In its short history, Cointelegraph’s Franchise program has already brought together professionals from all walks of life – and from every corner of the globe, from Slovenia to South Africa. But what does it mean to be involved in mainstream digital currency media in 2015?

Having gone from one resource to multinational giant in little over a year, Cointelegraph is the perfect proof of a booming industry. Interest in cryptocurrency and associated technologies continues to grow at an incredible rate, with consumers setting trends and making it clear what excites them.

One of the obvious consequences of this growing audience however – and nowhere more so than in cryptocurrency – is that its members are to be found in almost every country on Earth. Emergent technologies surrounding Bitcoin and blockchain are being put to use in different ways and in different areas, but everyone has an opinion, a story or an innovation to share.

This was one of the qualities of the cryptocurrency industry that motivated Cointelegraph to set up regional franchise opportunities. With a goal for every country to have a version of the Cointelegraph platform dedicated to their local news, those communities who would otherwise find it difficult to gain mainstream column space now have a gateway to the worldwide web audience.

Just as every user has their story, so too do those who choose to take on the challenge of running a leading media brand. Cointelegraph reached out to the head of Cointelegraph Italy, Claudio Levrini, about his background, what he has learned from running the franchise and what he expects from the future.

Cointelegraph: As an entrepreneur, what made you go into the on-line media industry and not any other? How did you come up with the idea of writing about cryptocurrency?

Claudio Levrini: As a company we are working on several projects and some of them are related to the Italian territory so we already had most of the staff to work on Cointelegraph.it. The base to achieve widespread Bitcoin adoption is user information. The best way to let people know about this disruptive new technology is with quality content, something which is often hard to find in Italian language. Working with Cointelegraph allows us to publish relevant articles from international writers and work with one of the best companies in the field.

“[T]he best way of building a quality audience is to publish professional content.”

CT: Gaining a wide yet loyal following can be difficult for an on line media resource. What problems have you encountered and how did you overcome these?

CL: I think the best way of building a quality audience is to publish professional content. Too often we see companies working in this space and in the news in general that turn their back to readers for profit. That is not the case of Cointelegraph where contents are created to inform people rather that getting paid by the company you write about. Obviously building a quality audience, like most good things, takes time and Cointelegraph is always very supportive and can help out companies achieve this goal.

CT: What made you decide to join the Cointelegraph network rather than strike out on your own? What are the advantages of being a Cointelegraph franchisee in the European space?

CL: We had a news outlet in Italian language before joining Cointelegraph but it was never fully operational. The main issue we faced is that writing international news every day is an astonishing workload for a small group of writers and leaves no time for the creation of relevant national contents. Working with Cointelegraph lets you focus on the creation of quality contents while just translating the international news in your language. They do also provide translators and the excellent illustrator that creates the characteristic design we all love.

“Bitcoin adoption will be the result of a wider use of the blockchain technology in other fields, with an impact so profound that using a currency based on the same system will just feel logical.”

CT: With the Bitcoin market changing so frequently, media outlets are constantly evolving their focus. What do you intend to cover in future other than purely cryptocurrency?

CL: I think that the trend in the next 12 months will be Bitcoin 2.0. There are just too many improvements that we can bring to our society using the blockchain technology. From identification to security from logistics to politics, it's hard to imagine one field that cannot be optimized with the aid of a distributed secure ledger. I think Bitcoin adoption will be the result of a wider use of the blockchain technology in other fields, with an impact so profound that using a currency based on the same system will just feel logical.

CT: What advice would you give to those looking to set up a franchised media operation? Is there anything you yourself would have done differently, or mistakes by others in the industry you've been keen to avoid? 

CL: If you are planning to start a business in this industry it's better to start with an advantage. Nothing can help you more than having a solid company to help you solve your needs regarding contents and staff. Working with Cointelegraph will help you create a solid content platform and grow your business without having to “sell” articles and transform your news outlet into a marketing platform.

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