Demystifying the Blockchain: A Creator’s Journey

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Welcome to Social Media and the Blockchain. I’m Jennifer Navarrete and this is the beginning of season two. This is the show where I seek to demystify the blockchain and encourage creators (like you) to explore blockchain-based social media. It’s been a hot minute since the final episode of season one was released. So, let’s pull back to the 10,000 foot view and take a look at the beginning of Social Media and the Blockchain and what you can expect from season two.

A Look Back

In November 2021, I created Social Media and the Blockchain as part of my National Podcast Post Month (NaPodPoMo) challenge. At the time I had been actively creating content on the Hive blockchain for about 8 months after being introduced to Hive by family friend and fellow podcaster, Shaine Mata. After a quick show and tell of what he was doing as a creator on the blockchain, I knew immediately this was a creative adventure that should not be embarked upon alone. 

I knew that because  3 1/2 years earlier in August of 2017 I had joined a blogging blockchain, written a few posts, earned a few cents, and walked away. Why? Because as a newbie, I didn’t really know the nuances of being a blockchain blogger and I wasn’t finding a community or individuals who were willing to walk me through what it was to be a blogger on a blockchain. It was a lonely place so I said, “Meh” and went along my merry way back to creating content on traditional social media. So here I was looking at something similar yet so much more robust to what I had tried before. I knew I didn’t want to have a repeat of my 2017 experience.

So Shaine became me and my family’s guide. As I began to explore what was possible (blogging, social media, gaming, and more) the months flew by and I was more and more fascinated by what I was discovering.  The fact I could create the exact same type of content I was already creating on traditional social media was a revelation. You could microblog on DBuzz just like you could on Twitter. You could blog and post social media type content on PeakD just like you could on Facebook. You could post videos on 3Speak just like You could on YouTube.

 It seemed like the more I explored the decentralized apps or dApps on Hive the more I realized there wasn’t limit to the type of content I could create. The fact I could own my content with the added possibility of being able to micro-monetize my content made the blockchain even more attractive.  Plus Hive was just one blockchain. There. Were. So. Many. Others. It made my head spin to consider the possibilities.

Sponge-Mode Engaged

Needless to say, by the summer of that 2021 I was in full on sponge-mode soaking up as much information as I could. But I know I always learn best by doing so in order to fast-track my learning, I bought the domain cryptocontentcreators.com to create a video and audio podcast with Shaine.  You can view or listen to full video and audio episodes on cryptocontentcreators.com 

And guess what? It worked! I was definitely learning faster. So when it was time to plan my podcast for NaPodPoMo , I knew I needed to use the annual thirty day podcasting challenge to talk about what I had found on the blockchain as a creator. Which brings us full circle to season one of Social Media and the Blockchain.

More To Learn, More To Share

You would think thirty episodes would be more than enough time to talk about what the blockchain has to offer creators. I originally thought I would have time to talk about several blockchains. In the end I barely had time to skim the surface of what Hive had to offer let alone dig into other blockchains. Which is why I knew back then when I recorded the 30th episode I would continue the series. I even announced season two would begin in January. And with the release of the Social Media and the Blockchain Season Two trailer last month it has…one year later. 

So much has happened since then. Not only have some of the dApps I spoke about faded into the sunset, new ones have sprung into existence and more importantly my own knowledge and understanding has greatly expanded since then. As a matter of fact I currently host a weekly social audio show called Web3 101, I’ve created Web3 challenges, and hold Web3 & Social Media for Creator workshops. I have been interviewed on podcasts and spoken on virtual stages about what the blockchain has to offer creators. So what’s changed since I published the 30th episode on November 30th 2021? The short answer? A whole lot. 

Why is now the time to bring back Social Media and the Blockchain? 

More and more content creators are beginning to show an interest in what the blockchain has to offer them. As a Web3 for creators evangelist, this is has been exciting to see unfold in real time. With so many new folks looking at Web3 and so many others becoming creators on the blockchain, I figured it was time to dust off the show and begin a new season.

What can you expect from Social Media and the Blockchain?

A whole new style of show. The first season was short bite-sized nuggets of information. The new iteration of the show will be a mix of informational shows and interviews.

What does that mean for you?

One show will be an informational nugget hosted by me. The next show will be interview-style where I talk with Web3 creators and developers who can speak knowledgeably about each specific topic and share their lessons learned along the way.

Will this mixed format podcast blend?

Once upon a time I created a social media and tech focused podcast which ran for 5 years. The show was live with episodes released on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Tuesday my co-host and I spoke about a topic. Then on Thursdays we interviewed someone who was an expert in that topic. So, I know from personal experience this model works. However, that was then and this is now. Will it blend? Only you, the listener get to decide. Let’s find out together!

Podcasting 2.0

At the same time I was diving into Web3, podcasting went into a similar direction with the advent of Podcasting 2.0. As a long-time podcaster I am leaning right into this new iteration of podcasting. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear I have a second show called Podcasting and the Blockchain (are you sending a theme here?) and on that show I dive into how podcasters and listeners can move into the future of podcasting which in my opinion is a beautiful blend of Web2 and Web3. 

So what does that mean for you (and me)?

Well, as a Web3 and Podcasting 2.0 evangelist I am putting my evangelism to work with all of my podcasts. The best way for me to illustrate the power of Web3 and Podcasting 2.0 is to put it into practice aka Do the things. This podcast can be found on the blockchain and in the Podcast Index.  is a #Value4Value podcast. If you like what you hear, if what I share with you has value then you can provide value back to me by upvoting my content on Hive and/or you can”Stream SATS” or “Send a Boostigram” on a Podcasting 2.0 enabled app like Fountain or Podverse. If that last sentence left you with question marks floating above your head, then I invite you to subscribe to Podcasting and the Blockchain which goes into more detail specific to podcasting. 

Just know this, in the new world of Web3 content creation the value experience which creators and everyone who engages with that content by reading, watching, listening, commenting, sharing, and upvoting aka engagement goes both ways. If you find value in a what I create shouldn’t we both get value from the complete experience? In the world of Web3 and Podcasting 2.0 that answer is yes!

I won’t go into details now, but just know that when I first discovered this new #Vaue4Value model I was struck by the simplicity and obvious nature of it all. As we move into each episode and you begin to understand this for yourself, I think you’ll have a similar experience. 

#VALUE4VALUE Segment

Which brings me to the #Value4Value portion of the show. This is the part where I share the names of folks who have curated Social Media and the Blockchain content and podcast episodes either on Hive or through Podcasting 2.0. 

Let’s start with the post I created on Hive where announced that season two of the show was coming soon. 

The post was titled: Recording Season Two: Social Media and the Blockchain

 This post was the recipient of 42 upvotes, with the top 15 reward curators are as follows:

•  BrianofLondon
•  Alexis555
•  TraciYork
•  Podping
•  Steevc
•  TenKMinnows
•  ShadowsPub
•  NewAgeInv
•  PizzaDalek
•  BorsenGelaber
•  MatildaMoment
•  ACGalarza
•  DanNewton
•  Shaine Mata
•  TravelWriteMoney

Thank you all so much for upvoting the post to let me know you found value in the content I created by giving value back to me with your upvote. I also want to thank everyone who curated this with comments and weblogs and the remaining folks who upvoted the post. A link where you can see these upvotes can be found in the show notes.

When the post paid out after 7 days the total value split between curators and myself was $5.30 with a net of $2.654 to me as the author of the post. 

Featured Guest Interview Announcement

The next episode begins the interview series and I am sure you will not be surprised to hear that Shaine Mata is my first featured guest. After all it was Shaine that brought the blockchain back to my attention after a 3 1/2 year break. We’ll hear from Shaine what got him started as a Web3 creator and what his plans are for the future.  Shaine is quite creative in his use of blockchain and I was blown away one of his retirement strategies. You’re not going to want to miss this one folks. So, be sure to subscribe to the podcast and share this show with fellow creators by visiting socialmediaandtheblockchain.com/subscribe

And with that I will close out. I wish you well and hope you have an absolutely fabulous rest of your day.

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