NFTs, or non-exchangeable tokens, have become a hot topic recently. People are scratching their heads seeing prices for digital artwork, memes, virtual clothing, or avatars. Who is buying these things? What for? There are many reasons, not the least of which are marketing ones. Since you’re looking for information about creating your own NFT community, you probably know something about them already.
As a reminder: NFTs are unique digital assets that exist only on the blockchain ecosystem, a decentralized digital ledger with no trusted intermediary. They can be anything from artwork and music to collectibles and videos.
Starting a successful NFT project won’t happen overnight; it requires patience, self-devotion, a good marketing plan, and some luck. The most successful NFT communities are instantly recognizable thanks to the people they gather, for example, celebrities. However, it doesn’t mean that your community members should only consist of world-famous stars like Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, or Jimmy Fallon. To build a prosperous NFT space, you’ll need to follow a few basic rules to become successful over time. But first, let’s discover why people want to be part of the NFT community.
Table of Contents
NFTs as a Status Symbol
Let’s start with some theory. For example, I’ll use the NFT called Bored Ape Yacht Club, which the media have documented as one of the most exclusive NFT communities in the US. In December 2021, they overtook CryptoPunks, considered the highest-priced NFTs.
Along with other character-based NFT projects, Apes had become a status symbol for owners who regularly use their animated creatures as avatars on social media. A prime example is Eminem, who purchased a Bored Ape NFT that looks very much like himself for a whopping $450 000 USD. Why they’ve become so expensive, though?
Bored Yacht Club
Similar to Cryptopunks, Bored Apes are collectible collections of 10,000 unique digital avatars. Each Ape has a different expression, headwear, clothing, etc. Some are more unique than others, with particular traits like laser eyes or golden fur, which significantly drive the price.
Where do NFT communities hang out? Each owner of a Bored Ape gets a yacht club membership which grants access to special community events. Given that it puts you in common with high-profile celebrities like Tonight Show’s Jimmy Fallon, Paris Hilton, Post Malone, and many others, everyone wants to join this club. Now you know why they’re so expensive.
How NFT Communities Work
It’s like with Rolex watches – given the materials they’re made from, they’re definitely not worth as much as they ask for them initially. However, owning such a watch symbolizes your status and exclusivity. Many NFT communities fit the same principle – being part of a strong NFT community feels unique and special. And that’s what you should strive for when creating your own.
They all serve the same purpose – provide a virtual town square where similar people can gather. Easier said than done? Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your NFT crypto community won’t be an exception here. However, we’ll provide some rule-of-thumb tips for all NFT enthusiasts that will work out in a long-term scenario.
- Target audience
- Vision
- Social media platforms
- Branding
Tips on Building an NFT Community
Everyone starts somewhere, and any money-making project demands thorough analysis and meticulous planning. NFTs mostly rely on community, and it’s the main aspect you should focus on to become successful. Here are four inspiring tips that you should incorporate into your NFT project.
Set a Specific Target Audience
Every community has a clearly defined culture and purpose, which also applies to NFT groups. This is why blockchain technology has taken off so well among sports or music fans. Building a community culture from scratch requires the creation of an original narrative. It’s essential to carefully explain the purpose or technology behind the project, depending on your idea.
Do you want to create caricatural images of your favorite basketball team or local soccer team members? Or maybe a pixel-art of famous young-timer cars? Some NFT projects aim for nobler purposes. For example, AutisticNFTs was created to promote autism awareness.
Possibilities are endless, and so are your ideas. It’s hard to create something that hasn’t been invented before, but at least make sure your idea stands out among others. If you’re original enough, you’ll attract like-minded people with the same vision as yours, which is the very beginning of creating a strong community around your NFT brand.
Share your Vision
What motivated you to start an NFT community? What community-building efforts did you have to incorporate? Sharing your thoughts on a chosen social media platform is another important factor in your NFT success and an excellent way to attract early NFT adopters. Besides, we all love storytelling, and it’s perfectly suitable as a strategic business tool.
An example of a great NFT community based on storytelling is Samurai Sword. With over 80k followers on Instagram, they share historically accurate images of samurai swords while also telling a compelling story of their origin. This way, owning a Samurai Sword NFT feels unique to their owners, as they can “unleash the Samurai inside them.”
Another great example is the Dogs Unchained NFT project, which aims to improve the welfare of our four-legged friends. They attracted over 8k members to their Discord server and have recorded a sale of almost 1500 ETH on Open Sea, which is about $4,509,360.
Sharing your vision in the form of great storytelling is something that most NFT communities should adopt asap. It’s the first step in identifying NFT opportunities and a great start to becoming an excellent community manager.
Choose the Right Social Media
Once you have your NFT plan and vision in mind, it’s time to show it to the world. It’s probably the most crucial step in the entire operation since your NFT social media will define the success of your project. Which platform is the best when it comes to your Token’s popularity? There is no direct answer to that question since every platform works differently and attracts different people.
We think the best middle ground is to have multiple social media channels to build an NFT community where everyone can share ideas. However, taking care of all of them at once can be a very tedious process. In the beginning, choose at least one platform where you can devote yourself entirely. Here’s a list of social media platforms to help you grow with your fledgling community:
- Twitter. A great platform to share quick announcements and brief messages and organize events between you and your followers. Best used as a secondary platform for delivering short, important news. There’s also a feature called Twitter Spaces, which allows having live audio conversations.
- Discord. According to 12 Best NFT Discord Server/Communities in 2022, Discord is a place for over 1200 active NFT projects. It’s probably the best place for an individual NFT creator due to its forum-like design. Here, you can arrange different topics and activities into channels for your discussions to be more structured.
- Reddit. It’s a substitute for Discord but offers more room for open discussions since users can create topics themselves. Constructive criticism from your token buyers should always be welcomed, so let members exchange ideas.
- Telegram. The strongest point of Telegram is the ability for real-time communication via scrollable chat. A private Telegram group is a perfect communication tool for you and your most devoted followers. Online groups with limited membership build the status symbol we discussed earlier.
Tip: When the NFT community wants to speak up in the comments of your blog or social posts, don’t ignore it and respond personally.
Build Your Brand
Thanks to the traffic you generate through social media, your community will grow organically through post sharing, grapevine, etc. However, you must keep everyone entertained when you build your own NFT and convince people that you’re a community worth joining. The hottest communities also educate followers about NFTs, encouraging them to participate in the auction.
For example, the Women Rise community exists to support women coders by using blockchain. It means they are connected to a specific theme and their unique brand. You can do the same! Here are vital tips on how to become successful like many NFT brands.
- Social media brand building. If your audience is genuinely engaged and you actively create content, focus on social media conversations and create something that might feel unique to your brand and audience.
- Give NFT buyers special privileges. Ape Yacht Club communities revolve around special events only available to them. You can do the same! Giving special discounts, organizing events, and granting early access to new NFT drops are exclusive investment opportunities that will raise the value of your NFTs in the long run.
- Give your NFT a sense of exclusivity. A unique element of NFT is that people buy them as a unique expression of themselves. You can consider making customizable NFTs so everyone can adjust them to their style.
- Real-world rewards. Merch is always welcomed! If you sell a highly customizable product that expresses someone’s style, consider offering buyers the opportunity to buy an NFT along with the physical product on the NFT marketplace. For example, Adidas NFT holders will all be eligible to redeem physical items.
- Evolving roadmap. As we stated before, create engaging storylines about your brand to reach a wider audience. It’s good to airdrop additional NFTs or benefits for its owners as an extra incentive.
- Hire trending influencers. A famous influencer is a great idea to attract prospective buyers and generate interest. This way, you can build loyalty around your NFTs as people are more prone to trust your influential contacts than yourself.
- Consider the environment. Going green is popular nowadays, so try to go with the trend. Blockchains like Ethereum or Bitcoin use “proof of work,” which is energy intensive and has a terrible environmental impact. Consider using Ethereum 2 or Polygon, which are “proof of stake” and are 10-100x less harmful to the environment and cheaper.
Many real estate companies like Coca-Cola and Adidas have entered the NFT industry, and these tips are based on the analysis of their success. They won’t make you an NFT god immediately, but these are a solid foundation for building an NFT community.
Summary
These are the fundamental tips for building a community centered around your NFTs. Establish trust by fulfilling your promises and finishing projects, and work hard on delivering on your community’s founding mission.
Don’t forget to pay attention to your social media channels and introduce your community to potential members in your existing networks. Also, remember that top communities offer a secure membership with special privileges to their members. It will take plenty of time, but the final result is well worth the effort.
SEO enthusiast and digital marketing strategist. My expertise lies in optimizing websites for organic traffic growth and search engine visibility. I carry out, among others, SEO tests, keyword research and analytical activities using Google Analytics. Privately, he is a lover of mountains and bicycle trips.