GoViral Case Study: Setting Up an NFT Campaign
As we venture deeper into the Web3 era, many marketers wonder what role NFTs play in their work, and how they can get more hands-on with this new type of digital asset. At GoViral Blockchain we recently tackled these questions for a client, artist Jennifer Strings.
We’re committed to learning from experience, and we invite you to learn along with us.
First things first: Are you still fuzzy on what NFTs are and how they can be useful for marketers? Start with our essential guide, Intro to NFTs for Marketing.
Got the basics down? Great. Let’s go over the process of minting NFTs and listing them for sale.
How to Mint NFTs on OpenSea
Our client, artist Jennifer Strings, created a new collection of stop-motion animations during the COVID-19 pandemic. She wanted to share them with the world as NFTs, so GoViral got to work on the first step of making NFTs available: minting them.
Minting an NFT is another way to say creating an NFT. In simplified terms, minting means converting a digital file (in this case, a stop-motion video) into a digital asset to be stored on blockchain.
Because it is stored in a decentralized database or distributed ledger, the newly minted NFT cannot be edited, modified, or deleted.
OpenSea, which operates the largest NFT marketplace, is the gold standard NFT platform. See the overview below for the steps involved in minting NFTs on OpenSea.
1. Set up a crypto wallet and connect it to OpenSea
In order to mint NFTs on OpenSea, you will need cryptocurrency stored in a crypto wallet.
OpenSea accepts a range of cryptocurrencies, with Ethereum being the most popular. If you don’t already own Ethereum or another accepted currency, get started by buying cryptocurrency on an exchange such as Coinbase or Binance. These exchanges accept “fiat currency” (traditional currency like US Dollars or euros) in exchange for cryptocurrency.
How much do you need to get started? The number can vary based on your goals, your budget, and the ever-changing gas fees. A good range to have in mind is the equivalent of $100-$300 USD.
After purchasing cryptocurrency, choose a crypto wallet for storage. We recommend using MetaMask, the most popular wallet.
2. Create an OpenSea collection
After you’ve connected your crypto wallet to OpenSea, follow the steps below to create a collection:
A. Click the menu icon in the top right corner of the OpenSea homepage.
B. Select “My Collections” from the dropdown menu.
C. Click “Create a collection.”
D. Fill out the form with your collection’s name, description, and other relevant information, including categories and tags to help potential buyers find your work.
E. Choose a Logo Image, Featured Image, and Banner Image for your collection.
F. Choose whether to use your own contract or use the “Lazy Minting” method. If this is your first time minting NFTs, we recommend using Lazy Minting. The benefits include not paying any gas fees until someone buys your work.
G. Click on “Create” to finalize the creation of your collection.
3. Upload your work
You’re in the home stretch! Now it’s time to decide which of your assets you’d like to make available as an NFT in your collection.
Visit your new collection page and click “Add item” to mint and add an NFT.
OpenSea accepts the following file types for the creation of NFTs: JPG, PNG, GIF, SVG, MP4, WEBM, MP3, WAV, OGG, GLB, and GLTF.
How to List NFTs for Sale on OpenSea
Once you’ve uploaded your work to your OpenSea collection, you can list each item for sale. Simply click on the Profile icon on OpenSea and select the NFT you’d like to list from your wallet.
When listing an NFT for sale, you can choose Fixed Price or Auction. There are pros and cons to each.
In general Fixed Price is a good choice for those who are new to OpenSea, don’t want to negotiate on price, and have limited time to monitor the sale.
Auctions can be unpredictable and require more monitoring. Consider choosing Auction if your top priority is generating excitement and having the chance to sell for greater than a chosen list price.
Tips for Campaign Success
Congratulations! If you’ve followed the steps above, you’ve entered the new and exciting world of NFTs. A few more important tips from GoViral to ensure campaign success:
- Tell the story. Use descriptions that hook readers’ interest. Consider creating buyer personas for your work to help understand the mindset of potential buyers.
- Supplement your NFT listings with other digital marketing assets. Take a look at the video introduction to our client Jennifer Strings’ work, which GoViral supported from start to finish.
- Build the buzz. Our client has built an impressive Instagram following, whom she also keeps updated on her NFT listings.
Interested in starting your own NFT campaign? Tell us about your idea and we’ll be in touch.
Top 5 Web Design Trends for 2023
When it comes to your brand’s website, you already know that displaying all the relevant information and appealing to your audience is important, but what about your web design?
With the COVID-19 pandemic redirecting businesses toward more digital and remote work, a surge of new websites have entered an already crowded cyberspace. Competition now is higher than ever.
Regularly updating your website following current web design trends directly affects how your website performs in search results. Here are 5 web design trends to help you stand out online in 2023.
What are Web Design Trends?
A Design Trend is a general direction in which design is changing or developing. Trends “do not necessarily have to be new; they can take references from the past or they might be new in the domain of interest, e.g. the field of design.” This is especially true for web design.
We use web design trends to interpret what’s happened before and to predict what will happen in the future, with a focus on evolving technology. Your website should be updated at least every two to three years and follow new design trends to captivate your audience and beat the competition in the rankings.
Why is it Important to Follow Trends?
There are many reasons why following web design trends helps your website rise to the top of Google’s organic search and grow your online audience. An updated website lets Google know the information is relevant, which will cause Google to show your website to a wider audience. Consistent updates also let your audience know they can trust your content and your business.
Here are three key reasons to update your website design regularly:
1. Regular updates let Google know that your website is up-to-date and trustworthy. In Google’s eyes, websites left for years without design updates are more likely to have information that is out of date and not valuable to the user.
2. Web design trends tend to focus on newly available technology. Animations, scrolling effects, etc. are all advancements that can enhance the user experience and increase your visibility. Using innovative ways to direct the user down your website’s UX path shows users that you are bringing them the best experience possible, while creating value for your brand.
3. Fresh design is a great way to expand your customer base. 81% of people research a business online before purchasing a product or ordering a service. Updating your design to reflect current trends will bring you new and returning visitors you may have otherwise missed. With a whopping 94% of global users expressing distrust for outdated websites, it’s a no brainer!
Top 5 Web Design Trends to Follow in 2023
1. Embedded Videos for Engaging Homepages
It is more important than ever to keep users on your website for as long as possible. Showing video content on your homepage grabs the user’s attention and begins the engagement with your website right away. It’s also a great way to summarize your business and brand and show the user why they should continue to scroll through your site.
2. Gradient Color Schemes
We’ve seen this trend slowly emerging since Instagram rebranded their logo in 2016. The gradient they used made their logo more engaging and better looking on retina displays, much like gradients seen on websites.
Gradient color schemes, like the one shown above for our client PharmaLedger, have now become a top trend. Attracting customers to a new, modern looking page with eye-catching gradients will do wonders for your shareability and brand presence.
3. Hover Animations
With an increased focus on engagement, hover animations are becoming increasingly popular. These were commonly used in the past to keep the user subtly engaged throughout the website experience.
However, now we are seeing hover animations used for larger reveals and more frequently, all to keep the user entertained and following the user/buyer journey.
4. Dynamic Landing Pages and Responsive Web Design
We will discuss responsive web design later in the post; however, this incredible combination is worthy to note twice. Creating a dynamic landing page is notably one of the rising web design trends of 2023. A dynamic landing page involves one web page divided into various sections that give the user your key information related to your business. The responsive web design both gives you a better mobile user experience and includes animations, interactive features, and generally engaging content that is visually stimulating and gets to the point, so your viewers have the best experience possible.
5. Parallax Scrolling
Parallax scrolling adds depth to your page and keeps the reader engaged with the moving content as they scroll.
When the user scrolls down the page, videos and images with a parallax effect can appear to be placed behind neighboring sections of the website. This is visually stimulating, engaging, responsive, and allows the user to be entertained and interested in moving forward with your site and your brand.
Three Easy Ways to Keep Your Website Design Up to Date
Practice 1: Have a Responsive Web Design
Responsive web design allows a website to adjust to any screen size. With 92% of internet users using a mobile phone, it’s important to have a website that looks amazing at any size.
Some companies opt for two separate websites, but why spend the money hosting two different sites when you could simply make your web design responsive? Your customer base is important, so don’t let it dwindle because the mobile version of your website isn’t updated.
Practice 2: Keep Content Relevant and Updated
Remember that Google will give higher rankings to websites that are regularly updated. Make sure your content is relevant and engaging because your online presence relies heavily on the user engaging with your website and spending time viewing your pages. Some ways to keep your site updated with engaging content are blog posts, removing and adding products or services, and a calendar of current events.
Practice 3: Track Your Stats
Tracking your website statistics allows you to notice and quickly follow new trends or cultural signals. Don’t just wait for trends to appear online, make sure you stay ahead of the competition by monitoring metrics related to conversion optimization, user-experience, product development, and page views to truly gain insight into your audience.
Does Every Business Need to Focus on Website Design Trends?
While every business is unique and has different brand requirements, keeping your website up to date and in line with new design trends and advancements will be sure to help you achieve the visibility you need in a quickly growing digital environment.
The Importance of Brand Voice
When it comes to distinguishing your brand, having an appealing visual identity and logo surely helps, but what also matters is your brand voice. In order to make your business stand out from the rest and connect with your target market, establishing a brand voice and using it consistently in your marketing strategy is vital.
There’s a reason why a hip brand catering to young adults might use “cool” slogans, or why luxury cars keep it sleek and professional. Your brand voice helps you to make your brand recognizable and reach the right audience.
Let’s talk about what brand voice is and why it’s a good idea to think it through for your brand. We’ll also cover how to create a unique brand voice that you’ll use throughout your communication channels.
What is Brand Voice?
Just like how a personality makes a person unique, a unique brand voice distinguishes a company from its competitors. Brand voice is defined as a personality that your brand consistently communicates. It reflects your brand’s values and serves as a guide on how and what you say when it comes to your marketing strategy. It also helps you connect to your audience and reach potential new customers.
You can think of your company’s brand voice almost as if it were a person. What personality does your brand voice have? What phrases does your brand use? Imagine that your brand is at a dinner party; how would it speak to the other guests?
Why is it important to establish a brand voice?
There is an overload of noise when it comes to advertising and other online content. Individuals and brands are constantly talking through social channels, so it’s important to stand out. Having nice photos, a unique logo and well-thought-out products are all great ways to strengthen your brand, but what you write needs equal care.
Having a consistent brand voice helps differentiate your company while switching up your voice in each post can quickly lead to an unfollow from your customers.
How can you create a unique brand voice?
1. Start with your brand values and mission statement.
Do you need help creating your brand voice? Look at your brand values to determine your voice and how you communicate with your target audience. Make sure that what you promote and say to your audience also reflects your values and mission statement.
Let’s say that your brand named “Green Sea Turtles” sells bright-colored sustainable cleaning products for Gen Z. You value eco-friendliness, have a modern approach and donate 5% of your yearly income to a charity that saves baby sea turtles.
How you communicate to your customers and in what style should also reflect your products. You probably won’t be speaking strictly professionally to your Gen Z customers and the advertising could be directed in a fun, light-hearted manner.
2. Identify your buyer persona to target the right audience.
Making a list of potential customers and writing down their personalities, habits and what they might be interested in is a great way to explore your brand voice.
Knowing that your Gen Z customer for the “Green Sea Turtles” brand is 19 years old, loves to dress in vintage 90s clothing and watches ASMR cleaning videos on TikTok can help you to create your brand voice. Making t-shirts with “God save the sea turtles” slogan and videos promoting your cleaning products showing a Gen Z cleaning her apartment can end with her saying, “Omg so clean, thanks Green Sea Turtles.”
Knowing your buyer persona can also help you to choose the tone of voice that you will use when communicating with your target audience. If you want more tips on how to reach Gen Z customers, read our blog article 5 Tips for Marketing to Gen Z.
3. Keep your brand voice consistent over all social channels.
This includes being consistent on all your social platforms, email communication and even packaging. Think of your brand like a bundle. It would be weird if you communicate your brand in a casual, fun manner and have extremely formal emails like you’re talking to a corporate audience.
One brand that is a great example of keeping its brand voice consistent is Apple. The brand often leaves the wording simple and to the point and adds an eye-catching image to highlight cutting-edge technology. Even their packaging is simple and enjoyable to open, just like how their products are enjoyable to use.
Apple’s advertisement above for the new “unsend” Imessage feature is almost like a short movie. At the end of a message that was unsent, Apple wrote, “Relax, it’s iPhone.”
How do you know your brand voice is working?
Remember, be yourself. One way you know your brand voice is working is if your customers feel as if your company is directly speaking to them, they feel connected to your brand and they feel like they’re part of the conversation.
You can also investigate how your customers are engaging with you online to see if your brand voice is working well. Make sure to read our How You Can Use Social Listening to Improve Your Business blog article to track what others are saying about your brand, and if your brand voice is structured correctly.
Make sure to sign up for our newsletter below for more brand strategy and the latest marketing tips to stay ahead of the competition.
An Introduction to Creator Marketing
You already know that creating engaging content and a well-thought-out marketing strategy helps you grow your business. But one idea that might be new to you is creator marketing, a concept that is shifting how marketers collaborate and create content. When introducing a product or promoting your business, one post with a creator simply no longer suffices. Instead, a larger strategy needs to be set in place.
This article will introduce the concept of the creator economy and creator marketing. You’ll also learn more about the difference between working with a content creator and an influencer.
What is the Creator Economy?
Before we get into creator marketing, let’s look at the background on this topic. The countless social media platforms and content creators active today make up a new landscape on the Internet, which is called the creator economy.
According to the marketing software company HubSpot, the creator economy is the online economy made up of content creators, which includes social media influencers, videographers, bloggers, and other digital creatives. Tools and software that help these creators grow profit from the content are also part of the creator economy.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people were at home and had more time to spend time online, the number of active content creators increased. Many soon discovered this content could also generate money. It was estimated there were over 50 million content creators just two years ago. It’s likely this number is even higher today.
Creators use social platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Twitch, just to name a few. If you’re not yet using TikTok to promote your brand, take a look at our blog article Using TikTok for Your Business.
What is Creator Marketing?
Sprout Social defines creator marketing as “when brands partner with content creators to drive awareness and engagement for specific campaigns or initiatives.” By incorporating creator marketing into your strategy, you can greatly improve your audience engagement and reach.
Choosing to work with a content creator can help you strengthen your community or reach new followers, but not all creators are the same:
- Content Creators: produce entertaining or educational content for digital distribution, including audio content (podcasts), written content (blogs), photos/images, and videos (YouTube videos). Content creators know how important it is to build a relationship with their audience, which is important to note when you are looking for someone to collaborate with a creator.
- Social Media Content Creators: similar to content creators, this creator subcategory prioritizes building a relationship with audience members across all social platforms. If you are interested in marketing on various social platforms, it may be beneficial to work with a social media content creator.
One popular content creator is Yoga with Adriene. She creates yoga-workout videos and has brought yoga to many peoples’ homes, especially during the pandemic. She connects well with her following and it is apparent that she has built a strong community behind her brand.
What is the difference between a content creator and an influencer?
It’s important to note that content creators create content, blogs, photos, etc. to make money, while influencers “inspire” followers to buy or to do something. The big difference is the intention behind the content being posted.
Content creators produce high-quality content to engage with their audience through photos and videos, which can include tutorials, how-to guides, etc. Influencers share their lives and promote products, which, if purchased by their following, often bring them a percentage of sales.
Here are some example marketing goals that can help you decide if you should work with a content creator or an influencer.
- Working with a content creator: you want high-quality content and/or want to create a unique project. You’d like to use the creator’s style to present your brand. Digital content creators are usually paid per project and they often offer you a quote based on your request. They can help you create engaging content for marketing purposes or for sale strategies.
- Working with an influencer: you want to reach new audiences and increase brand awareness. You’d also like to promote a new product or service to a special niche group that the influencer targets. Influencers often create packages based on the promotion that you want and the reach that they have.
It’s important to note that choosing to work with a content creator vs. an influencer is not necessarily an either-or situation. It really depends on your marketing strategy and your overall goals.
As always, make sure to stay on top of trends and learn about content creators in your industry. You can find content creators or influencers that interest you by using social listening. Want to learn how? Read our How You Can Use Social Listening to Improve Your Business blog to find out.
Do you want to learn more about social media marketing and get other tips on growing your brand or business? Make sure to sign up for our newsletter below to stay in the loop.
GoViral Case Study: Timing PPC Campaigns for In-Person Events
A common question among marketers: how far in advance should I advertise an in-person event? When should I start using my PPC advertising budget? At GoViral we’re committed to learning from experience, so let’s take a look at the numbers from three recent events.
When Should I Start Advertising an In-Person Event?
Over the past few years we’ve helped one of our clients, a global leader in business and consumer electronics, advertise their presence at in-person industry events.
When our client attends these events, they want the best bang for their buck. Their end goal is leads. Getting face time with existing and potential customers is invaluable.
But even priceless marketing activities are limited by budget. Regardless of your budget’s size, you need to think carefully about how and when to spend it. So let’s take a look at lead time. How far in advance of an event do we see results for booking in-person meetings?
Our Results from Three Recent Events
For each of our three most recent events, we launched our PPC campaign at a different point in advance of the event date. One campaign started 17 weeks before, one 4 weeks, and one just 3 weeks before the start of the event.
Keeping in mind that we define a lead as someone who schedules a meeting with our client during the event, here are the results of total number of leads acquired by campaigns of varying lengths.
As you can see, we acquired more leads with a shorter timeline ahead of the event. In other words, more time did not translate to more leads.
Furthermore, the Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) decreased as the lead time decreased. How much did we spend to acquire each lead? Considerably more when we started earlier.
Takeaways for Advertising Events with a PPC Campaign
Our overall takeaway? Don’t assume advertising an in-person event earlier means your results will be better.
There are other factors besides the timeline to consider, of course. But one thing is clear from our results: most of our leads for in-person events were acquired in the three weeks immediately before the event.
Our experience has shown that PPC campaigns for in-person events can find success even when limited to the month leading up to the event, and in fact we have had most success acquiring leads during that time.
Further Considerations
As with all marketing advice, your mileage may vary. Consider your specific situation and make strategic decisions accordingly.
Maybe your event requires early registration, or maybe there’s a competing event in a different city on the same dates. In those cases, you might want to start earlier.
Remember that a marketing campaign requires careful planning, including consideration of the buyer’s journey and other factors specific to your business.
However, if you find yourself starting your advertising efforts just a few weeks before your event, don’t despair! There’s still time to get results.
Looking to advertise an in-person event? Let us help you! Tell us more about your project and request a proposal.
How You Can Use Social Listening to Improve Your Business
Building brand awareness and connecting to customers online requires a holistic approach. Practicing social listening is just as important as creating meaningful content. In this blog post, we will introduce you to this topic and give you some tips on how you can get started on improving your brand through social listening.
What is Social Listening?
According to HootSuite, “Social listening is the practice of monitoring social media channels for mentions of your brand, competitor brands, and related keywords.” You can track any mentions online about your brand or business, which can give you insights into how people are reacting. It can also help you to quickly identify a crisis and react accordingly.
Social listening can help you:
- Understand how your customers feel about your brand/business
- Figure out what you can improve if there are complaints or other negative comments
- Find out what competitors’ customers are talking about and discover trending topics
- Complete all of this in real-time, so you can act fast if needed
Is Social Listening the Same as Social Monitoring?
Social monitoring, or brand monitoring, is when you get notified when your brand or business is mentioned online. This is useful for responding quickly when needed, but it doesn’t give you a whole picture of your brand or the industry you’re focused on.
Social listening is more expansive in that it gives you mentions about not only your brand but also conversations about your competitors, the industry and similar products. This is a more complete picture instead of just snippets related to your brand or business.
Through social listening, you can make better decisions about how to structure your marketing or social media strategy, since you have a clearer picture of all that surrounds your business.
Why You Should Use Social Listening for Your Business
1. Know your audience
By listening to what is being said about your brand or business online, you can better understand what customers want and how you can improve your offering/services.
2. Respond to crisis
If something goes terribly wrong in relation to your brand, you want to find out right away and respond quickly.
3. Build customer relationships
Social media can be a great way to talk to current or potential customers, but your goal doesn’t always have to be about selling something. Build relationships and respond to customers instead of just offering a product or service every time. Share useful information that piques interest instead of strictly pushing what you have to offer.
4. Learn more about your competitors
Social listening can keep you in the loop about what your competitors are doing and give you updates about the latest trends in your industry. This can inspire you to create new products or services.
5. Improve your social media strategy
Listening to your customers, competitors and your industry as a whole can help you create tailored content. You’ll be able to learn more about what your customers want and what content seems to resonate with them. Need help creating meaningful content for your customers? Take a look at our Content Strategies for Different Stages of the Buyer Journey article.
Tips on How You Can Start Social Listening
1. Use the right social listening tools
Depending on what you want to track, make sure to use the right tools. There are various social listening apps that can help you monitor your social channels. Make sure to do your research to choose the right one for your needs.
Buffer, Hootsuite, Google Analytics, Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics are just a few that are worth looking into.
2. Create a Social Listening Strategy
You should structure your social listening and treat it as a project. Aside from monitoring tags or direct messages, monitor variations of your brand or business name, and the founder or other public figures associated with your brand.
3. Monitor your competitors
And not just the happy customers from your competitors, but keep an eye out for unhappy customers. What are they saying? How can you cater to them? You could find solutions to their problems.
We hope this introduction to social listening was helpful for you and that you can get started using these tips right away. There are so many opportunities to connect to your existing and potential customers by using social media and the various social listening tools available.
Want to connect with your audience, and get paid for it? Make sure to read more in our article Facebook & Instagram Subscriptions Feature: How to Make the Most of It.
Introducing GoViral in 90: How to Expand Your Network and Grow Your Business
Are you looking for new ways to build your business? Do you need more clients but hate reaching out for sales calls? Introducing GoViral in 90, a free resource and accountability check to help you connect with 90 people in 90 days and supercharge your professional life.
After nearly two decades of living in Europe, GoViral Managing Director Belinda Filippelli embarked on a journey to generate more business. The question? What could you achieve if you committed to having 90 meetings in 90 days?
After connecting with 90 people, what inspiration could you find? How would you refine your brand vision and what could you modify, cut, or add to your marketing strategy?
How much could your sales grow?
Read on to see why GoViral in 90 works, what we’ve learned, and how the challenge could help change the game for you, too.
Why 90 Meetings in 90 Days?
The business world is large and competition can be fierce. How do you stand out in the crowd and find the people your brand can truly help? We believe an old-fashioned face-to-face meeting (in person or virtually) can work wonders for your confidence, clarity of vision, and relationships.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, solopreneur, or freelancer, chances are you want more clients and business opportunities. Perhaps you’ve lost more customers than you’ve gained in recent years. Or maybe you’re spinning your wheels–-maintaining business as usual, but not moving forward.
In a word, you’re stuck.
We created GoViral in 90 to help you break free of stagnancy by reconnecting with yourself and others and clarifying your understanding of what your business seeks to do, and why.
Why does it work? Because sales is about relationships.
Committing to 90 meetings in 90 days seems like a tall order, but don’t panic! It’s not about reaching 90 exactly, or about making a sale during each meeting.
This is about sharing your passion.
When you share your passion, you show people what motivates you and why you’re in business.
Belinda’s industry knowledge bears this out. Over more than ten years, her agency GoViral Digital has focused on an inbound, brand-love marketing approach that sees customers as people and leads as an opportunity to build a relationship.
Here’s what Belinda had to say about her own 90-day journey: “It’s a big challenge to do 90 meetings in 90 days, and there were many times I wanted to give up. But the fact that I committed myself to the process, to my own business, and to my own beliefs made it much more than a business development exercise. It really became a personal development exercise.”
We’re not here to sugarcoat the GoViral in 90 process, but we are here to give you the tools and motivation needed to take on the challenge.
Even if you know your buyer personas by heart, meeting with real people can help you refine them further, identify blind spots, and connect the dots between their needs and your offerings.
Join us on the journey!
We’re not selling anything. GoViral in 90 is a 100% free accountability-check challenge to level-up your brand and your professional skills.
Some of the benefits of completing this challenge:
- Expand Your Network: engage with people and communities you normally wouldn’t
- Improve Your Pitch: learn to pitch to different audiences, and feel confident while doing it
- Grow Your Business: turn connections into ongoing conversions
- Better Yourself: commit to yourself and your business and gain the confidence to achieve new heights
When you sign up, we’ll send you weekly emails for six weeks with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips. By the end, you’ll be ready to start your own 90 Meetings in 90 Days journey.
What are you waiting for? Get started today!
Interested in monthly marketing tips and updates to keep you on top of the latest trends? Sign up below for the GoViral newsletter.
Web3: What Is It and Why Should You Care?
You may or may not have heard the terms Web1, Web2 or Web3. Don’t worry if you haven’t. With so much technological change underway, it’s hard to keep up. In this article, we will cover the basic history of the World Wide Web and how Web3 will affect how marketers do business.
What is Web3?
Web3, or Web 3.0, is the third generation of the World Wide Web that is built, operated and owned by its users. New technologies are used to make a decentralized infrastructure of the internet, all while protecting personal privacy. Our GoViral Managing Director also talked a little about Web3 in the Takeaways from a Blockchain Convention blog. But before we dive deeper into Web3, here’s a little background information about how we got here.
Web1: 2001 to 2004
Web1 was the first iteration of the internet where you could view “read-only” content on static pages. Most of the users were consumers who didn’t produce any of the content. In this era the internet was decentralized, and there weren’t many protocols to govern what was posted.
Web2: 2004 to Today
In the Web2 era, the internet became a platform where you could create content, publish to forums, post on social media, create blogs, or buy and sell in marketplaces. This is the “read-write” second iteration of the net, where we currently stand today. Websites and social channels are centralized and governed by a few large tech companies.
Large companies use the internet to market to target audiences by collecting data from individuals. In a few short years, our personal data has become a valuable commodity and a debatable topic in terms of privacy concerns.
Web3: Progressing Toward the Future
In 2014, co-founder of the cryptocurrency Ethereum Gavin Wood was the first to term Web3 as a “decentralized online ecosystem based on blockchain.” Web3 uses blockchain and decentralized technologies to create a more democratic and fair online environment. The idea is that users would own the material they post and create, and even get compensated for it. The use of personal data would be transparent, both in how it is used and by whom.
Web3 would be the “read-write-own” internet where large tech companies don’t own pools of data in centralized points. Instead, data would be stored across multiple servers and not owned by one entity or group.
Gavin Wood also founded the Web3 Foundation, which is building the blockchain infrastructure of this next era. The Web3 Foundation believes in an internet where:
- Users own their own data, not corporations
- Global digital transactions are secure
- Online exchanges of information and value are decentralized
There are many other companies that are also working on similar projects to make Web3 a reality.
Why should you care about Web3?
We all get unwanted ads online. With Web3 and increased personal privacy regulations, marketers will have more difficulty accessing third-party data that is collected to run targeted campaigns. Marketers will have to find new ways to get customers to grant access to their personal data.
Web3 is still developing, but it’s good to stay informed and ahead to understand how these changes can affect your business. Here are some marketing tips that will help you grow your brand and customer loyalty in the next era of the internet:
- Community and Relationship Building – this might seem obvious, but brands will have to genuinely build trust with their customers in order to access them and their data and to stay connected.
- Better Products and Service Quality – over baseless ads and promises. Brands and businesses will have to live up to their promises to gain customer trust.
- Non-Fungible Token (NFT) Limited-Items – brands have already been starting to play around with using NFTs to reach their customers, like Nike selling 600 NFT sneakers. You can read more in our Intro to NFTs for Marketing article to find out how you can apply this to your business.
- New Loyalty Reward Systems – we all love loyalty reward systems and customers will want to be rewarded for sharing their personal information with other businesses. Digital tokens or other forms of reward systems will appeal to customers in the new Web3 era.
The Future of Web3: Is it Certain?
As we said before, Web3 is still in progress and there isn’t a complete Web3 infrastructure created as of yet. Some even are speculating that it’s a fad that won’t be developed, and questions of sustainability and scalability are at play.
What is certain is that as Web3 continues to develop, it’s best to stay informed and to prepare yourself for the possible changes in your marketing strategy. Need some help growing your blockchain business? Make sure to contact us below and we will be sure to reply!
Facebook & Instagram Subscriptions Feature: How to Make the Most of It
In 2020, Facebook released the Subscriptions feature, which helps individuals and brands better connect and engage with their followers. Instagram followed a year later based on the same model, but so far, it’s being tested only in the United States. It’s only a matter of time until Instagram releases the feature in other countries, so learn about it now and be ready when you gain access.
In this blog post, you’ll learn more about the Subscriptions feature, and how it can help you earn a recurring monthly income from loyal followers.
Make sure to read our blog Into the Metaverse: Understanding Facebook and Instagram in the Age of Meta, to learn more about these important social platforms.
What Is the Subscriptions Feature?
By subscribing to a profile on Facebook or Instagram and paying a monthly fee, followers can access exclusive content. The content for subscribers includes stories, lives, reels, posts, group chats. Additionally, a subscriber-only purple crown badge appears when subscribed followers comment on a creator’s post or send them a direct message.
Instagram Subscriptions Features
- Subscriber Lives: Exclusive Lives allow for greater engagement with followers.
- Subscriber Stories: Subscribers can access exclusive stories, and can use interactive story stickers with their most engaged followers.
- Subscriber Badges: A special badge is present next to subscribers, so they’re easily identifiable for further engagement.
- Subscriber Chats: Subscribers can access exclusive chats to interact with a creator (up to 30 subscribers per chat).
Additional Facebook Subscriptions Features
- Subscriber Email Access: Subscriptions creators can download emails of new subscribers (who have agreed to share their email addresses) so they can maintain a relationship off of Facebook.
- Creators can now use a personalized link to promote their Subscriptions to reach a wider audience and direct them to the platform.
What are the major benefits of using the Subscriptions feature as a creator?
You can build a stronger connection with your followers by earning a monthly subscription fee. Who doesn’t want that? By engaging with loyal subscribers, you can also build even stronger relationships that support your business and goals.
What’s even better is that you as a creator earn 100% of the profit from the Subscription fee, excluding taxes. But this might change. Meta noted that no fees will be collected for Facebook (and Instagram) Subscriptions until 2023 at the earliest.
Not sure how to make your content meaningful? Make sure to read our blogs Content Strategies for Different Stages of the Buyer Journey or What You Need to Know to Personalize Your Marketing Content for a number of different tips and tricks.
Sign up for our monthly GoViral newsletter below for more info on how to grow your business and create rich content for your target audience.
Intro to NFTs for Marketing
What’s the deal with NFTs? You may have heard “non-fungible tokens” defined as digital artwork, but the applications of NFTs are so much greater. Here we explain what NFTs are, and how you can include them in your marketing strategy.
What is an NFT?
NFT stands for non-fungible token. No, it doesn’t have anything to do with fungi. Non-fungible means the token is unique and can’t be replaced or duplicated.
And what’s a token? A token is a cryptographic asset that lives on the blockchain and acts as a certificate of ownership.
In short, an NFT is a unique certificate of ownership.
NFTs are not synonymous with digital art. An NFT can represent art, either digital or physical, but it can also represent music, images, or clothing. Almost anything can be tokenized.
Why should I care about NFTs?
The movement from Web2 to Web3 promises to empower individuals by giving them ownership over their content and data. This includes decentralizing control—from a few large companies to individuals—through technology such as blockchain.
NFTs, which use blockchain for ownership verification, have become a symbol of the greater transition to Web3. An enthusiastic market for NFTs exists, waiting for brands to embrace decentralization and the shift in ownership from the few to the many.
Reasons to Use NFTs for Marketing Purposes
First things first, NFTs are relatively new, and the NFT market can be volatile. Think carefully before you use NFTs for marketing, and keep in mind there isn’t a long history to draw on to define best practices. That said, let’s take a look at how you can use NFTs for marketing to build your brand awareness, increase customer loyalty, and create new sources of income.
1. Increase Brand Awareness
You can use NFTs to build awareness around your brand. Awareness can be difficult to measure, but it’s essential to your success. If you create and sell NFTs in conjunction with a new product or service, you can gain attention while also communicating your brand’s values.
More and more, customers care about your values, and investing time and energy in NFTs can show that you’re committed to decentralization and individual ownership of content and data. In short, that you believe in the democratization of the internet.
Norwegian Cruise Line recently minted six NFTs to mark the launch of a new class of cruise ships. The initiative created buzz and attention for the brand, and communicated Norwegian’s commitment to freedom, flexibility, and cutting-edge technology.
2. Convert Customers Into Evangelists for Your Brand
When you’ve engaged a lead enough to become your customer, it’s time to delight them. One way to do this: create NFTs out of the building blocks of your brand. For example, you can mint a series of unique versions of your logo, or the original hand-drawn concept for your brand’s visual identity.
Think of this as pulling back the curtain for your loyal customers to more deeply connect with your brand. Giving them the opportunity to own a piece of your creation story will demonstrate your openness and transparency.
3. Raise Money by Monetizing Exclusive Content and Experiences
Once you have a group of loyal customers who evangelize your brand, consider using NFTs to monetize exclusive content. Evangelists may be willing to pay for videos, how-to articles, or other content they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
Exclusive content can make your evangelists feel appreciated. You could set up an NFT that unlocks this content, much like a one-time charge for premium membership. You can also hold in-person events in which ownership of an NFT acts as a ticket for admission.
Take Anheuser-Busch’s recent event, NFT Beerfest, which gave Budweiser NFT owners a chance to tour their flagship brewery, participate in giveaways, and enjoy live performances.
Interested in using NFTs for marketing but not sure how to get started? Share your ideas with our GoViral Blockchain team, and we’ll be in touch!