Web2 Marketing vs. Web3 Marketing

Web3 Marketing

Web3 is a blue ocean that needs good marketing to grow, but lacks the tools to do so.

Web2, on the other hand, has been around for a while. It has well-established marketing platforms and methods.

This is where the problem lies. Web3 projects need to get noticed. Investors are looking for opportunities. But how can they do it without the Web2 marketing tools?

Understanding Web2

Web2 is all about being social. We use big platforms like TikTok, Google, and Facebook to connect and share. Big companies control our data and make money from it.

Web2 marketing is a mature market. Need to sell something? There’s a marketing tool for that. Want to reach new people? No problem. It’s all there, ready to use.

Web3 is different. It’s new and doesn’t have the same marketing tools.

Main characteristics of Web2

  • Control: Big companies control the platforms. They set the rules, moderate the content, and own the data. Users create content but don’t control it.
  • One-way communication: Companies talk, users listen. This top-down relationship shapes Web2 marketing tools. They don’t work in Web3, where everyone has a voice.
  • A grown-up market: Web 2 has been around for 25 years, the market has had time to mature, and all the tools you need are available.

Web2 marketing: tried and true

Web2 marketing puts the tools at your disposal. Ads, sponsored posts, and SEO are all ways to get noticed. The big platforms may decide what we see, but you can still reach a lot of people.

Marketing agencies are experts. They can help you promote your products. You can also create interesting content and use data to improve your sales.

Web2 marketing is a top-down system, but it works. Companies have the power and capture most of the value. But you have everything you need to get started.

web3 marketing
vertical relationship

source : Token Titans : The Secret Playbook for Building New Web3 Experiences, NFT Communities, and DeFi Protocols

The emergence of Web3

Web2 is like a big city with everything you need. Web3 is a new city with lots of potential, but it’s still under construction.

Marketing in Web3 is about building relationships and collaborating with communities, take Pudgy Penguins, for example. They launched a collection of NFTs, turning a Web3-native brand into a mainstream success.

They’ve launched plush toys on Amazon, becoming a #1 bestseller. They’ve raised over a million dollars in sales and expanded their distribution to one of the most competitive retail: Walmart.

How did they achieve this? Their community acted as a launching pad, accelerating and boosting the brand.

Side is building the foundation for Web3 marketing with tailor-made tools for Web3 marketing:

  • Rise helps projects find and reward quality content creators on Twitter to reach new people. 
  • Tribe focuses on keeping the community engaged and active by rewarding those who participate.
side.xyz campaigns

source : https://side.xyz/

Foundations of Web3

  1. Decentralization: Web3 relies on decentralized infrastructures. This eliminates intermediaries and enables direct interactions.
  2. User ownership: Users can own digital assets through tokens and NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens).
  3. Two-way communication: Web3 encourages direct interactions between users and creators.

Community-Driven marketing in Web3

Web3 marketing is different. It’s about building communities. People get rewards for joining in and helping out. This makes them feel connected to the brand.

Communities are important for promoting products. People want to be involved. Rewards make them more likely to participate. This makes marketing more interactive

Comparison between Web2 and Web3

AspectWeb2Web3
Control and OwnershipCentralized, companies own the data and content.Decentralized, users own the data and digital assets.
CommunicationOne-way, advertising and sponsored content.Two-way, direct interaction with communities..
Marketing TargetingIndividual, based on demographic segments.Community-based, focused on collective engagement.
Maturity Well-established market New and developing market
User-friendlyEasy to useMore complex, fewer tools available
SolutionsWide range of solutions availableLimited solutions

Web3: New rules for builders and users

Web3 dictates new rules, and builders need to be aware of them and apply them.

The old rules no longer apply. It’s no longer just about selling products, It’s about building relationships with a community. And that community is the key to success.

Because in Web3, the community is in charge. It decides what works and what doesn’t. Without their support, even a project with great technology can struggle.

Lukso is a project founded by Fabian Vogelsteller and Marjorie Hernandez in 2017, but the lack of community engagement in the project is an example. Why? They didn’t invest in marketing or education efforts to build a large enough community around their technology. This lack of engagement ultimately contributed to their struggle for adoption.

source : https://twitter.com/CRYPTO_WOLF_OF/status/1818739048619323723

Educate to grow: Why do Web3 projects need to teach?

High-quality educational content is key. When people understand your project, they’re more likely to use it. They become active participants in your community, not just passive observers.

Why? Because education leads to adoption. When you show people they have a problem, explain why it matters, and how your project solves it, they’ll pay attention.

For example, Ripple by educating banks and financial institutions about the benefits of using blockchain for cross-border payments. By explaining how XRP could solve their real problems of slow and expensive transactions, Ripple built trust and encouraged adoption.

They have also built an enthusiastic and highly engaged community of supporters and investors, they call themselves “XRP ARMY” and they produce a large amount of content in the interest of Ripple, this allows the project to reach a wide audience.

source : https://x.com/bgarlinghouse/status/1731776875687469129

Conclusion

In summary, Web3 is a new market, waiting to be developed. It’s not just about technology, it’s also about people. Communities are at the heart of Web3. They are the ones who make or break projects. To win in Web3, you need to work with your community. Listen to them, learn from them and reward them.

We also invite you to take a look at: How to grow and monetize your Twitter X.com account in the Web3 space