Web3 branding guide

Welcome back to Web3 Creator!

Today, we’re diving deep into the branding guide for any Web3 startup and discussing how to build the right culture in Web3 coming from Web2.

~1237 words, a 3-4 minute read. 

You can reach us at [email protected] for any reader queries or feedback.

Let’s get into the headlines:

• Web3 Branding Guide

• Quick News & Updates

• Charted Insights

Web3 branding guide:  6 elements & 5 brand assets

What makes a great Web3 brand? Let's explore key elements to help your project stand out in the crowded Web3 space.

First impressions matter. Your brand strategy and design must be spot-on to capture attention. Unique ideas and products are great, but your brand hooks your audience.

Your brand visuals must convey safety, trust, and quality. Meanwhile, your brand strategy should build lasting connections with your audience. Make your brand approachable and educational to avoid losing potential users who might feel alienated.

Here are 6 elements to look over:

1. Brand Strategy

A solid brand strategy is your foundation. It defines your values, goals, and personality. It includes:

• Core: Purpose, vision, values

• Positioning: Audience, market, goals

• Personality: Tone of voice, tagline

This strategy builds trust, motivates your team, and guides your brand's development.

Example: Chainlink's brand strategy focuses on being a reliable and secure oracle network for smart contracts, emphasizing trust and quality through its positioning and core values.

2. Logo

• Your logo should encapsulate your brand values. 

• Ensure it's versatile enough for various applications, including small-scale icons for tokens. 

• Avoid detailed designs to maintain recognizability.

Example: The Ethereum logo is simple, recognizable, and versatile, working well across various applications and scales, including its representation as a token.

3. Color palette

Color conveys brand values. 

Use color psychology to select colors that represent your brand. Remember, these colors will extend beyond your logo to your visual imagery, website, and social media.

Example: Uniswap uses a bright pink color palette, which stands out in the DeFi space and conveys a sense of innovation and vibrancy across its platforms.

4. Typography

Choose fonts that are legible and reflect your brand's personality. Serif fonts suggest tradition and trust, while sans serif fonts offer a modern, approachable feel.

Example: Polkadot uses modern sans serif typography that reflects its innovative approach to blockchain interoperability

5. Tone of voice

Your tone of voice helps build relationships with your audience. 

Imagine your brand as a person and write in a way that reflects their personality traits. This is crucial for engaging with users, especially on digital platforms.

Example: Magic Eden is famous for engaging regularly with their audience on X in a funny manner. By setting a unique tone of voice, you can easily set your brand apart.

6. Brand imagery

Consistent and relevant imagery across your brand gives a sense of reliability. Use matching visuals for everything from vector icons to photographs and illustrations.

Example: Solana uses a cohesive set of visuals, including sleek vector graphics and professional photography, to maintain a consistent and polished brand image.

5 brand assets to develop:

1. Brand guidelines: Keep a document that outlines your brand's rules and guidelines. This ensures your brand appears cohesive across all touchpoints.

2. Social media: Maintain visual consistency across platforms like Telegram, Discord, and Twitter. Use templates for posts and graphics to establish brand recognition.

3. Pitch deck: A well-designed pitch deck can capture investor attention and is essential for raising funds or finding partners.

4. Whitepaper: A whitepaper explains key problems and how your product solves them. It should align with your brand guidelines in terms of design.

5. Promo videos: Videos are a powerful way to market your brand. Create engaging promo videos of various lengths to showcase your products and services.

Why this matters: Your visual brand assets are often the first encounter users have with your brand. Strong, visually appealing branding is crucial in the fast-evolving Web3 industry. 

How to build the right culture for web3

To leverage Web3 technologies, Web2 companies should start by building the right culture. Web3 is all about "a change in how we are looking at our community and our audiences."

The intersection of web2 and web3: Many years ago, there was a belief that e-commerce would replace retail. However, both industries now coexist and complement each other. According to Looi Qin En from Saison Capital, Web3 and Web2 companies are heading in the same direction.

Building a web3-friendly culture: To implement Web3, Web2 companies should start by building a company culture that embraces a "Web3 mindset."

Start small: Shaun Heng from Spartan Labs suggested setting up a small group of employees passionate about Web3. This group can share information and start integrating Web3 culture within the organization. You don’t need to overhaul your business model right away.

Learn from success: Look at successful transitions, like Reddit’s launch of its NFT marketplace. Reddit listened to its community and figured out what interested them. This approach can guide other companies in their Web3 journey.

Clear the misconceptions:

• Many people have heard of NFTs, few understand the full scope of Web3 technologies. Web3 is much more than NFTs. Each business needs to find its unique way of leveraging these new tools.

• While Web3 technology is often associated with cryptocurrencies, it has the potential to solve real-world problems. This potential needs to be explored further.

• Web3 requires a different approach than Web2. Traditional marketing strategies don’t work in Web3. There needs to be a change in mindset.

Why this matters:Transitioning to Web3 is not just about adopting new technologies; it’s about changing how you view and engage with your audience. Start small, build a supportive culture, and learn from others who have successfully made the leap.

Quick news & updates from the decentralized world 🗺️

• FTX has reached a $200 million settlement with the IRS on outstanding taxes, removing a major hurdle from the bankruptcy process. [Link]

• Spot bitcoin ETFs see $887 million in daily net inflows, the second highest so far. [Link]

• New Texas Stock Exchange gets backing from BlackRock and Citadel, aims for 2025 launch. [Link]

• Hackers exploit Chrome plugin to steal millions from Binance accounts. [Link]

• SingularityNET announces ASI token merger dates for FET, AGIX, OCEAN. [Link]

• Consensus 2024: Reacting to Trump verdict during crypto conference. [Link]

• BNB token breaks through $700, price sets new all-time high. [Link]

Charted insights: highest net inflows to the funds since March 12!

United States-based spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw inflow day of $886.6 million, their 2nd-best-ever joint net according to preliminary data.

The Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) saw the largest inflow at $378.7 million, while BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) was second with $274.4 million, according to early data from Farside Investors.

The ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) was the third-best performer with $138.7 million in net inflows, Farside data shows.

Editor’s Note: Bitcoin BTC $70,565 - All eyes are on Bitcoin hitting $72,000 as analysts suggest this will act as a catalyst for mass liquidations and a move past the psychological $75k barrier. Another reason found was the lowest US job openings in three years are recorded— a sign of a slowing economy. 

Next issue preview: We’ll discuss the guide to Web3 Marketing Strategy in 2024…

That’s it for today! See you next week for more B2B crypto insights for your business.