Influencers and web3 - what you need to know 🔑

GM. 

With the insanity of 2022 behind us, the last few months have been relatively quiet…we’re keeping our fingers crossed.

This month, we’re diving into influencer marketing and the role that it plays in web3. From paid endorsements to celeb loyalists - influencers can catapult your brand - but you have to steer clear of some common missteps. We’ll explore more below.

As the saying (sort of) goes, spring flowers bring web3 conferences. That's why we’ll also share our top tips for making conference attendance worthwhile.

Let’s get into it.

• 📰 In the News

• ♟ Strategy Corner: Influencers and web3

• 📝 Cheat Sheet: Conference survival guide

• 🥣 Hot Porridge

This month's newsletter is 765 words, a 3-minute read.

📰 IN THE NEWS

AI wars are heating up. We’ve all been waiting for Big Tech’s response to ChatGPT. Microsoft invested in Open AI and Google launched Bard - both have fumbled. We’re expecting this to get interesting 🍿 Read More

Nostr pulls ahead in race to replace crypto Twitter. Damus, a Nostr-based social network went live in the Apple app store last month, signaling that Jack Dorsey’s fav may be the new frontrunner in the race to replace crypto Twitter. Read More

Will Bitcoin ecosystem explode in 2023? NFTs on Bitcoin have renewed excitement and VC funding is powering startup activity. Bitcoin purists are unhappy but we’re excited by the innovation happening on this OG chain.  Read More

Soft landing for web3 startup funding. VC money is returning to web3 in a big way. Last month, former Blackrock and Goldman Sachs execs launched a new billion-dollar web3 venture fund. Check ‘em out - Venom Ventures. Read More

Web3 is built on a culture of transparency and authenticity. Inherently, this makes influencer marketing a thorny subject. However, a carefully executed influencer strategy can still catapult your brand and set you apart from your competition.

Here are the top 5 questions we get asked by brands considering influencer strategies in web3, and the answers they pay us for:

Q: Are traditional influencers and web3 influencers the same?

A: No. In comparison to traditional influencer strategies, the most effective strategies in web3 leverage a team of micro-influencers (5-10k followers).

Q: What is the best way to find the right influencers?

A: Search your existing (and extended) community to find those who authentically believe in your mission and might be willing to amplify your message. Slide into those DMs.

Q: What qualities should we be looking for in an influencer?

A: Clear alignment of values and a shared vision for the future.

Q: Are there rules for working with influencers?

A: Yes, there are rules and regs in the US and you need to be prepared to comply with them (having a great lawyer helps!).

Q: Should you background check influencers?

A: Absolutely. Make sure there aren’t any hidden agendas and know who you are partnering with.

📝 CHEAT SHEET: CONFERENCE SURVIVAL GUIDE

We all know conferences can be a drag. However, if leveraged wisely, they can have an exponential effect on your network and surface area of opportunities.

With SXSW and Consensus just around the corner, we wanted to share our top 5 tips for maximizing conference attendance:

🔑 Set goals.

🔑 Listen more, talk less.

🔑 Explore unofficial breakout events.

🔑 Make time to enjoy yourself.

🔑 Follow up. Follow up. Follow up.

🥣 HOT PORRIDGE (aka hot takes)

Will AI destroy the world? We’re not sold, but this podcast with AI safety expert Eliezer Yudkowsky really got us thinking 😰scary stuff.

Base by Coinbase: Coinbase is building its own Layer 2 blockchain on Etherum and launched a new fund to back startups developing on chain. We’re still quite bullish.

Proof of Conference canceled: Apparently, there just wasn’t enough interest...Yikes.

Institutions 🤝 Polygon: Siemens, the third-largest publicly traded company in Germany, issued its first digital bond worth ~$64M on the Polygon blockchain. Another major vote of institutional confidence for the Polygon network. Well done Polygon.

That’s a wrap for this month 🎉 Follow us on Twitter @goldiblocks_ for more insights, advice, and an occasional hot take.

GOLDIBLOCKS is a marketing and PR firm helping web3 founders and founding teams tell their stories and supercharge their growth.

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.