People love to say Web2 and Web3 marketing are nothing alike.
They’re wrong. Here’s why.
At its core, marketing is about guiding someone from “never heard of this” to “I use this every day.” This principle doesn’t change whether you’re selling shoes, a productivity app, or a Solana wallet.
No matter the era or platform, whether Web2 or Web3, successful marketing still comes down to three fundamentals:
- Getting attention
- Building trust
- Driving action
These fundamentals have always been the job. The environment may shift, but the psychology of a buyer remains the same. What changes is the medium, the language, and the culture that you market in.
The Fundamentals Stay the Same
The human brain hasn’t changed.
Whether you’re using email newsletters in Web2 or token-gated Discord communities in Web3, your goal is the same: move someone from “what is this” to “I need this.”
Web3 marketing didn’t rewrite the rules. It simply added more levers:
- Narrative-driven campaigns
- Token incentives
- NFT utility
- Airdrops
- DAO voting rights
These new mechanics give marketers in the Web3 space more tools to play with, but they don’t replace the need for a solid value proposition and great user experience.
Web2 Marketing: Familiar and Scalable
In Web2, marketing relies on established platforms and clear metrics:
- Google Ads and SEO for visibility
- Social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) for brand building
- Email marketing for nurturing and retention
- Influencer collaborations for trust-building
Web2 marketing emphasizes measurable ROI, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and lifetime value (LTV). You often have clearer data pipelines, CRMs, and analytics dashboards to track user behavior.
If your Web2 product is good and your funnel is optimized, scaling becomes a process.
Web3 Marketing: Wild West with a Playbook
Web3 marketing operates in a different cultural and technical environment. The community is younger, more skeptical, and highly active on platforms like 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), Discord, Reddit, and Telegram.
You’re not just marketing a product; you’re inviting people to participate in a movement. That’s where narratives, community-led growth, and token-based incentives shine.
Some common Web3 marketing strategies include:
- Airdrops: Free token giveaways to onboard users or reward early adopters
- Token rewards: High APY/APR staking programs to incentivize participation
- Gamification: Quests and challenges using platforms like Crew3
- Influencer marketing: Partnering with crypto-native voices
- Community-first approach: Building and empowering DAOs
The result? Faster user acquisition—but only if your product delivers.
The Trap: Quick Wins, Costly Losses
Many Web3 projects launch with high-stakes marketing: massive airdrops, influencer hype, or staking incentives.
That often leads to thousands of new users signing up… and just as quickly churning when they realize the product isn’t ready or the protocol doesn’t generate real revenue.
This is why some Web3 tokens drop 95% after launch. The marketing was good, but the product and retention strategy weren’t. Real product-market fit still matters.
Lessons from Successful Web3 Projects
Having worked with multiple DeFi projects, one thing stands out: finding your audience is easy. They’re all on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter).
By targeting specific hashtags, influencers, and crypto-native accounts, you can get in front of the right people quickly.
The challenge? Getting them to stay.
Marketing in Web3 isn’t just about awareness. It’s about onboarding users into an ecosystem, often one with confusing UX, volatile tokens, and high technical barriers.
That’s where education, support, and genuine community engagement come in. The best projects know this. Just look at what Polygon’s business development team has done: long-term relationships, clear value delivery, and transparency.
KOLs, Community, and Collaboration
KOL marketing still plays a huge role in Web3, but it’s a double-edged sword. Poorly managed KOL campaigns can look scammy or disingenuous.
Instead of quick wins, focus on real relationships. Partner with creators who understand your mission. Co-create content. Hold live events. Be present in Twitter Spaces and crypto conferences.
For community development, DAOs are powerful structures. Platforms like Crew3 help turn your community into active participants with quests and incentives.
Some tips for building a Web3 community:
- Start a Reddit thread to introduce your project
- Partner with complementary projects for visibility
- Attend live crypto events for networking and trust-building
- Use 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and Discord actively
When to Use Web2 vs Web3 Tactics
Not every tactic works for every goal.
If you’re just validating your idea or MVP, lean into Web2 methods like SEO, Reddit threads, and cold DMs.
If you’re launching a DAO or token, Web3-native tools like Snapshot, Gnosis Safe, and Galxe make more sense.
Think of Web2 as the marketing foundation. Think of Web3 as a marketing accelerator.
Final Thoughts: Web2 and Web3 Are Not Enemies
You don’t have to choose one over the other. The smartest marketers use both.
They understand Web2 strategies to lay strong foundations.
They tap into Web3 incentives to supercharge growth.
Marketing is still about people. Their psychology, their curiosity, and their trust.
If you learn how to speak their language, whether through a landing page or a whitepaper, you’ll win in any version of the internet.
TL;DR
- Web2 and Web3 marketing share the same fundamentals
- Web3 adds new tools, but not new rules
- Community, incentives, and culture are your levers in Web3
- Product-market fit still matters most
- The best marketing combines both approaches
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Web2 and Web3 marketing?
Web2 marketing focuses on centralized platforms and mass engagement, while Web3 marketing emphasizes decentralization, user ownership, and community building
What is Web3 in marketing?
Web3 marketing involves promotional tactics for decentralized internet technologies, highlighting transparency, user privacy, and community involvement
What is the Web3 SEO strategy?
Web3 SEO involves strategies and practices aimed at enhancing websites and content to boost organic relevant traffic to your Web3 initiative from search engines. SEO for Web3 is an evolving area that demands a thorough grasp of blockchain tech, web3 developments, and the fundamentals of SEO.