At the beginning of the Internet, users relied on multiple software and services to accomplish a single task. To play a video game, you had to purchase an online game and connect with your friends via IRC (Internet Relay Chat) and Ventrollo. This is Web1 — a decentralized platform operating in a pluralistic framework. Now, all of the tasks mentioned can be accomplished on Twitch and Discord — this is Web2. Web2 enabled giants like Meta and Alphabet to consolidate crucial auxiliary objectives such as gaining followers, sharing updates, promoting products, and building an online persona into a single website/application.
Welcome to Web3
Web3, also known as 'the new internet' is a term used for a brand new rendition of the internet that presents the option of decentralization. You've surely read and heard about this brand new Internet, but how does Web3 embed into our properties? It's pretty simple: through user behavior.
Although it sounds like a succession — something like 3G, 4G, and 5G — Web3 is not an upgrade from Web2. Instead, it exists simultaneously and is supported by the Web2 frameworks. You don't have to upgrade from Web3 to Web3.
The Need for Web3
Instagram is a great place to build your platform and gain followers, but it comes with its own cons. Web2 companies like Meta collect plenty of data on the backs of consumers. On the parallel side, these companies have now consolidated the platform and have a monopoly in the market.
The need for Web3 comes from people realizing the dangers of BigTech overreach. People are now interested in building tools that give the power back to the users. Context: for every dollar that YouTube advertising generates, creators get only 55%. Couple this with the risk of losing your entire work at the whim of a YouTube executive. Web3 is the solution to this precarious system. Instead of channelling money through centralized platforms, creators will now deal directly with the users.
Every time you stumble upon the Internet, sites like Facebook and YouTube get a hold of your data. This data is then sold to other companies. While Advertising isn't entirely harmless, it is not the only space that gets a hold of your data. Here are some very scary examples:
· Ancentry.com retains the DNA of more than 26 million people
· Twitter fined for selling user data
· Apple sells data to Google
The strive for Web3 goes beyond privacy. It's actually about what we can control. Not distributing our data to monopolistic companies has been a major point of infliction in the quest toward Web3. Just like a slippery slope can turn into an avalanche in mere seconds, giving a tremendous amount of power to a single entity can take an ugly turn in quick succession.
Why Web3?
Blockchain and Web3 is the emerging choice for the next generation of Internet users. Here are the main reasons why:
1. Privacy & Security: Web3 is an improved version of the web, built through the best cryptographic technologies that ensure that Internet users are able to secure their data from hackers and prying companies.
2. Storage Decentralization: The IPFS (InterPlanetary File System) is designed to store data in multiple devices to deter any breaching efforts. Each file storage has its own security and the system operates simultaneously around the globe.
3. Anonymity: Users can choose to remain anonymous and operate in seclusion, all the while high-stake businesses and social media reputations.
Key Features of Digital Marketing in Web3
1. Artificial Intelligence
Web3 operates on Natural Language Processing (NLP) and interprets data in a much more reliable form. This opens pathways for a more linear and consistent reading of data sets. AI is beautifully woven through the entire structure of Web3, and it bodes perfectly well with digital marketing campaigns that rely on human behaviour to target audiences.
2. Decentralization
The primary feature of Web3 is decentralization. In this realm, the data isn't held by a giant database. Decentralization ditches the use of HTTP protocol to find pre-stored information on servers. In Web3, information is not restricted to a single location — instead, it is intentionally spread out.
3. No middlemen
Web3 allows individuals to take control of their data. Through this, individuals can directly exchange value with each other and require no meddling of an intermediator. We've grown used to operating on highly centralised platforms such as Meta and Google. Although they come with their own perks, they also leave users privy to security breaches and information manipulation. Web3 opens pathways to data ownership, which is an essential step to achieving complete freedom on the web.
4. No external authorization
Users on Web3 no longer have to rely on third-party authorization to view data. Imagine not having to share your information (and biometrics) with third parties for authorization. the removal of obstruction increases the chances of user security and privacy.
The Impact of Web3 on Digital Marketing
The buzz around Web3, NFTs, and Metaverse is seemingly inescapable now. I am constantly fielding questions on what it means for digital marketing and social media-based promotional campaigns.
Web3 is being marketed as its predecessors' smarter, more sophisticated version. The new and immersive technology is targeted toward users who want to interact with brands and have a first-hand experience of distinct products.
Digital Marketing in the Metaverse
The Metaverse is here to create a surrounding and immersive space for consumers. The unbounded access is the luxury of this space and is a fun and personalized way of interacting with people far away from you. Yet the space comes with challenges of its own.
You no longer have to imagine being in an alternative space where space and geopoints dictate the level of access and communication. We are already there. Metaverse combines the marketing lessons of Web1 and Web2 to create a mature, more sophisticated experience on the Internet for users.
Marketing via Tokens
Marketing is all about engaging with people and delivering your message. The gist of old-school marketing is to be relatable, likeable, and authentic. The future of a brand's marketing lies heavily on the authenticity of the marketing campaign. Tokens and Web3 marketing take it up a notch by ensuring that users can have an equal stake in the engagement, buying, and selling of products.
Summing Up
Blockchain and Crypto went from pipe dreams to billion-dollar innovations because they were able to gear the market toward universal ownership and direct linkage. Brands are discovering NFT markets and establishing unique bonds with their base based on their will to build authentic communities. While we may have been introduced to the platform, we're still conflicted on the road to marketing on Web3. I think it will be a fascinating journey with space for many trials and errors. Regardless, I can faithfully predict that the biggest net gainer of the process will be the user.
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