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.

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