Fixing Web3 Marketing: Understanding the Real Web3 Audience

Welcome back to Fixing Web3 Marketing: From Hype to Sustainable Growth - a series exploring the biggest challenges Web3 companies face when promoting their products. Last time, we unpacked myths, missteps, and missed opportunities in Web3 marketing. Today, we’re zooming in on the Web3 audience and uncovering the target groups you might be overlooking in your campaigns. Fixing Web3 Marketing: From Hype to Sustainable Growth Fixing Web3 Marketing: From Hype to Sustainable Growth Fixing Web3 Marketing: From Hype to Sustainable Growth Last time Missed the last chapter? Check out The Lost Art of Web3 Marketing to see why most projects get community marketing wrong. Missed the last chapter? Check out The Lost Art of Web3 Marketing to see why most projects get community marketing wrong. Missed the last chapter? The Lost Art of Web3 Marketing The Lost Art of Web3 Marketing Understanding the Real Web3 Audience Every Web3 founder talks about their “community.” But ask them to define it, and most will point to their Discord member count, Telegram followers, or NFT holders. That’s not an audience. This lack of understanding of who your audience actually is it’s what’s costing you the success of your Web3 project, not a global lack of interest. At the end of the day, you don’t know where the interest is coming from, what solution they’re looking for when they land on your pages, or why they’re disappearing at different stages. If your marketing only targets crypto enthusiasts, you’re not building a user base, you’re recycling the same small circle of early adopters. In order to create effective marketing campaign, you have to rethink who Web3 is actually for. The Myth of the “Crypto-Native” Audience The Myth of the “Crypto-Native” Audience Crypto-native users (traders, yield farmers, miners, and NFT collectors) were the foundation of the early ecosystem - they experimented, invested, and helped new projects take off. But as the market matures, that audience has reached saturation¹. Today, the real opportunity now lies beyond them: developers, artists, gamers, and even traditional businesses are exploring blockchain. Yet most Web3 marketing still speaks in the same coded language: “DeFi,” “ZK rollups,” “staking rewards,” “trustless liquidity.” Remember the black hole of overtechnical jargon? That’s how you lose people outside the crypto bubble. Marketing the same audience creates an echo chamber where, no matter how good your project is, it never reaches beyond X. black hole of overtechnical jargon How you communicate can either onboard new users or build barriers. Keep assuming everyone knows blockchain, wallets, and tokenomics, and you’ll keep losing them. Make them Google your pitch just to understand it, and they won’t stick around. So how can we improve on our messaging? We can start by understanding who we’re talking to. Understanding the Layers of the Web3 Audience Understanding the Layers of the Web3 Audience Web3 is brimming with a stack of overlapping communities, each with its own motivations, technical fluency, and expectations³. In order for you to market your project effectively, you need to focus on building personas, not generalizations. Here are a few core audience types to consider: Here are a few core audience types to consider: Crypto Enthusiasts: This group of early adopters is usually interested in acquiring, holding and trading tokens - think Uniswap users or Lido stakers. They oten follow market trends, news and analysis to make informed investment decisions. They’re also highly skeptical of anything that feels “corporate.” Blockchain Developers: This group is made of builders who want strong documentation, open-source ecosystems, and technical credibility. They care about APIs, SDKs, and community-driven development. Creators and Collectors: This subset of the ecosystem is built of artists, musicians, and NFT curators, e.g., Bored Ape Yacht Club participants. They’re motivated by ownership, visibility, and cultural relevance - on one hand you have artist looking to tokenise their work as NFTs, and on the other, you have collectors often driven by passion for digital art of a belief in their long-term value. Businesses and Institutions: We’re talking aout enterpreneurs, startups, and instituitional investors such as hedge funds, asset managers and traditional financial institutions, looking for blockchain applications that solve real problems (supply chains, identity, finance), and seeking opportunities in decentralised finance (DeFi), NFTs, and other emerging sectors - think ConsenSys clients. This segment has been essential in the maturation and wider adoption of the crypto space but comes with it’s own expectation of higher professionalism, compliance, and ROI. DApp Users: This group uses decentralised applications (dApps) for different purposes, including DeFi, decentralised social networks, and NFT marketplaces. Web2 Users: Consider them the future of Web3 adoption. They’re curious but cautious — they need simplicity, education, and trust. This group includes gamers exploring blockchain games, social media users engaging with NFTs and social tokens, arrtists in music, film, and digital art discovering tokenization, and many other subgroups. Crypto Enthusiasts: This group of early adopters is usually interested in acquiring, holding and trading tokens - think Uniswap users or Lido stakers. They oten follow market trends, news and analysis to make informed investment decisions. They’re also highly skeptical of anything that feels “corporate.” Crypto Enthusiasts: This group of early adopters is usually interested in acquiring, holding and trading tokens - think Uniswap users or Lido stakers. They oten follow market trends, news and analysis to make informed investment decisions. They’re also highly skeptical of anything that feels “corporate.” Crypto Enthusiasts: Lido Blockchain Developers: This group is made of builders who want strong documentation, open-source ecosystems, and technical credibility. They care about APIs, SDKs, and community-driven development. Blockchain Developers: This group is made of builders who want strong documentation, open-source ecosystems, and technical credibility. They care about APIs, SDKs, and community-driven development. Blockchain Developers: Creators and Collectors: This subset of the ecosystem is built of artists, musicians, and NFT curators, e.g., Bored Ape Yacht Club participants. They’re motivated by ownership, visibility, and cultural relevance - on one hand you have artist looking to tokenise their work as NFTs, and on the other, you have collectors often driven by passion for digital art of a belief in their long-term value. Creators and Collectors: This subset of the ecosystem is built of artists, musicians, and NFT curators, e.g., Bored Ape Yacht Club participants. They’re motivated by ownership, visibility, and cultural relevance - on one hand you have artist looking to tokenise their work as NFTs, and on the other, you have collectors often driven by passion for digital art of a belief in their long-term value. Creators and Collectors: Businesses and Institutions: We’re talking aout enterpreneurs, startups, and instituitional investors such as hedge funds, asset managers and traditional financial institutions, looking for blockchain applications that solve real problems (supply chains, identity, finance), and seeking opportunities in decentralised finance (DeFi), NFTs, and other emerging sectors - think ConsenSys clients. This segment has been essential in the maturation and wider adoption of the crypto space but comes with it’s own expectation of higher professionalism, compliance, and ROI. Businesses and Institutions: We’re talking aout enterpreneurs, startups, and instituitional investors such as hedge funds, asset managers and traditional financial institutions, looking for blockchain applications that solve real problems (supply chains, identity, finance), and seeking opportunities in decentralised finance (DeFi), NFTs, and other emerging sectors - think ConsenSys clients. This segment has been essential in the maturation and wider adoption of the crypto space but comes with it’s own expectation of higher professionalism, compliance, and ROI. Businesses and Institutions: ConsenSys DApp Users: This group uses decentralised applications (dApps) for different purposes, including DeFi, decentralised social networks, and NFT marketplaces. DApp Users: This group uses decentralised applications (dApps) for different purposes, including DeFi, decentralised social networks, and NFT marketplaces. DApp Users: Web2 Users: Consider them the future of Web3 adoption. They’re curious but cautious — they need simplicity, education, and trust. This group includes gamers exploring blockchain games, social media users engaging with NFTs and social tokens, arrtists in music, film, and digital art discovering tokenization, and many other subgroups. Web2 Users: Consider them the future of Web3 adoption. They’re curious but cautious — they need simplicity, education, and trust. This group includes gamers exploring blockchain games, social media users engaging with NFTs and social tokens, arrtists in music, film, and digital art discovering tokenization, and many other subgroups. Web2 Users: Each of these groups needs a different message, tone, and channel. The days of one-size-fits-all “community marketing” are over. Did You Know? HackerNoon’s community mirrors the diverse Web3 audience you're aiming to reach. With over 4 million monthly readers, our platform attracts a broad spectrum of professionals: Developers Tech enthusiasts Entrepreneurs Investors Marketers And more You could start engaging your target audience in one place.Ready to start building your Web3 audience? Book a meeting with us! Did You Know? Did You Know? HackerNoon’s community mirrors the diverse Web3 audience you're aiming to reach. With over 4 million monthly readers, our platform attracts a broad spectrum of professionals: over 4 million monthly readers Developers Tech enthusiasts Entrepreneurs Investors Marketers And more Developers Tech enthusiasts Entrepreneurs Investors Marketers And more You could start engaging your target audience in one place. Ready to start building your Web3 audience? Book a meeting with us! Ready to start building your Web3 audience? Book a meeting with us! Book a meeting with us Building Web3 Personas That Work Building Web3 Personas That Work Traditional marketing has long relied on user personas - detailed profiles that describe who your customers are, what they value, and how they make decisions. Web3 projects often skip this step, assuming their “community” will grow organically. But decentralization doesn’t replace segmentation. Creating Web3 personas forces you to ask real questions: Creating Web3 personas forces you to ask real questions: What motivates this user to engage with your project? How familiar are they with crypto concepts? What channels do they trust and use? What barriers stop them from participating? What motivates this user to engage with your project? How familiar are they with crypto concepts? What channels do they trust and use? What barriers stop them from participating? A DeFi protocol’s target user isn’t the same as a blockchain gaming platform’s. A DAO member and a corporate partner don’t consume content the same way. Without this clarity, even the best campaigns fall flat⁴. Why is this important? By segmenting user groups based on needs, interests, motivations, channels, and demographics, projects can craft highly personalized digital marketing strategies. These personas offer deep insight into the diverse and evolving Web3 user base, enabling tailored products and messaging. Understanding users’ key traits and behaviors allows projects to create engaging experiences, build trust, and foster stronger connections - essential for success in the rapidly evolving Web3 space. When you understand your audience, you can move beyond vanity metrics and see real impact: Higher engagement: Users interact more in Discord, Telegram, or dApps because your messaging speaks to them. Increased adoption: Whether it’s NFT drops, token usage, or new features, people participate when they feel understood. Lower churn: Clear communication, relevant campaigns, and tailored experiences keep users from dropping off. Why is this important? Why is this important? By segmenting user groups based on needs, interests, motivations, channels, and demographics, projects can craft highly personalized digital marketing strategies. These personas offer deep insight into the diverse and evolving Web3 user base, enabling tailored products and messaging. Understanding users’ key traits and behaviors allows projects to create engaging experiences, build trust, and foster stronger connections - essential for success in the rapidly evolving Web3 space. When you understand your audience, you can move beyond vanity metrics and see real impact: Higher engagement: Users interact more in Discord, Telegram, or dApps because your messaging speaks to them. Increased adoption: Whether it’s NFT drops, token usage, or new features, people participate when they feel understood. Lower churn: Clear communication, relevant campaigns, and tailored experiences keep users from dropping off. Higher engagement: Users interact more in Discord, Telegram, or dApps because your messaging speaks to them. Higher engagement: Increased adoption: Whether it’s NFT drops, token usage, or new features, people participate when they feel understood. Increased adoption: Lower churn: Clear communication, relevant campaigns, and tailored experiences keep users from dropping off. Lower churn: Start Building Your Personas Start Building Your Personas Pick 2–3 key personas per product: Focus on your core users first, then expand as your project grows. Document the essentials: demographics, crypto familiarity, motivations, pain points, and preferred channels. Experiment and iterate: Run small tests - tweak messaging or campaigns for each persona and see which resonates. Use what you learn to refine your strategy. Pick 2–3 key personas per product: Focus on your core users first, then expand as your project grows. Pick 2–3 key personas per product: Document the essentials: demographics, crypto familiarity, motivations, pain points, and preferred channels. Document the essentials: Experiment and iterate: Run small tests - tweak messaging or campaigns for each persona and see which resonates. Use what you learn to refine your strategy. Experiment and iterate: Even a few well-defined personas can transform a scattershot approach into a marketing plan that actually works. From B2C and B2B to C2C: Community-to-Customer From B2C and B2B to C2C: Community-to-Customer One of the most aspects of Web3 marketing is the Community-to-Customer (C2C) model. In traditional markets, brands speak to consumers. In Web3, communities often speak for them. to for C2C marketing happens when users become advocates - hosting X Spaces, creating memes, explaining protocols to friends. These organic promoters can be more powerful than any ad campaign⁵. But C2C doesn’t happen by accident. It stems from trust, transparency, and shared values. Research shows that social capital and peer-led credibility are key drivers of community engagement⁶. trust, transparency, and shared values That’s why your audience strategy should do two things simultaneously: Speak to your existing users in ways that deepen loyalty. Build bridges to newcomers through education and clarity. Speak to your existing users in ways that deepen loyalty. Build bridges to newcomers through education and clarity. Bridging the Gap Between Web2 and Web3 Audiences Bridging the Gap Between Web2 and Web3 Audiences The next billion users won’t arrive from crypto X - they’ll come from Web2. And these users expect ease, not friction. They’re used to one-click logins, familiar UX, and straightforward onboarding. Web3 founders need to meet them halfway. That means designing interfaces that feel familiar, simplifying wallet setup, and replacing technical jargon with relatable value propositions. Instead of selling “blockchain infrastructure,” sell what it enables: ownership, transparency, and fairness⁷. Users don’t care how it works, they care that it works. From Buzzwords to Human Language From Buzzwords to Human Language Strong Web3 marketing translates complexity into clarity. It doesn’t try to impress - it tries to connect. Ask yourself: Ask yourself: Can your product be explained in one sentence that your grandmother would understand? Does your website make sense to someone who’s never used a wallet before? Are your social posts talking about technology or the people it helps? Can your product be explained in one sentence that your grandmother would understand? Does your website make sense to someone who’s never used a wallet before? Are your social posts talking about technology or the people it helps? The brands that answer “yes” to these questions will be the ones that onboard the next generation of users. Web3 doesn’t need a bigger community - it needs a better understanding of the one it already has. By identifying audience segments, building clear personas, and speaking human-first, projects can break free from the echo chamber and reach real users. In the next post, we’ll explore how Web3 teams can choose the right marketing channels and strategies - from Discord and Twitter to SEO and PR - to actually reach these diverse audiences. At HackerNoon, we help Web3 builders cut through the noise and get their stories in front of the right people. You could be next. See how we can grow your Web3 project - let’s talk! At HackerNoon, we help Web3 builders cut through the noise and get their stories in front of the right people. You could be next. See how we can grow your Web3 project - let’s talk! At HackerNoon, we help Web3 builders cut through the noise and get their stories in front of the right people. You could be next. See how we can grow your Web3 project - let’s talk! let’s talk let’s talk References CoinTelegraph. (2023). Crypto Adoption Reaches Plateau Among Early Users. Link Blockchain Capital. (2024). Crypto Marketing: The Paradigm Shift Needed to Go Mainstream. Link Electric Capital. (2023). Developer Report 2023: Understanding Web3 Ecosystem Layers. Link Harvard Business Review. (2022). Why Personas Still Matter in Marketing Strategy. Link Messari Research. (2023). How Web3 Communities Drive Organic Growth. Link Frontiers in Environmental Science. (2022). The Role of Social Capital in Peer-to-Peer Community Engagement. Link McKinsey & Company. (2023). Web3 Beyond the Hype: Designing for Usability. Link CoinTelegraph. (2023). Crypto Adoption Reaches Plateau Among Early Users. Link Crypto Adoption Reaches Plateau Among Early Users. Link Blockchain Capital. (2024). Crypto Marketing: The Paradigm Shift Needed to Go Mainstream. Link Crypto Marketing: The Paradigm Shift Needed to Go Mainstream. Link Electric Capital. (2023). Developer Report 2023: Understanding Web3 Ecosystem Layers. Link Developer Report 2023: Understanding Web3 Ecosystem Layers. Link Harvard Business Review. (2022). Why Personas Still Matter in Marketing Strategy. Link Why Personas Still Matter in Marketing Strategy. Link Messari Research. (2023). How Web3 Communities Drive Organic Growth. Link How Web3 Communities Drive Organic Growth. Link Frontiers in Environmental Science. (2022). The Role of Social Capital in Peer-to-Peer Community Engagement. Link The Role of Social Capital in Peer-to-Peer Community Engagement. Link McKinsey & Company. (2023). Web3 Beyond the Hype: Designing for Usability. Link Web3 Beyond the Hype: Designing for Usability. Link