Non-traditional platforms are on the rise with the explosion of Web 3.0 – but it’s not just crypto brands and blockchain enthusiasts who are making the most of this new environment. Savvy brands that understand the key differences with Web 2.0 marketing deploy unique strategies to build communities and attract loyal subscribers.
As digital adoption skyrocketed, social media heralded the dawn of Web 2.0.
Organizations have shifted their focus to digital marketing rather than purely traditional means, and audiences have adopted a mobile-first, always-on attitude to stay connected. Cloud-based computing has also enhanced the ability of businesses to operate digitally and deploy more robust marketing strategies that have generated a healthy return on investment.
The evolution of the Internet continues unabated, and we are now in the midst of Web 3.0 – defined by AI-based services, advanced computing infrastructure, cryptography and NFTs, blockchain and data architecture. decentralized. For brands, this presents an exciting opportunity to break free from centralized marketing channels and infiltrate new spaces to connect with unfamiliar audiences.
Fully decentralized and owned by the people
Cost, however, has always been a downside. Over the years, a rapid increase in online advertising has allowed these platforms to charge more, with little increase in benefits for brands or users. But Web 3.0 threatens to shake the very foundations that have allowed businesses to take advantage of the most common Web 2.0 marketing tactics. While Web 3.0 is intrinsically linked to cryptocurrency – and indeed to cryptocurrency brands – every organization should explore the value of Web 3.0 to make an impact in this growing space.
Build a community
In previous years, the majority of advertising for crypto brands took place on Twitter and Reddit. While a platform like Reddit has generally been seen as distinguishing itself from more traditional 2.0 services like Facebook, it still has restrictions in place that don’t allow brands to take advantage of new marketing techniques – at least not by relation to decentralized communities. Even claims that Reddit and other Web 2.0 platforms are seeking to embrace Web 3.0 practices – such as giving their users more freedom to generate their own content – pale in comparison to fully decentralized platforms.
Ultimately, for brands looking to take advantage of Web 3.0 and build a community of loyal subscribers, you need a new approach to media. Indeed, the 3.0 space, and crypto in particular, has traditionally been against conventional advertising due to privacy concerns, a thirst for transparency, and the fact that they want to own the platforms, not be the platform ownership. As Upstream co-founder Alex Taub puts it, “In Web 1.0, your community is IRL…in Web 2.0, your community was a URL…in 3.0, community is about ownership. Being part of a community means you provide funds to run the community and gain transparency and voting rights.
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Marketing in a Web 3.0 environment
Web 3.0 is still in its infancy. Therefore, approaching marketing in this environment requires a new mindset and a shift from more traditional advertising practices that deliver ROI on Web 2.0 platforms. Instead, consider more innovative approaches such as:
- Engage consumers organically in the metaverse through experimentation.
- Organize competitions on the Discord server dedicated to your brand.
- Establish partnerships and affiliations with other brands operating in the Web 3.0 space to help spread the word.
- Guerrilla marketing tactics to reach unknown audiences, as part of a larger strategy involving organic social strategy and community engagement.
- Collaborations with other Web 3.0 applications to help defend the brand and demonstrate its usefulness in a space full of potential.
- Ready to embrace the wild and exciting world of Web 3.0? Brands can reach new heights by leveraging non-traditional digital platforms.
Charlotte Ward, Founder and Director of Agnes Media.
