Yesterday I set up my alarm clock at 2.45 to wake up for the The Crypto Shitshow, a crossover between two other shows about various topics including Web3. I must say I definitely wasn't disappointed and got a couple of fresh thoughts and some new angles.
The show was on X Spaces and yes, I can see the irony in that. However, during the show, we got to comment and ask questions on the official threadcast on Leo Finance. Concerning the topic of how to get more people into Web3 platforms I suggested that instead of calling it Web3 and explaining what that means, we should perhaps call it by a more approachable name. For that, I got this reply from one other user:
Web3 is an infrastructure, we first had Web1, then currently we are transitioning from Web2 (centralized points of distribution) to Web3 (decentralized points of distribution (IPFS for example is one of the oldest ways to distribute data)
Now here's the thing, that's the exact jargon a mainstream person does not want to hear. They want things to be smooth and things to work, they don't care how something happens, they just want it to happen.
Quite often when talking about this specific topic it reminds me of what a friend of mine said about programmers and developers. My friend, a dev himself, said they have the view of a racehorse and are usually unable to look at things from a customer's point of view.
Now I was wondering, could it be that on Web3 the marketing is done mostly by devs or dev-minded people? I mean, on Web2 world they probably have those slick marketing people translating fancy ideas so normal people can understand them but what about Web3? I know, in many cases on Web3 the marketing is probably done by "the racehorses" for budget reasons and nothing wrong with that, just don't tell the average Joe that "IPFS for example is one of the oldest ways to distribute data" or stuff like that.
To think about it, Web3 is a good name but it shouldn't be over-explained and moreover, we should focus on simplifying the message to create a good first impression. If they want to find what's in the engine room later on, that's fine too. There's plenty of data that is saved on the blockchain.
Is Marketing Really Needed?
One other thing I was thinking about is what if it just goes hand in hand with the overall crypto adoption of the mainstream. What if it's like 'build it and they will come' kind of a thing? Like if there is some critical point that needs to be crossed and after that, it'll be a landslide of users jumping from Web2 to Web3.
So do we really need marketing?
I don't remember Facebook, Instagram or Twitter doing any traditional marketing. Perhaps they just blew up once the word started spreading and reached someone who was famous enough and that person got it across that critical point. From there the growth was exponential. Maybe with Web3 we also need to take the "natural" route.
Maybe we are really close and just need that one extra push that could come from an already big industry such as gaming for example.
Web2
One thing is for sure. Web2 social media platforms have really done something right as their users are so reluctant to leave for an option where they'd have ownership and could start earning right away.
Perhaps it's the public pressure and the easiness of Web2 apps that make people stay - they have their friends and celebrities they follow there. Just like TV was(is?), Web2 is familiar and comfortable. It makes us passive and subconsciously subdued - and we like it!
The Image of Web3
The first impression I got when I first arrived at Hive was that it's for writers and bloggers. I hadn't written that many longer articles before and while the thought of earning by writing was intriguing, at the same time it was also intimidating. But as they say, repeat something and you are getting comfortable with it and yes, it really does work. However, not everyone is a writer of long-form posts and nor should they be.
I'm really glad to see Leo Threads taking big steps forward in the area of micro-blogging which is obviously the most competitive space out there. X, Facebook, and many others have incredibly huge user bases but being Web2 platforms, they lack certain features that Web3 has. The censorship resistance, true ownership and earning potential are going to gold once "the big awakening" of the masses happens, and I do believe it does.
While waiting for that I am doing some preparations which include stacking and staking the native tokens such as HIVE and LEO to increase my influence on these Web3 platforms. 15th day of each month is Leo Power Up Day, or #lpud, in short. To participate in this event you need to stake a certain amount of LEO(50-150 LEO) and you are eligible for prizes including various LEO delegations and get a badge.
This month my contribution was 312 LEO, a number I'm more than pleased with. Besides a chance to win a delegation, I'm happy to see my voting grow. More power, more influence, more rewards. All of this isn't actually rocket science or scary once you get the hang of it.
If you want to explore and discover beyond the Web2, a good place to start is by participating in Hive adoption campaign on Zealy. Not only it is a smooth way to on board Web3 but you'll also be competing for the prize pool of $5,000!
Thank you for reading!