At the end of 2017, many people saw ICOs and the crypto world in general as a potential gold rush. Some people made out well, while many people weren’t as lucky. To put things in perspective, in 2017, only 48% of all ICOs really could be considered successful. Going into 2019, a lot of people looking into ICOs understand that success requires a more measured approach. One thing that a lot of people don’t realize is the importance of PR. Experts consider effective ICO marketing just as important as making sure you are using solid technology and being mindful of legal regulations. Here’s what it takes to compete.
Where You Need PR For Your ICOs In 2019
Why are PR professionals so useful in this area, specifically? A lot of crypto professionals may end up getting tunnel vision, the same as they do in any business. It’s easy to be so focused on creating an effective logistical success that you’re not aware of how to let people know about your potential marketing success. There are a variety of different channels you can use to promote your ICO. If it helps, we’ll break it down into 3 main areas.
Digital Written Content
These are the basics in terms of outreach for any subject, ICO included. Blog posts, press releases, guest posts, they all fall under this umbrella. While it’s the easiest to put these together, it’s also where there’s the most competition. You’re probably not the only ICO out there trying to reach out to publications for a guest post, for example.
Non-Written Digital Content
This generally means video content or podcasts. The nice thing about these is that they enable you to reach a whole new audience, including people who may be interested in your ICO. Another thing that bears mentioning is that, by nature, multimedia is very shareable. So, for example, you could drop an infographic in a social media group of crypto enthusiasts and share the same info you would in a blog post. However, chances are your infographic will get a lot more engagement than just linking to said blog post.
Non-Digital Content
Compared to other areas, there’s not likely to be a lot of appropriate areas to promote your ICO outside of the digital world, given the niche. However, something like a speaking engagement isn’t out of the question.
The issue with all three of these methods is that it’s not enough for you to just create the content. You also need to refine, especially for something like ICOs. There’s often a lot of information you need to get across that can be difficult to understand for some. In addition, oftentimes, the initial success of the launch determines the success of your coin. You need to make a big splash — and PR can help with that.
How PR Will Help Your ICO in 2019
Part of the struggle for ICO PR in 2019 versus 2017 is that it’s not nearly as exciting and exotic as it once was. Your average journalist in the crypto space is probably getting dozens of emails with requests similar to what you want — added coverage for your ICO. A seasoned PR professional is already aware of this, though, and here are some ways to circumvent this issue.
Understand Than An ICO Launch Is Not Interesting News
Diminishing returns matters in journalism. It’s not enough to simply say you have an ICO and expect people to care. What you need to do is try and reframe the content you are presenting to be more about your company and how your product will help the industry rather than the fact that it simply exists. In order to make this happen, you need to have a concrete team and some form of product to show before getting deep into the PR stage. Adding a human element will do a lot to make your pitches more interesting.
Seek Out The Right Publications
If you try to look up crypto-related publications with a basic Google Search, you will be overwhelmed. A lot of sites popped up during 2017’s boom, then ended up going neglected and unused once the market went back to normal. It may be easier to get your post featured on one of these barren sites, but it won’t do much to help your ICO. PR professionals have the knowledge and expertise to help seek out the best publications, as well as give you guidance on what they value in content.
Think Ahead
When you’re trying to sell a product or business to investors, you expect a back and forth on various questions. Make sure that your outreach content is one step ahead in this regard. Basics like the founders and their background, your current traction, and the motivation behind your project should already be covered.
Because crypto is in its relative infancy, it can be difficult to find PR companies and agencies with the expertise necessary to put these tips into action. However, PR is a major part of helping your ICO stand out above the rest, making it a must-have strategy for debuting a new coin in 2019.