The word ‘community’ has been such a major buzzword around non-fungible token (NFT) projects for a while now that many brands, big and small, are starting to take note. While brands have always had customers who buy their products and profess their love, new Web3 and social media developments are turning fandoms into active communities. 

In turn, brands are using this new age of hyper-connectivity and engagement to form deeper emotional connections with their audiences. As a result, where there used to be a full-funnel approach that drove fans from awareness to purchase, digital-first user encounters, referrals, and feedback have turned the traditional funnel into an infinite loop of marketing possibilities. 

Whether you’re selling physical handbags or digital swords, minting NFTs is one-way brands are building communities to support their marketing efforts. In the spirit of the collectible sports cards that came before them, NFTs can be used to capture the momentum of fandoms and turn that into conversions. 

So, how can you take your brand from fanning the fire to a community kumbaya? Let’s find out. 

Making NFTs A Little Bit of Me

The infinite marketing loop starts with building brand affinity with your customer. Brands should angle their online content to reflect their unique identities rather than focus on purely selling products. This is especially vital during the age of Web3, where brands need to implement digital-first marketing strategies to respond to the 89% of customers meeting them for the first time online.

When brands use content to build their persona instead of promoting sales, audiences can form emotional bonds that extend beyond their initial conversion. A customer that can recognize themselves in a brand is more likely to find it relevant, stop scrolling, like, follow, and engage with it. Creating a discourse with user-generated content (UGC) on social media is one way to turn fans into a community, but what do you give your followers to talk about? 

Content that demonstrates how to use or shows customers enjoying popular products is just one example of the non-promotional content brands need to be making. Inviting customers to share UGC of themselves using products is how social media, most notably TikTok, has updated the marketing funnel. NFT campaign strategies can then utilize UGC to co-create an identity with their community that keeps them relevant to customers.

Give them something to talk about 

NFTs can be tailored in two ways to strengthen your brand’s community. 

The first would be to issue a limited number of identical collectibles, which receivers could post on social media about upon arrival. NFTs allow brands to create digital twins of products online that are authentic and verifiable. For those using the Shopify x Venly partnership to sell NFTs directly from their Shopify stores, digital NFTs can even be shared alongside physical stock and sold directly through TikTok, the number one social commerce platform and the birthplace of UGC marketing. 

And hey presto! Your community has something to talk about with excitement, joy, and anticipation. It also means buyers can use their purchases in both real and virtual worlds. As a result, awareness builds both on and offline and more customers begin their journeys with your brand. 

With the rise of personalization in Web3, customers now expect an individualized experience— especially when it comes to eCommerce. 71% of customers now say they want tailored interactions with companies. Companies that get it wrong are at high risk of losing customers to competitors who have put the time and effort into getting to know their customers, appealing to their specific interests, and making them feel valued. 

NFTs can help customize a consumer journey. Whether it has been purchased as a product in its own right or as a digital twin, a unique NFT can unlock exclusive access to rewards and private events for loyal customers. 

The infinite loop is closed with UGC when customers create their own content about your product, whether that’s a how-to, unboxing, or simply sharing their love for their new purchase, subsequently increasing further awareness for new audiences. Ongoing feedback from customers via social media means brands can equally respond and improve continually, strengthening the relationship between brand and buyer to reduce customer churn. 

You can book a demo today to find out more about adding Venly to your Shopify store.