editorial choices. She noted platforms increasingly favour authoritative, high-quality content and scrutinise AI-generated material, low-quality backlinks and thin commercialised pieces; “AI isn’t the enemy; bad strategy is,” she said. At BeInCrypto, AI is presented as a productivity aid, used for research and drafting under human oversight rather than as a substitute for rigorous reporting. (Sources: [2],[6])

Those editorial principles extend into company culture. Leading a remote team of roughly 150 people in more than 50 countries, Afanaseva emphasises hiring builders over perfect CVs, valuing constructive conflict and aligning recruitment and editorial decisions with the organisation’s core values. “If you build something for the long term, you need to be aligned with your core values and your DNA,” she said. (Sources: [3],[5],[4])

Looking ahead, Afanaseva has signalled growth ambitions that include educational content and continued investment in journalistic standards while exploring Web3 opportunities. According to other podcast appearances and interviews, she sees the combination of mission-driven leadership, a decentralised newsroom model and selective use of AI as central to competing for attention in an increasingly AI-shaped discovery landscape. (Sources: [5],[7],[6])

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Source: Noah Wire Services