a16z discusses project market entry strategy: driving with attention and tokens to build decentralized communities

Original Title: “Go-to-Market in Web3: New Mindsets, Tactics, Metrics”

Author: Maggie Hsu

Compiled by: Deep Tide TechFlow

Every company faces some form of "cold start problem": How to start from scratch? How to acquire customers? How to create network effects that make your product or service more valuable as the number of users increases, thereby incentivizing more customers to sign up?

In short, how to "go to market" and persuade potential customers to spend their money, time, and attention on your product or service?

In the Web2 era, most companies—defined by large centralized products/services like Amazon, eBay, Facebook, and Twitter, where the vast majority of value flows to the platform itself rather than to users—responded by heavily investing in sales and marketing teams as part of traditional go-to-market (GTM) strategies, focusing on lead generation and customer acquisition and retention. However, in recent years, a new organizational building model has emerged. Rather than being controlled by the company—where centralized leadership makes all decisions about products or services, even when using consumer data and free, user-generated content—this new model leverages decentralized technology and brings users into the role of owners through digital primitives called Tokens.

This new model, known as Web3, changes the entire GTM concept for these new types of companies. While some traditional customer acquisition frameworks still apply, the introduction of Tokens and new organizational structures like Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) requires a variety of marketing approaches. Since Web3 is still new to many, but there is significant construction in this field, in this article, I will share some new frameworks for thinking about GTM in this context, as well as the potential positions of different types of organizations within the ecosystem. I will also provide some tips and strategies for builders looking to create their own Web3 GTM strategies as the space continues to evolve.

Catalyst for New Marketing Actions: Tokens

The concept of the customer acquisition funnel is central to marketing and is very familiar to most businesses: from awareness and lead generation at the top of the funnel to customer conversion and retention at the bottom. Thus, traditional Web2 marketing addresses the cold start problem through this very linear view of customer acquisition, covering areas such as pricing, marketing, partnerships, sales channel mapping, and sales team optimization. Success metrics include time to close leads, website click-through rates, and revenue per customer.

Web3 changes the entire approach to launching new networks, as Tokens provide an alternative to traditional cold start problems. Core development teams can use Tokens to attract early users instead of spending funds on traditional marketing to attract leads, rewarding these early users for their contributions when network effects are not yet apparent or are just beginning. These early users not only act as evangelists bringing more people into the network (they also hope to receive similar rewards for their contributions), but they actually make early users in Web3 more powerful than traditional business development or sales personnel in Web2.

For example, the lending protocol Compound [full disclosure: we are investors in some of the organizations discussed in this article] uses Tokens to incentivize early lenders to participate or "bootstrap liquidity" through a liquidity mining program that offers additional rewards in the form of COMP Tokens. Any user of the protocol, whether a borrower or a lender, can earn COMP Tokens. After the program launched in 2020, Compound saw its total locked value (TVL) surge from about $100 million to around $600 million. Notably, while Token incentives attract users, this alone is not enough to make them "sticky"; this will be elaborated on later. While traditional companies do incentivize employees through equity, they rarely incentivize customers financially in a long-term way (beyond discounts or referral bonuses).

In summary: In Web2, the primary GTM stakeholders are customers, typically acquired through sales and marketing efforts. In Web3, a company's GTM stakeholders include not only their customers/users but also their developers, investors, and partners. As a result, many Web3 companies find that community roles are more critical than sales and marketing roles.

Web3 Marketing Matrix

For Web3 organizations, the go-to-market (GTM) strategy depends on their position in the following matrix, based on their organizational structure (centralized vs. decentralized) and economic incentives (no Tokens vs. with Tokens):

Marketing varies across each quadrant, covering everything from traditional Web2-style strategies to emerging and experimental strategies. Here, I will focus on the upper right quadrant (decentralized teams with Tokens) and compare it with the lower left quadrant (centralized teams without Tokens) to illustrate the differences between Web3 and Web2 GTM approaches.

Decentralized and With Tokens

First, let’s look at the upper right quadrant. This includes organizations, networks, and protocols with unique Web3 operating models that require novel marketing strategies.

Organizations in this quadrant follow a decentralized model (although they often start with a core development team or operators) and use Token economics to attract new members, reward contributors, and align incentives among participants. (For a deeper discussion on the apparent contradictions of Web3 business models and capturing value, see the talks from a16z Crypto Startup School.)

The fundamental difference between Web3 organizations in this quadrant and those using more traditional GTM models lies in one key question: What is the product? While Web2 companies and those in the lower left quadrant primarily must start with a product that attracts customers ("come for the tool, stay for the network"), Web3 companies market through a dual lens of purpose and community.

Having a product and a solid technical foundation is still important, but it does not have to come first.

What these organizations need is a clear purpose that defines why they exist. What unique problem are they trying to solve? This is not just about raising funds based on a white paper and founding team. It means having a strong community—not just "community-led" or "community-first," but community-owned—that blurs the lines between owners, shareholders, and users. The key to achieving long-term success in Web3 is a clear purpose, a high-quality community that actively participates, and the right organizational governance that aligns with that purpose and community.

Now let’s delve into the two main types of marketing actions for Web3 organizations in the upper right quadrant: (1) decentralized applications; (2) Layer 1 blockchains, Layer 2 scaling solutions, and other protocols.

Marketing Actions for Decentralized Applications

"Decentralized applications" encompass use cases such as decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), social networks, and gaming.

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) DAOs

A major category of decentralized applications is decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, such as decentralized exchanges (e.g., Uniswap or dYdX) or stablecoins (e.g., MakerDAO's Dai). While their marketing actions may resemble those of standard, non-decentralized applications, the way value accumulates differs due to organizational structure and Token economics.

Many DeFi projects follow a path where the protocol is initially developed by a centralized development team. After the protocol launches, the team typically seeks to decentralize the protocol to enhance its security and delegate operational governance to a decentralized group of Token holders. This decentralization is often achieved by simultaneously issuing governance Tokens, launching decentralized governance protocols (often as DAOs), and granting control of the protocol to the DAO.

This decentralization process can take various structures and forms. For example, many DAOs have no legal entity and operate solely in the digital realm, while others use multisig wallets to act according to the DAO's directives. In some cases, nonprofit foundations are established to oversee the future development of the protocol, acting under the DAO's guidance. In almost all cases, the original development team continues to operate as one of many contributors in the ecosystem, developing complementary or ancillary products and services. (This white paper contains more detailed information about the legal framework for DAOs, from tax and entity formation to operational issues and considerations.)

Here are two popular examples of DeFi:

• MakerDAO launched in March 2015 as a DAO, established a foundation in June 2018, and dissolved that foundation in July 2021. MakerDAO has a stablecoin, Dai, designed to allow users to transact with a stable unit of value quickly, cheaply, borderlessly, and transparently. This can be achieved through purchasing goods and services or interacting with other DeFi applications. It also has a governance Token, MKR. The DAO approves various governance changes and certain parameters of protocol operations, including the collateralization ratio used to mint DAI.

• The Uniswap protocol was initiated by a centralized company but is now owned and governed by the Uniswap DAO, controlled by UNI Token holders. Uniswap Labs is the creator of the protocol, operating an interface for the Uniswap protocol and is one of many developers contributing to the protocol's ecosystem.

So what does marketing look like here? Taking MakerDAO's algorithmic stablecoin Dai as an example. One goal of most algorithmic stablecoin issuers (like MakerDAO) is to increase the use of their stablecoin within the financial ecosystem. Therefore, marketing actions include: 1) listing it on cryptocurrency exchanges for retail and institutional trading; 2) integrating it into wallets and applications; 3) accepting it as a payment method for goods or services. Today, there are over 400 Dai markets, it is integrated into hundreds of projects, and accepted as a form of payment through major commercial solutions like Coinbase Commerce.

How did they achieve this? MakerDAO initially accomplished this through a more traditional business development team that drove many early partnerships and integrations. However, as its decentralization increased, the business development function became the responsibility of a growth core unit, a sub-community of Maker Token holders, often referred to as a SubDAO. Additionally, because MakerDAO is decentralized, its protocol operations are trustless and permissionless, allowing anyone to use the protocol to generate or purchase Dai. Moreover, since the code for Dai is open-source, developers can integrate it into their applications in a self-service manner. Over time, the protocol has become more self-service—boasting better developer documentation and more integration manuals—allowing other projects to build on it at scale.

Marketing Metrics for DeFi DAOs: With the emergence of new marketing strategies in Web3, new ways to measure success have also arisen. For DeFi applications, the classic success metric is the total locked value (TVL) mentioned earlier. It represents all assets being traded, staked, and lent using the protocol or network.

However, TVL is not an ideal metric for measuring long-term organizational health and success. While new DeFi protocols can replicate open-source code, offer high yields, and attract significant capital inflows and TVL, this does not necessarily mean they are sticky—traders often leave when the next project appears.

Thus, more critical metrics include the number of unique Token holders; community engagement frequency and sentiment; and developer activity. Additionally, since protocols are composable—able to be programmed to interact and build upon each other—another key metric is integration. The number and types of integrations track how the protocol is used in other applications (like wallets, exchanges, and products).

Social, Cultural, and Artistic DAOs

For social, cultural, and artistic DAOs, the key to marketing (GTM) lies in building a community with a specific purpose—sometimes even starting from text chats among friends—and organically growing by finding others with the same beliefs. But isn’t this just "a group chat" or similar to traditional crowdfunding on Kickstarter?

Not quite, because while organizers of traditional Web2 crowdfunding projects also have clear goals, they must plan in detail from the top down how to achieve those goals. Project initiators typically outline how the funds will be used, the product roadmap, and timelines. In contrast, in the Web3 model, the goal is paramount, but the methods of achieving it are often determined later—including how funds will be used, the product roadmap, and timelines.

For example, ConstitutionDAO aimed to purchase a copy of the U.S. Constitution; Krause House aimed to buy an NBA team and set a precedent for fan governance of teams; LinksDAO aimed to create a virtual country club for golf enthusiasts; and PleasrDAO aimed to collect, showcase, and creatively add/share NFTs back to the community to represent culturally significant ideas and movements.

Taking ConstitutionDAO as an example, it raised $47 million from a community of strangers gathered around this goal, completing the entire process in a matter of weeks, starting with a clear purpose and raising funds for that purpose. At that time, ConstitutionDAO had nothing else—no clear roadmap, execution plan, or even Tokens (which were created after the bidding failed). Those who contributed financially were highly aligned with this goal and motivated by the community; they simply wanted to contribute and spread the word, forming a meme of emoji scrolling on Twitter.

Friends with Benefits is a Token-gated social DAO that started as a Token-gated Discord server for Web3 creators. In addition to the minimum purchase of $FWB Tokens (representing membership in the DAO), potential members must apply to FWB in writing. The community grows, connects, hosts offline events across various Discord channels, and ultimately realizes that one of the products they can build is a Token-gated event application. FWB gives creators a real stake in the community, while the DAO framework enables this decentralized social group to coordinate at scale, doing things like allocating budgets and completing projects from content publishing to event production.

Marketing Metrics for Social DAOs: One of the key metrics for measuring the health of a DAO is the quality of community engagement, which can be measured through its primary communication and governance platforms. For example, DAOs can track channel activity on Discord; member activation and retention; attendance rates for community calls; governance participation (who is voting on what, voting frequency); and actual work completed (the number of paid contributors).

Other metrics might include the number of new relationships formed or measuring the trust established among DAO community members. While there are indeed some tools and frameworks here, social DAO metrics are still in an emerging stage, so as this field develops, we will see more tools emerge and evolve.

Gaming DAOs

Today, most Web3 games, whether play-to-earn, play-to-mint, move-to-earn, or other types, are very similar to popular Web2 games—but with two key differences:

1. They use in-game assets native to open, global blockchain platforms rather than the closed, controlled economic systems of traditional pay-to-own and free-to-play games;

2. Players can become true stakeholders and have a voice in game governance.

In Web3 gaming, marketing (GTM) strategies are built through platform distribution, player referrals, and partnerships with guilds. Guilds like Yield Guild Games (YGG) allow new players to start playing games by borrowing game assets they might not be able to afford. Guilds choose which games to support by examining three factors: game quality, community strength, and the robustness and fairness of the game economy. The health of the game, community, and economy must be maintained simultaneously.

While blockchain-based game developers may have lower ownership percentages and/or commission rates, by incentivizing players as owners, developers are helping everyone grow the overall economy together.

But unlike Web2, purpose and community are dominant. For example, Loot is a game that has content first and gameplay second, exemplifying a GTM driven by purpose and community rather than product. Loot is a series of NFTs, each called a Loot bag, containing unique combinations of adventure gear (like dragon skin belts, rage silk gloves, and enlightenment amulets). Loot essentially provides a prompt—or building block primitive—upon which games, projects, and other worlds can be built. The Loot community has created everything from analytical tools to derivative art, music collections, domains, quests, and more games, inspired by their Loot bags.

The key idea here is that Loot's growth is not because an existing product attracted users, but because of the ideas and lore it represents—an open, composable network that welcomes creativity and incentivizes users through Tokens. The community creates products—rather than the network creating products hoping to attract the community. Therefore, a key metric is the number of derivatives, which may be more valuable here than traditional metrics.

Marketing Actions for Layer 1 Blockchains and Other Protocols

In Web3, Layer 1 refers to the foundational blockchains. Avalanche, Celo, Ethereum, and Solana are examples of Layer 1 blockchains. These blockchains are open-source, so anyone can build on them, replicate or modify them, and integrate with them. The growth of these blockchains comes from the more applications built on top of them.

Layer 2 refers to any technology that runs on top of existing Layer 1s to help address scalability challenges of Layer 1 networks. One Layer 2 solution is Rollup. Layer 2 Rollups do this by "rolling up" transactions off-chain and then publishing the data back to the Layer 1 network via a bridge. There are two main types of Layer 2 Rollups. The first, optimistic Rollups, "optimistically" assume transactions are honest rather than fraudulent through fraud proofs. The second, zk Rollups, use "zero-knowledge" proofs to determine the same thing. Most of these Layer 2 solutions are currently being developed for Ethereum and do not yet have their own Tokens, but we will discuss them here as their marketing success metrics are similar to other networks in this category.

Additionally, protocols can be built on top of other L1 or L2s, such as the Uniswap protocol supporting Ethereum (L1), Optimism (L2), and Polygon (L2).

The growth of Layer 1 blockchains, Layer 2 scaling solutions, and these other protocols can come from forks, when a network is copied and then modified. For example, the Layer 1 blockchain Ethereum was forked by Celo. The Layer 2 scaling solution Optimism was forked by Nahmii and Metis. And Uniswap was forked to create SushiSwap. While this may initially seem negative, the number of forks of a network can actually be a measure of success—it indicates that others want to replicate it.

These examples and thought patterns focus on the upper right quadrant, which is decentralized networks with Tokens—currently the most advanced examples of Web3. However, depending on the type of organization, there is still a mix of many Web2 GTM (go-to-market) strategies and emerging Web3 models. Builders should be aware of various approaches when formulating their marketing strategies. So now let’s look at a hybrid model that combines Web2 GTM and Web3 GTM strategies.

Centralized and Without Tokens: Web2-Web3 Hybrid Model

Many companies in the lower left quadrant (centralized teams without Tokens) provide gateways and interfaces for users to access Web3 infrastructure and protocols.

In this quadrant, Web2 and Web3 marketing (GTM) strategies overlap significantly, especially in the SaaS and marketplace sectors.

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Some companies in this quadrant follow traditional SaaS business models, such as Alchemy, which offers node-as-a-service. These companies provide on-demand infrastructure through different tiers of subscription fees, which are determined based on storage needs, whether the node is dedicated or shared, and monthly request volumes.

The SaaS business model typically requires traditional Web2 GTM actions and incentives. Customer acquisition is a combination of product-led and channel-led strategies:

Product-led user acquisition focuses on getting users to try the product itself. For example, one of Alchemy’s products is Supernode, an Ethereum API for any organization building on Ethereum but not wanting to manage their own infrastructure. In this case, customers can try Supernode through a free tier or a freemium model, and these customers will recommend the product to other potential customers.

In contrast, channel-led user acquisition focuses on segmenting different types of customers (e.g., public sector vs. private sector clients) and having sales teams connect with those customers. In this case, the company may have a sales team focused on public sector clients (like government and education) that deeply understands the needs of that customer type.

This article provides an overview to help explain the differences between Web2 and Web3 GTM strategies, but it is important to note that developer-centric outreach and developer relations—including developer documentation, events, and education—are also very important here.

Marketplaces and Exchanges

Other companies in this quadrant rely on relatively familiar consumer models, such as marketplaces and exchanges, like the peer-to-peer NFT marketplace OpenSea and the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. These businesses generate revenue based on transaction fees (usually a percentage of the transaction amount)—similar to the business models of classic Web2 marketplaces like eBay and Amazon.

For these types of companies, revenue growth comes from increasing the number of listings, the average dollar value per listing, and the number of platform users—all of which lead to increased transaction volume while providing benefits to users in terms of diversity, market liquidity, and more.

A key GTM action is to increase channel distribution by showcasing some products through partnerships with other platforms. This is similar to Amazon's affiliate program, where bloggers can link to products they like, and any purchases made through those links earn the blogger a commission. But unlike Web2, the Web3 structure allows for royalties to be distributed to creators in addition to affiliate fees. For example, OpenSea offers traditional affiliate sales channels through its white-label program, where purchases made through referral links earn a percentage of sales for the affiliate, but it also allows for royalties, enabling creators to continue earning a percentage from any secondary sales. (This Web3 feature is uniquely enabled by cryptocurrency, as smart contracts can pre-code percentage arrangements, and blockchains can track provenance, etc.)

Since creators now have the opportunity to continue profiting from their works through secondary markets—value they previously could not capture in the Web2 system—they are incentivized to continue promoting the marketplace. Creators also become evangelists.

GTM Strategies

Now that I have outlined key thought patterns and example use cases, let’s look at some common specific go-to-market (GTM) strategies in Web3 organizations. These strategies are core elements, not a complete operational manual, but they can still help newcomers understand various strategies and options.

Airdrops

Airdrops refer to projects distributing Tokens to reward users for certain behaviors, such as testing networks or protocols. These Tokens can be distributed to all existing addresses on a blockchain network or targeted to specific key influencers. Typically, airdrops are used to address cold start problems, promote early adoption, reward or incentivize early users, etc.

In 2020, Uniswap airdropped 400 UNI to all users who had used the platform. In September 2021, dYdX airdropped DYDX to users. More recently, ENS airdropped to anyone who owned an ENS domain (decentralized .eth domain); the airdrop occurred in November 2021, but anyone who owned an ENS domain before October 31, 2021, was eligible (until May 2022) to claim $ENS Tokens, which provide holders with governance rights over the ENS protocol.

In the non-fungible token (NFT) space, airdrops of NFT projects are also becoming increasingly popular to help more people gain access. A notable recent airdrop came from Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), a collection of 10,000 unique NFTs; on August 28, 2021, BAYC created the corresponding Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC). Each BAYC Token holder received a Mutant Serum, allowing them to mint 10,000 "mutant" apes, with another 10,000 new mutant apes available for new entrants. Due to the different types of serums, the serum can only be used once, and since one Bored Ape cannot use multiple serums of the same level, the serum introduces a new scarcity model.

The purpose of creating MAYC was to "reward our ape holders with a brand new NFT"—the "mutant" version of their apes—while also allowing new entrants to enter the BAYC ecosystem at a lower membership level. This maintains accessibility for the broader community without diluting the uniqueness of the original collection or making original owners feel their contributions were downgraded. (Another approach to accessibility is NFT fractionalization, where one NFT has multiple owners.) The floor price of MAYC, or the minimum listing price, is always lower than that of BAYC, but owners essentially enjoy the same rights.

These airdrops are conducted to reward NFT holders or users of networks and protocols (like the ENS airdrop), but airdrops can also serve as proactive GTM actions to generate awareness for specific projects and encourage people to check them out. Because information on the blockchain is public, new projects can airdrop to all wallets using specific markets or holding specific Tokens.

In any case, projects should clearly articulate their overall Token allocation, segmentation, and plans before conducting airdrops. Many airdrops have been used for malicious purposes and there are examples of failed airdrops. Additionally, in the U.S., Token airdrops may be considered securities offerings, so projects should consult legal advisors before engaging in any such activities.

Developer Grants

Developer grants refer to funding provided from a protocol's treasury to individuals or teams that improve the protocol in some way. This can serve as an effective go-to-market (GTM) mechanism for decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), as developer activity is a key part of a protocol's success. Projects and protocols with developer grants include Celo, Chainlink, Compound, Ethereum, and Uniswap.

Grants are not limited to protocol development but can also be used for bug bounties, code audits, and other non-coding activities. Compound even has a grant program related to business development and integrations, funding any integrations that can increase Compound's usage. For example, they funded a project to integrate Compound with Polkadot.

Memes

Viral images with text overlays are another GTM strategy for Web3 organizations. Due to the complexity and breadth of the cryptocurrency ecosystem and the short attention spans of social media users, memes can quickly convey information. Memes can also convey a sense of belonging, community, and goodwill in a highly information-dense manner.

The NFT project Pudgy Penguins, a collection of 8,888 penguins, started due to its meme-ability. The project's main release sold out in 20 minutes and was featured in major media, helping to push such projects into the mainstream. In Web3, the social display and community elements of "PFP" (profile picture) collections—where users showcase NFTs as profile pictures on social media—also facilitate this viral spread. Twitter recently launched a feature allowing users to prove ownership of NFTs through hexagonal profile pictures linked to OpenSea's API.

Users with large social media followings, when they change their profile picture to that of a project, draw attention to that project, and project owners often pay attention to other owners of the same project. These actions can also spawn other memes, such as Crypto Covens and "Me in Web2 vs. Me in Web3" memes, where users display their witch avatars alongside their actual faces, conveying identity, belonging, etc.

So what does this mean for Web3 founders? The biggest mindset shift is from planning to something more akin to gardening.

In Web2 companies, founders not only set top-down visions but also assemble teams and plan and execute based on that vision. In Web3, founders are more like gardeners, helping to cultivate and nurture potential successful products while also creating space for all of this to happen. While Web3 founders still set the organization's goals and its initial governance structure, the governance structure itself may soon bring them new roles. Founders may no longer focus on optimizing headcount, revenue, and profitability but rather on optimizing protocol usage and community quality. Additionally, as decentralization progresses, founders must adapt to an environment without hierarchical power structures, where they are just one of many participants driving the success of a particular project. Therefore, before decentralization, founders should ensure they are setting up projects for success in such an environment.

When I served as Chief of Staff to Zappos.com’s former CEO Tony Hsieh, I witnessed some of this firsthand. The company began experimenting with a more decentralized governance structure in 2014, including a self-organizing management system known as "holacracy." Holacracy emphasizes the hierarchy of work rather than the hierarchy of people, with mixed results. But Hsieh provided a useful metaphor, comparing his role to that of a nurturer of greenhouse plants rather than the best plants themselves. He said he needed to be the "architect of the greenhouse"—setting the right conditions for all other plants to thrive.

Today, Alex Zhang, the mayor of Friends with Benefits (FWB), a social DAO with a fungible token, echoes this sentiment, describing his work as "not setting a top-down vision," but facilitating the creation of "frameworks, permissions, and regulations" for community members to approve and build upon. Web2 leaders might focus on updating product roadmaps and pushing new product launches, while Zhang sees himself more as a gardener than a top-down builder. His role includes observing FWB's "community" (in this case, the Discord channel) and curating it by closing unappealing channels and supporting and growing motivated channels. By creating frameworks for these channels—and operational manuals for their success (like a mix of events, clear leadership, and governance structures)—Zhang acts more as an educator and communicator.

For NFT project founders, their role is primarily that of initiators and temporary managers of intellectual property (IP). The creators of Bored Ape Yacht Club, Yuga Labs, wrote: "We see ourselves as temporary managers of an IP that is becoming increasingly decentralized. Our goal is to make this a community-owned brand, involving world-class games, events, and streetwear." Owning an NFT—whether an image, video, sound clip, or other forms—grants owners all rights associated with the NFT. As NFTs are bought and sold, this ownership is transferred—along with the growth of the ecosystem surrounding the NFT, these benefits accrue to NFT owners, not just the founding team of the NFT project.

NFT ownership can also involve community-driven licensing and community-driven content (unlike traditional IP franchises). One example is Jenkins The Valet, an NFT avatar from the BAYC collection (specifically Ape #1798), which signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to represent its performance across various media forms. Jenkins was created by Tally Labs, which owns Ape #1798. Tally Labs decided to give this ape its own brand and backstory, reversing the notion that NFT statistical rarity is the main determinant of its price and success. They subsequently created a way for others to participate in creating content around Jenkins through "writer's room" NFTs, allowing community members to vote on the type of first book.

There are more possibilities; as more people adopt cryptocurrency and decentralized technologies and Web3 models, we have yet to see more potential. Traditional Web2 GTM frameworks are a useful reference and provide some helpful operational manuals—but they are just one of many frameworks available to Web3 organizations. The key distinction to remember is that the goals, growth, and success metrics of Web2 and Web3 often differ. Builders should start with a clear purpose, build a community around that purpose, and match their growth strategies and community incentives to those goals—and the corresponding marketing actions. We will see various models emerge and look forward to observing and sharing more here.