To have a successful Web3 project, whether it be in fashion, gaming, crypto or beyond, you need to have a thriving Web3 community. Having made my own entrance into Web3 as CEO of Fashion League, the first female-centered fashion RPG blockchain game, I deeply understand just how much community matters. Here are the most important elements you will need to consider.

Demonstrate Value

First and foremost, you need to consider how your community will bring value to the user. Keep in mind that most people leverage communities for entertainment, education or connection purposes, so incorporate at least one of these aspects into your community-building strategy. How? Consider the ways in which you can make every interaction personal, meaningful or fun. Depending on your Web3 project, this could look like providing frequent rewards for being part of the community, such as airdrops, events and competitions. It could also take the form of having brand ambassador systems, or simply having a strong onboarding system that creates a sense of belonging as soon as users integrate with your community.

Focus On Onboarding

Getting people initially interested in your project matters, but getting them to stay engaged is another thing entirely. A strong onboarding process will maximize your chances of building a thriving community. What does this look like? Top tips include creating an onboarding guide to inspire long-term loyalty (ideally sent by DM from a brand ambassador), having a volunteer welcome group/buddy system, and creating a beginners’ channel on Discord. The overarching aim is to make onboarding as seamless an experience as possible, making it easy for users to onboard without feeling overwhelmed or daunted by the process and incentivizing them to remain involved in your community project.

Brand Ambassadors Are Key

Another aspect to keep in mind is that your goal should not be to have every single member of your community involved each day. Your focus should be on having a core group of members who are actively engaging, nurturing and creating value for the entire community. It is these members who are going to encourage further participation and keep people incentivized to engage, as these brand ambassadors are already invested in the projects’ growth.

How do you find brand ambassadors? By promoting your most loyal, engaged community members (often those in the top 5%) to community manager positions. These active members are then rewarded upon completing different tasks, (e.g referral codes or offered exclusive content) and defending your project’s values on your behalf.

Define KPIs

If you want to build a sustainable community, it’s crucial to be clear about your KPIs. Failing to do so can make it challenging to scale your community. It’s strongly recommended to align your community and project goals so you can encourage specific community actions. Such goals could include improving retention rates, attracting more brand ambassadors, or receiving investment.

Focus On All Platforms

Twitter, Discord, Telegram, and Reddit are the main Web3 community platforms for blockchain natives that get the most attention, shifting the traditional social media hierarchy of Web2 where Facebook and Instagram dominated.

But don’t ignore Facebook and Instagram entirely, especially the case if you are looking to onboard a less Web3-aware audience. This also applies to LinkedIn, which can be an excellent platform for developing a less Web3-aware community via thought leadership content.

Ultimately, the value of the community will determine a Web3 project’s longevity, and can offer unparalleled promotional benefits through word-of-mouth and social media marketing, providing you utilize their power correctly.