TON Ecosystem Project Operation Guide

Author: TON Ecosystem Growth Lab Initiator

Twitter: @Showy005

Community: Growth Lab

1. Purpose of the Guide

This guide aims to showcase the potential and opportunities of the TON ecosystem, helping future practitioners easily start their careers and providing practical insights to reduce learning costs. At the same time, we hope to attract more people to join the TON community through this guide, promote resource sharing, and drive ecosystem development.

2. Introduction to the TON Ecosystem

Origin and Development of TON

TON was originally developed by the Telegram team (2018-2021) to address issues such as scalability, speed, and privacy protection in traditional blockchains. Its development background is deeply rooted in Telegram's large user base and its vision for a decentralized internet. Due to SEC allegations, the project ultimately had to abandon its issuance and was handed over to the foundation for operation, and it has now become a top public chain with a daily trading volume exceeding $5 billion.

Relationship Between TON and Telegram

Although TON was initially initiated by Telegram, due to regulatory issues, Telegram ultimately decided to withdraw from the development of TON. The core technology of TON continues to thrive within the Telegram community, forming a new ecosystem centered on decentralization and privacy protection. Telegram's vast user base provides significant support for the promotion of the TON ecosystem.

Roles of TON and the TON Foundation

The establishment of the TON Foundation aims to promote the technological development and community building of TON, ensuring that the project's decentralization goals are achieved. The foundation not only provides financial support necessary for ecosystem development but also collaborates with developers and enterprises to jointly promote the expansion of TON technology and ecosystem.

Although both belong to TON, the TON Foundation has greater rights in ecosystem development than the foundation itself, and its global influence is not inferior to that of the TON team, with different focuses.

Integration of Payment Functions and Utilization of User Base

TON's payment functionality is very powerful. Leveraging Telegram's massive user base, TON has integrated payment and transaction functions, allowing users to conduct cryptocurrency transactions without leaving Telegram, significantly lowering the barrier to entry into Web3 and laying the foundation for cryptocurrency payments. Many countries now support TON tokens for online payments, such as ride-hailing in Singapore.

Future Vision of Decentralization

The ultimate goal of TON is to achieve complete decentralization, providing a free, open, and secure internet environment for global users. In the future, TON will not be limited to payment functions but will also expand into decentralized gaming, storage, social networking, financial services, and other fields. The official team has repeatedly stated at conferences that the development team and foundation will gradually operate in a DAO format, transferring community and rights to users.

3. Roles in the TON Ecosystem

In the TON ecosystem, multiple roles work together to drive the development and innovation of the network:

• Telegram: Follow Durov's channel for firsthand news, and since Telegram and TON are independent, Telegram's functionality is one of the biggest factors affecting the ecosystem.
• Ordinary Users: Mainly Telegram natives, with a significant portion using Telegram due to TON, and a small number being on-chain token holders.
• Developers: Responsible for writing smart contracts, developing DApps, and participating in technical innovation of the network.
• Foundation: Primarily promotes the global application of TON, currently mainly distributed in Europe and Asia.
• Investors: Invest in projects within the TON ecosystem, mainly in token rights, with a significant portion having equal rights in tokens and shares.
• Project Teams: Teams responsible for managing and promoting TON-related projects, developing applications and products.
• Economic Model Designers: Design the token economy of projects to ensure the health and long-term growth of the system.
• Compliance and Legal Advisors: Provide legal advice for TON ecosystem projects to ensure compliance.
• Professional Content Creators: Self-media/institutions that create content (articles, videos, etc.) for the TON ecosystem.

4. Popular Tracks in the TON Ecosystem

The TON ecosystem encompasses numerous innovative projects and applications, mainly divided into the following categories:

DeFi (Decentralized Finance)

One of the strategies for Q4 2024, a decentralized finance platform based on the TON blockchain, providing financial services such as lending, trading, and stablecoins.

MEMECOIN

One of the strategies for Q4 2024, multiple competitions have been held mainly to help DeFi develop better while increasing on-chain transaction volume.

GameFi (Gaming + Finance)

Some gaming projects launched on TON, where players can enjoy the fun of gaming while earning token rewards through participation.

NFT (Non-Fungible Tokens)

Many personal artworks, game items, and virtual goods are issued and circulated in the TON ecosystem in the form of NFTs, becoming an emerging market for digital assets.

Advertising Platforms

Due to the limited data sources of the official advertising platform, many original WEB2 teams have surged into entrepreneurship, aiming to become the equivalent of Tencent Ads or Star Map for Telegram…

Tool Products

Including wallets, token issuance platforms, trading bots, data query tools, etc., making it easier for users to access services on Telegram.

5. Project Research SOP

Methods for Discovering Popular Projects

To discover popular projects in the TON ecosystem, one can learn about them through app stores, data analysis websites, official TON communities, following Telegram groups, developer forums, etc. However, understanding the hottest and newest projects is often quicker through the community.

Project Breakdown and Analysis Methods

Conduct a detailed breakdown of each project, analyzing its product positioning, token model, user situation, marketing strategy, etc., by comparing, analyzing, and judging through their channels, communities, Twitter, and media reports.

Step 1: Collect Basic Project Information

Gather basic information about the project, including the project white paper, technical documents, team background, etc., to help understand the project's core highlights and advantages.

Step 2: Product and Service Analysis

Evaluate the market demand for the project's products and services, analyze how they solve real problems, and their positioning and goals within the TON ecosystem.

Step 3: Market Demand and Target Users

Break down the project's target market and user groups, as well as the authenticity of these users' needs in the decentralized ecosystem.

Step 4: Economic Model Analysis

Analyze the project's token economic model, whether it is sustainable, whether the token distribution is fair, and the clever design of user incentive mechanisms, as well as how to avoid death spirals, etc.

Step 5: Success Factors and Pathways

Summarize the key factors for the project's success, especially analyzing its success pathways from aspects such as technological innovation, user growth, and token economic design, determining whether it is a bubble driven by capital (similar to CATIZEN), ultimately deriving the strategies, pathways, methods, and costs of their success.

6. Introduction to Operating TON Ecosystem Projects

Project Cycle Management Plan Development

In the TON ecosystem, projects typically go through multiple stages, each requiring different operational strategies to ensure healthy development.

Click to read the TON Product Lifecycle Management Plan (recommended to download and save).

Importance of Product Operations Roles to TON

One of the core roles of product operations is to drive user growth and community building. A unique characteristic of the TON ecosystem is that its user base primarily consists of underrepresented users, who usually do not come from mainstream markets but from a broader, younger, and more exploratory third-world countries. The main tasks of the operations role include designing effective viral mechanisms, community management and incentives, data-driven optimization, creating brand and social atmosphere, and continuous motivation and retention.

Operational Department Structure

Initially, a team of 2-3 people is sufficient, mainly focusing on product operations, community operations, or adding a member responsible for advertising. As users reach 1-3 million, additional personnel for customer service, events, business, branding, etc., can be added. A flat operational structure is recommended, making the overall operational rhythm lighter and more adaptable to changes in Web3.

Recommended Common Operational Tools

In the TON ecosystem, effectively utilizing the official major tools is sufficient (more tools can be inquired in the group). Click to join the Growth Lab;

1. Story: Highly recommended, similar to a Moments feature, can effectively influence users' surrounding friends, supporting video and graphic content sharing.

2. Channel Lottery: Channels are similar to public accounts, and lottery activities will specifically notify each user, effectively enhancing user awakening and retention.

3. Community Voting: Generally used for significant votes, it is a good way to interact with users.

4. Community Management: Many external bots support detecting irrelevant content, kicking users, verification, etc. This is a necessity for large communities, while small communities may not need it.

5. Community Activity Assistant: With many functions, similar to activity detection, random lottery, etc., it works well for community activities.

6. Video/Voice Live Rooms: Usable in channels and communities, with noticeable prompts during use, having good awakening and activation effects, facilitating interaction between users and product explanation activities.

7. BOT Message Push: Effectively activates users and notifies important activities. Most bots will use messages like "You received 1 USDT" to guide users to activate the bot.

8. Personal Account Auto-Reply: Currently mainly used for customer service accounts, automatically replying to users, automatically inviting users to join groups, and auto-keyword replies to improve service efficiency.

9. Personal Profile/Channel: Links and channels can be placed in the personal card section for new friends to quickly understand you. This feature is mainly used by business people.

10. Twitter Tools: Twitter tools are not very effective within TG; if needed, seek support from group friends.

Case Analysis of Exponential Growth (Only Displaying Credible Data Cases)

Case 1:

• Project Name: Capybara
• User Count: 4.06 million (November 7) Historical Peak: 5.5 million
• Recharge Data: Daily average recharge of 2500 USDT
• Launch Date: August 21, 2024
• BOT Link: https://t.me/thecapybarameme_bot
• BOT Type: MEMECOIN
• Monetization Method: Token issuance, exchange new user commission
• User Expectations: Cash + token airdrop for invitations
• Customer Acquisition Cost: 0.02 USDT
• Growth Secret: Bonus for new users, increasing user silence costs to improve task completion rates, and enhancing the viral rate for players who complete tasks.

Case 2:

• Project Name: FOXCOIN
• User Count: 1.1 million (November 7)
• Recharge Data: Daily average recharge of 3000 USDT
• Launch Date: October 14, 2024
• BOT Link: @thefoxcoin_bot
• BOT Type: Web Game Hall
• Monetization Method: Advertising, user recharge, token issuance
• User Expectations: Daily cash tasks, token airdrops, free big wins
• Customer Acquisition Cost: 0.03 USDT
• Growth Secret: Advertising revenue compensates for user cash tasks, achieving dual guarantees for advertising costs and user quality.

Compliance Issues and Avoidance Strategies

1. For tool/service teams that are content with small profits, this issue does not need to be a concern, especially for businesses that are not closely related to gray industries.

2. Project parties wanting to issue tokens must consult with officials on this issue, as the official is currently applying for compliance in Hong Kong, which will be very helpful. Consulting lawyers is secondary; many domestic teams have issued tokens without seeing anyone get into trouble, but do not have a complacent mindset.

3. Other non-compliant businesses are currently not managed by TG officials, as they adhere to a decentralized logic for social interactions. Many things they want to manage are also constrained, but if there is no license or compliance application, they may be banned due to complaints. The smallest penalty is to label your application as "fraud." If you want to grow, compliance must be ensured.

7. Common Challenges and Solutions in Operating TON Ecosystem Projects

Common Challenges

• Slow user growth
• Low community engagement
• Rapid user churn
• Poor token liquidity

Solutions

If it is early-stage, prioritize checking 1. traffic quality, 2. viral activity data, 3. user gaming data, to assess bounce rates to determine the reliability of traffic sources, check viral rates to gauge user interest in activities, and review gaming data to evaluate the game's attractiveness to this batch of users. Comprehensive evaluation will guide optimization direction.

First distinguish the stages before judging the problems; different stages require different response strategies. Additionally, some niche products may not pursue community activity but rather user feedback. You can try changing activities or adjusting the values of activity rewards to make judgments. Moreover, having private conversations with users is very important; listening to user opinions is key.

From past experience, directly buying traffic through bots or exchanging traffic often results in high churn rates, which is normal. It is recommended to analyze based on existing data and then use regional KOL placements or professional advertising platforms like TON AI, Open AD, Teleads, as well as third-party advertising on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook for precise targeting. Currently, TG officials do not support precise targeting and lack user profiles.

Currently, almost all tokens launched have broken their initial value, except for one X token, which has not only maintained its value but has also been continuously pumped, mainly due to its low market capitalization. This page provides a good thought: is it necessary to have a high market cap from the start? Is it necessary to launch on Binance? Besides the economic model, the method of issuing tokens may also be a critical consideration.

8. Author's Personal Experience

1. This ecosystem has great potential; as long as you work within it, there are infinite opportunities. With enough diligence, you can certainly have your own career.

2. When starting a business and developing products, ensure that you have some initial success; a budget of 10 million for trial and error would require 2 million (RMB). Grassroots entrepreneurs can consider creating tools or service products that charge developers (small profits are acceptable).

3. The main logic of game operations - I have experience and can answer questions in the group. It mainly relies on games and activities for viral growth, where products attract new users through sharing, while activities leverage Twitter for public traffic and influence, primarily guiding users to enter bots and channels, followed by Twitter communities. Therefore, I emphasized the importance of product operations above; for traffic-oriented products, pure advertising is currently unfeasible. Pure advertising can only be attempted once the existing advertising platforms mature.

4. The main logic of tool product operations - I have experience and can answer questions in the group. Tool products, when robust, can essentially run on content communities + products. After completing a small closed loop, expanding the scope of PUGC placements/collaborations can achieve rapid user growth. If there are security issues, consider another round of financing or PR audits. Generally, it should take about 45 days to go from 0 to 1.

5. More discussions can be held in the group; there are many things not covered in this article, especially various pitfalls…

Advertising Fraud Prevention Guide:

1. Fake BOT developers: Run away after payment; response method: have them send you a message using an admin account.

2. Intermediaries posing as developers: Double the payment amount; response method: ask peers in the developer community for direct contact to save half.

3. Selling traffic at low prices: Real users account for 20%, fake users account for 80% or more, concentrated in top bots. Many bots with over 5 million users are likely bots! Response method: ask those who have been scammed, and ideally obtain some traffic data to observe user behavior.

4. Scam through detailed conversations: Using low-cost advertising and precise advertising as a pretext, combined with various statements to get you to try the volume first, then either provide bots or run away after payment.

5. False advertising: Channels, Twitter, and YouTube influencers may have good data, but your investment yields no results.

Response method: Ask in the group before investing; for precise targeting, find an advertising platform. If investing in KOLs, seek intermediaries, and start small to negotiate gradually; do not rely on just a few tens of thousands of dollars. If the budget is large, directly invest in top KOLs.

Traffic Exchange Fraud Prevention Guide:

1. Exchanging fake for real: This is the most common issue. Some companies with bot follower resources will first inflate their user count to millions and then exchange with you, with only a few real users and the rest being fake. Avoidance strategy: exchange in small amounts first, and after checking quality, decide whether to continue.

2. Breach of cooperation: This is also common. Usually, bots with strong exchange capabilities find it difficult to recover losses, and some breach parties may directly take down the bot tasks. Remedial strategy: supervise task completion continuously, expose the breaching party, and demand cash compensation.

3. Tricks to scam followers: 1. Borrow some followers, 2. Promise to return them later, but most do not follow through. Avoidance strategy: do not engage in personal favors; adhere to agreements.

Losses from traffic exchanges are difficult to pursue. It is recommended to start exchanges only when daily active users can exceed 10,000 and confirm daily active user screenshots from the other party's backend. You may also consider using our group's traffic exchange tools, which can integrate SDKs to verify data authenticity (this is a third-party free bot).