7 Mistakes to Avoid in Your First Web3 Marketing Campaign
Launching a web3 project forces you to fundamentally re-think how you approach marketing. Many web3 founders and marketing teams make the mistake of treating their first campaign with a traditional web2 playbook, expecting a big ad spend and broad outreach to have the same effect as it would in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) or e-commerce world. But web3 operates on decentralized trust and community ownership - which is a very different beast.
1. Treating Community as more than just a Mailing List
In web2, a community is seen as a group of customers, whereas in web3, the community is THE project itself. A lot of teams screw up by treating Discord or Telegram as just a channel for support, rather than the lifeblood of the ecosystem.
Why this is a problem: Without a group of genuine advocates at the heart of the project, you will struggle to build the social proof needed to survive the ups and downs of the market.
A word of advice: Before you even think about pushing your project to the wider world, hire someone to look after your community and get the ball rolling with some organic conversations.
2. Not understanding the difference between followers and engagement
It's easy to get carried away by a big social media following, but in the crypto space, many of those numbers are inflated by bots, so they're not worth much. You could have 500,000 followers, but if none of them actually care about your project, then its not doing much good for you.
Why this hurts: If all you're getting is a lot of followers who aren't actually interested, you're just throwing money down the drain.
A practical tip: Use some tools to check the ratio of likes and comments to total followers before you commit to working with a particular media influencer.
3. Not doing due diligence on the Influencers you work with
You might think that partnering with a big name on social media is the way to go, but the reality is that some of these people are just looking to make a quick buck and will promote anything that comes their way. Partnering with "shill" accounts like this is like telling the market that your project isn't worth its time.
Why this hurts: Web3 investors are super skeptical and can spot a dud from a mile off. If they work with people who only promote projects that pay them, it makes it look like your project is some kind of scam.
A word of advice: Partner with a specialist KOL marketing agency for Web3 projects that knows the web3 space and can help you find influencers who actually believe in your project and will stick by you long-term.
4. Making sure everyone is on the same page
If the people on your marketing team and the influencers you work with and the people writing your whitepaper are all telling different versions of your story, then the market is going to get confused.
Why this hurts: Confusion leads to mistrust and people are unlikely to put their money into something they don't fully understand.
Practical tip: Get everyone to buy into a single guiding document, your "brand bible", that outlines your project and its story, and make sure all your partners stick to it.
5. Not looking at the data after a campaign
We've all seen a project go big on social media, but if you don't actually look at the numbers to see if anyone is actually interested in your project, then have you really been successful?
Why this hurts: Without proper analysis, you can't see what channels are actually driving real engagement with your project, so you can plan better for the future.
A word of advice: Make sure you track the off-line clicks as well, alongside the on-chain metrics like wallet connections or minting activity.
6. Putting all your eggs in one basket with paid advertising
Platforms like Google and Meta have strict rules about what is and isn't allowed in the crypto space - and those rule often change at the drop of a hat.
Why this hurts: Getting caught out by a sudden account suspension or shadowbanning can be a huge blow.
A practical tip: Focus on getting some earned media coverage, like guest posts or podcast appearances, which will give you more long-term value.
7. Not planning for the after-launch slump
Marketing often stops as soon as the token or NFT drops.
Why this hurts: This can create a vacuum where price and engagement start to tank due to there being nothing new to talk about.
A word of advice: Make sure you allocate at least 30% of your marketing budget to the three months after launch - it's a crucial part of keeping your project in the public eye.
The Bottom Line
Avoiding these common mistakes needs a blend of strategy and a deep understanding of decentralized culture. While the tech behind your project is vital, it's your market perception that determines its long-term success. For teams looking to scale effectively in web3, getting professional help is often the best insurance policy against these costly errors.
