It seems like everyone entering Web3 takes a different path. Even for the same job — and we've kept it fairly conservative here, talking only about marketing, not even one of the neo-jobs of the space, like Metaverse Designer or DAO Operator — everyone comes from a starkly different background and with a different path to success.
For instance, Matteo Titarreli's journey "started about two years ago when [he] fell into the crypto rabbit hole," but this quickly deepened beyond investing when he "started reading some books[...] like the Bitcoin Standard," and "cross-referencing that with other favorite books, like Sapiens." This was when he found the "huge potential and opportunity for investing in a lot of societal models."
Meanwhile, Aleyna Dogan "was initially focused on the problems of Web2," like "data, privacy, and psychological problems." This led to a natural transition because she believes "We could resolve some of these problems in Web2 with Web3," and has been dedicated to "uplifting "more women's voices and underrepresented voices" so that we don't make the same mistakes of the past in this "new iteration of the Internet."
And, finally, Tom Sargent took an even different route, "from an engineer to an even bigger problem solver, trying to tackle the human psyche." Now, he’s been “involved in the Web3 industry and the Web3 revolution, that's ongoing” for nearly three or four years.
🎙️ Listen to the full interview here! …or want to hear from more leaders in the space? Follow us on Twitter to catch our bi-weekly Twitter Spaces!
Despite the differences in experience and entry points, one thing that rings true for all of them is the focus on building a new — and better — Internet for the people using it.
The good news? There's space for everyone here, and as Web3 continues to grow and mature, it needs a diverse array of people and skills to reach fruition.
So, what does it take to enter Web3?
We spoke to these three skilled marketers, already deep in the space, about what it took for them to get here, why Web3, and what they think is necessary to succeed as a Web3 marketer. Who are you hearing from?
Matteo Tittarelli
Independent Growth Lead
Matteo is a growth and go-to-market operator with seven years of experience in SaaS, marketplaces, and most recently Web3 startups. Passionate about marketing products that drive a positive change in our world, Matteo has been advising Web3 startups on Polkadot, Terra, and Algorand on building growth strategies to acquire, retain, and monetize their customers. He is a firm believer of the power of NFTs as a powerful vehicle to create, incentivize, and mobilize communities and create new economies.
Aleyna Dogan
Tech Ethicist, Entrepreneur, and Writer
Aleyna works at Vayner3, and has been publishing the NFTimes newsletter for over a year. She educates and onboards artists, and is a vocal advocate for women and LGBTQ+ people in Web3. She previously gave workshops about NFTs to startups, and a masterclass about IP rights and ethics in web3 at Istanbul University. She has been on various podcasts talking about ethics in Web3, hosts a weekly Twitter Spaces with Rarible, and publishes other articles in Web3 various publications.
LinkedIn | Twitter | Newsletter
Tom Sargent
Growth, Gaming, NFT Marketing & Comm Strategy
Tom is a Web3 Marketer and Growth Hacker. He’s been helping both brands and creators launch their own Web3 ideas and experiences since 2020, mostly focussing on blockchain gaming and the Metaverse. He has been a data-driven marketer for the last seven years in a variety of tech industries, from AI systems that are solving some of the world's biggest problems to drone delivery systems during Covid, and all the way to using lasers to clean up space debris.
🎙️ Listen to the full interview here! …or want to hear from more leaders in the space? Follow us on Twitter to catch our bi-weekly Twitter Spaces!
Unsurprisingly, for all three, the key to marketing is holding people at the core. Given the community focus and the need to understand your audience, this is not only the single most useful tactic for building and reaching an audience, but also comes into play when designing the products that make up, and will continue to set the stage for Web3.
As such, Tittarelli relies on the "first principles of thinking" to get to the core of the desires and needs that bring people to Web3. While this is not new to Web3, this tactic, Tittarelli expanded that:
"when you build a Web3 product, you're always trying to acquire customers. You're trying to retain them, monetizing, but also, giving them value. And so, in a sense, those growth marketing and growth product frameworks were extremely helpful for me to understand how I can use first principles to reapply them in the context of new channels, new narratives, and [...] incentives that are more congenial and native" to Web3.
And while Tittarelli's response may have you pausing to wonder why a marketer is so deeply involved not only in the marketing, but also the ideation about how Web3 products are developed and how they better serve people, he's not alone. Both Dogan and Sargent not only echo, but build on his sentiment.
The focus that Dogan holds on uplifting women and other underrepresented people in the space is important not only for making this space more inclusive, but in making even better products. Something that is true in both Web2 and Web3, as Sargent highlights with the "improvement in UX and a real uptake in UX design," in Web2 over the last three to four years "which has been fundamentally led by diversity" and efforts by many underrepresented people to see products that everyone can use…and products that ultimately are easier for every user, not just those with accessibility needs.
For Dogan, this comes down to "being mindful" because "the decisions that we're making in terms of UI have the possibility of becoming a standard in the future in terms of Web3 websites and products." And in Web3 that is often even more important. Not just because of the newness of the space, but because of the nature of the solutions that are being produced here. These are often "non custodial" meaning that "we need to build both safe products" based on better UI/UX, and also "educate people in how to take ownership of their wallets" and assets according to Dogan.
She continues that "you should know what it means to own that digital assets and how to make it safe initially," a role which so far, has often fallen to marketers as an initial line in how projects communicate with their user base.
💡 Tip: Tittarelli got started in the space by reaching out to friends who introduced him to different aspects of the space to see if they knew of any projects that needed help. He was also willing to cut his rates for the chance to be involved.
Take away? Experience is key in this space. Sometimes, you'll feel like you're moving backwards by working for less or volunteering, but these starts can build other's confidence in your understanding of the space and ability to take on higher paid roles!
So, what is it that a Web3 marketer actually does?
First, of course, market the products and services of this space. But, given the newness and potential to have much deeper impact, many also take on the role of pushing for better products, greater awareness and mindfulness when developing products, and, of course, educating and teaching new entrants about this space and how to navigate it effectively.
Bottom line? Most people aren't here just to work. They're here because they want to be part of something much bigger, and Web3 is still young enough to be influenced by the people who take up the call.
✨ Have any experiences to share or want to learn more? Join our Discord to talk now, or contribute directly to the Third Academy Library by applying to be a contributor below!✨
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