How to Start NFT Marketing

1. TL;DR

To succeed in the saturated NFT market, follow these steps, based on my direct experience as CMO for three successful NFT projects: How to start NFT marketing involves strategic planning, building a good product, and assembling a strong team:

• Build a great product with a focus on storytelling and community affinity.
• Showcase your product using platforms like Twitter and Discord. Prepare resources like a whitepaper and website.
• Develop a strategic content plan, maintaining a calendar at least 30-60 days ahead.
• Hire a qualified team to manage community interactions, collaborations, and crises.
• Prioritize quality collaborationsover sheer quantity and build relationships with small and medium influencers.

2. Building a Good Product

2.1 Art is Not Enough: Focus on Affinity

• The market is oversaturated, with most projects offering similar narratives.
• Beyond great artwork, focus on building emotional and community connections (affinity) with your collectors.
• Create a strong lore to provide depth and meaning to your project.

2.2 Storytelling: Create an Epic Narrative

• Develop a rich, immersive story around your artwork. This is a key part of understanding how to start NFT marketing, as strong storytelling drives engagement.
• Utilize multiple platforms (e.g., website, Twitter, Discord) to share your story gradually.
• Incorporate community feedback and even user-generated content.
• Strong emotional connections sell better than utilities.

2.3 Deepen Community Experiences

• Work with your Community Manager (CMM) to develop strategies for both Twitter and Discord.
• Key aspects to consider:
  • Quick responses to Twitter comments and DMs.
  • Active monitoring and engagement on Discord.
  • Use Discord bots, server roles, and permissions to enhance community interaction.

2.4 Use AI to Define Your Brand

• Use tools like ChatGPT to define your brand personality, tone, and voice.
• Save these definitions as templates for consistent communication.
• Apply the template to every piece of content: tweets, comments, announcements, blogs, etc.

3. Demonstrating a Good Product

3.1 Twitter Strategies

3.1.1 Keep Your Audience Engaged

• Use strong hooks in tweets to capture attention.
• Respond to every comment to build relationships.
• Showcase your artwork and unique selling points (USPs).

3.1.2 Don’t Launch Discord Too Soon

• Build engagement on Twitter before launching Discord. This phased approach is a vital step in how to start NFT marketing effectively.
• Aim for metrics like 500 tweet impressions and 2,500 followers before starting your server.

3.1.3 Prepare a Content Calendar

• Plan tweets 30-60 days in advance, focusing on:
  • Explaining your product and brand.
  • Sharing stories and updates.
  • Maintaining a balanced mix of content.

3.2 Discord Strategies

3.2.1 Expand Your Team

• Hire at least three moderators to manage general chat and support tickets.
• Ensure CMM is involved in hiring and training moderators.

3.2.2 Create a Reward System

• Use a role-based reward system to incentivize engagement.
• Assign points for actions, unlocking roles as thresholds are reached.

3.2.3 Improve Onboarding

• Focus on a seamless onboarding experience to reduce member drop-off.
• Showcase your USP in the first channel users see.
• Use Discord bots to enhance functionality and engagement.

3.2.4 Maintain a Discord Content Calendar

• Announce 2 times per week, with a 30-60 day plan.
• Include engaging activities like trivia, scavenger hunts, or Twitter campaigns.

3.3 Whitepaper Essentials

• Provide detailed insights into your project’s vision, roadmap, utilities, and team. A well-crafted whitepaper can significantly boost credibility and lay the foundation for how to start NFT marketing.
• Include branding elements like logos and banners.
• Use brand_template variable to finalize content for the whitepaper
• Use storytelling to make your whitepaper engaging and unique.

3.4 Website Optimization

• Use your website to:
  • Showcase your brand and storytelling.
  • Provide updates and resources.
• Measure traffic and analytics (e.g., Google Analytics 4 both for website and whitepaper via GitBook GA4 extension).
• Avoid unnecessary flashy designs; focus on functionality and alignment with your brand.

4. Assembling a Strong (and Good) Team

4.1 Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Moderators: Manage Discord chats and tickets.
• Community Manager (CMM): Develop community strategies and oversee moderators.
• Collaboration Managers (CMs): Secure high-quality collaborations.
• Chief Marketing Officer (CMO): Oversee the entire team and ensure brand alignment.

4.2 Minimizing Crisis Risks

• Prepare for common issues like hacks, scams, and FUD by developing crisis scenarios.
• Cross-train team members to ensure continuity during unexpected events.

4.3 Setting Guidelines

• Provide comprehensive instructions for each role.
• Update guidelines regularly based on team feedback and evolving conditions.

4.4 Monitoring Team Performance

• Schedule daily check-ins for moderators and CMs.
• Hold weekly calls between CMO and CMM.
• Ensure CMs are aligned with brand messaging to maximize collaboration outcomes.

5. Launching NFT Marketing

5.1 Training Collab Managers

• Educate CMs on your product’s USPs and brand values.
• Provide detailed guidelines and ensure consistent messaging.

5.2 Using Strategic Collab Templates

• Key components of a collab template:

1. Headline
2. How to Claim Whitelist
3. Mint Information
4. Utility Details
5. About the Brand

• Regularly update templates to align with marketing goals.

5.3 Quality Over Quantity

• Prioritize collaborations with high-value communities over sheer numbers.
• Seek partnerships with blue-chip communities for greater impact.
• Hire at least one collaboration manager with strong blue-chip connections to secure these high-value deals.

5.4 Engaging Influencers and KOLs

• Create a list of small and medium influencers (less than 5K followers with reach of 500+ impressions on recent tweets) using tools like TweetDeck.
• Use A/B testing for outreach messages to determine the most effective approach.
• Offer roles, perks, or financial incentives (as a last resort) to onboard better influencers from the list.

By following these steps, you’ll position your NFT project for success in a competitive market. Stay adaptive, strategic, and community-focused to ensure long-term growth. Always keep in mind that how to start NFT marketing begins with understanding your audience and refining your strategies.

+ +

Launching an NFT collection is hard work. Every day. Get in the trenches and study my blog posts with all the important knowledge. Learn about NFT marketing mistakes to avoid.