a16z Crypto Marketing Guide: How Founders Can Avoid Pitfalls from Developer Ecosystems to Token Launches
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a16z Crypto Marketing Guide: How Founders Can Avoid Pitfalls from Developer Ecosystems to Token Launches
The essence of cryptocurrency marketing is ecosystem coordination.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsSource: Marketing 101 for Startups: Token Launches, Memes, Reaching Devs & More
Compiled & Translated by: lenaxin, ChainCatcher
Editor's Note:
This article is compiled and translated from the "Web3 Frontier" series by a16z, focusing on the differences between marketing in crypto and traditional tech industries.
Guests include Amanda Tyler, Claire Kart, and Kim Milosevich. They delve into practical experiences around reputation building, developer community management, talent recruitment, token launches, founder branding, and share effective strategies and common pitfalls.
ChainCatcher has compiled and translated the content.
TL&DR
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The biggest challenge in crypto marketing is the extremely small target audience.
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The uniqueness of crypto lies in its small size and low barriers to entry.
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The essence of crypto marketing is ecosystem coordination.
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The core of crypto event strategy is precise targeting.
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Crypto marketing requires redefining growth—developer communities thrive on precise value alignment.
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To build an influential brand in crypto, deep connection with founders is essential.
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When evaluating Layer2 strategy, resource endowments determine differentiation.
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Developer Relations (DevRel) must be deeply integrated into the marketing framework.
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Success in developer ecosystems depends on closing the loop between "product, economics, and community."
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The core of token launches is balancing dual attributes—they are both marketing events and financial products.
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The key to community strategy is identifying the right types of participants for long-term investment.
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Advice for founders: Position yourself as a domain expert, not a product salesman.
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For community-driven projects, marketing should start earlier.
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Marketing team building should follow the dual standard of "generalist foundation + vertical specialization."
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High-quality content creation requires consistent input and feedback from founders or core team members.
(1) Stepping Into the Spotlight: The Founder’s Brand Leverage in Crypto
Kim Milosevich: As heads of marketing and communications, what role should we play? Should we be front-facing or operate behind the scenes?
Claire Kart: Tech marketers often work behind the scenes—a model that works well traditionally. But in crypto, technical founders tend to stay quiet, causing teams to miss valuable exposure opportunities. In this early-stage industry, finding top talent is like searching for a needle in a haystack. That’s why I’ve chosen to step forward. Crypto relies heavily on marketing and community; users want to hear directly from leadership.
Hiring is also tough. While things are improving, skilled crypto marketers remain scarce. Building a personal brand not only generates referrals but attracts inbound candidates, significantly boosting hiring efficiency.
Amanda Tyler: Establishing a personal presence on Twitter dramatically improved my recruiting effectiveness. This direct trust-building approach is ideal for early-stage startups. When candidates resonate with your values and journey, a simple “Let’s chat” becomes natural.
Claire Kart: People choose jobs based more on who they’ll work with than the company itself. While vision and work matter, the deciding factor is often the team. A cold outreach from an unknown startup may get ignored—but if it comes from someone you know, you’ll at least consider it.
(2) The Uniqueness and Core Logic of Crypto Marketing
Kim Milosevich: Is this phenomenon unique to crypto or a general rule? What fundamentally differentiates crypto marketing from traditional tech marketing?
Claire Kart: I see crypto as closer to a cult of personality. Think Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg—they invested heavily in personal branding, writing books, doing media tours. But in crypto, this seems even more pronounced, though I can’t quite explain why.
Amanda Tyler: The uniqueness of crypto lies in its small size and low barriers. For example, in my twenties, I built a large Instagram following through a parenting blog. But when I entered crypto, I immediately felt like a big fish in a small pond—it’s far easier to build influence here.
The space consists of distinct subcultures. Newcomers can quickly identify target communities and key players. In contrast, traditional fields like Zuckerberg’s require higher barriers and more formal credentials. Crypto’s early stage offers unique advantages for content creators.
Kim Milosevich: As a project, how should one differentiate and precisely attract the target audience?
Amanda Tyler: The biggest challenge in crypto marketing is the tiny target audience. In 2023, there were only 23,000 monthly active crypto developers—projected to reach 30,000 in 2024. That’s less than 0.1% of the world’s 28 million developers. In such a niche market, marketing must focus on three core needs of developers:
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Technical: Solving real problems like composability in Rollup ecosystems
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Economic: Exploring sustainable funding models for public goods development
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Value: Crafting a compelling, unique value proposition for developers
Claire Kart: Crypto marketing requires redefining growth—developer communities are driven by precise value resonance. Economic incentives are just the starting point. Real growth comes from building a technical utopia where developers find professional purpose and belonging. Once achieved, they become organic advocates for the ecosystem.
We need to abandon internet-era scale-at-all-costs thinking and embrace “depth-first” strategies: understand each core developer’s technical preferences—even their pet’s name—and perfect the experience for the first 10 users. Technical idealism is the best medium of propagation. Here, 100 deeply engaged participants outweigh 10,000 superficial ones. True growth stems from these non-scalable, deep connections.
(3) Growing in Ethereum’s Shadow: Layer2 Positioning and Strategic Trade-offs
Kim Milosevich: Do Layer2 projects need to deeply align with Ethereum’s community culture to market effectively?
Claire Kart: Amanda has deeper experience in Ethereum ecosystem operations. Before joining Aztec, I worked at another Layer1 and have been reflecting on this lately—the sentiment in the Ethereum community ebbs and flows, sometimes filled with revolutionary zeal, other times mired in skepticism over foundation decisions. As a Layer2, we’re still figuring out how best to ride Ethereum’s momentum without losing our own identity.
Amanda Tyler: The Rollup ecosystem extends Ethereum’s culture. Its openness fosters a unique “coopetition” dynamic—where all Layer2s collectively grow Ethereum’s network. This demands marketing that balances dual positioning: highlight business value while emphasizing the core mission of scaling Ethereum. The most powerful proof? Technical integration—like defaulting to ETH for gas fees. That speaks louder than any slogan about symbiotic relationship.
Kim Milosevich: Is the rise of the Layer2 ecosystem reshaping how developers perceive Ethereum’s value?
Claire Kart: When evaluating Layer2 strategy, resource endowments determine differentiation. Well-funded projects like Coinbase’s BASE can leverage corporate resources to build independent brands. Resource-constrained Layer2s, however, must tightly align with Ethereum to benefit from its credibility during cold starts. This resource-based marketing choice reflects crypto’s “Matthew effect”—the strong get stronger. Emerging projects must use leverage wisely.
(4) DevRel × Marketing: The Synergistic Engine Driving Ecosystem Growth
Kim Milosevich: How should community management and Developer Relations (DevRel) strategically align with marketing?
Claire Kart: I’ve experienced two models: in full-funnel marketing, DevRel focuses on mid-to-late funnel conversion, serving developers already aware of the project and ready to deploy. At Aztec, due to product complexity, DevRel is embedded within the product team. While this enables deep collaboration, it introduces two challenges: ensuring consistent user targeting and preventing disconnect between marketing acquisition and developer support.
Amanda Tyler: Developer Relations (DevRel) must be deeply integrated into the marketing system. Developer documentation—the first touchpoint—must maintain consistent tone and conversion paths. Today, DevRel is evolving into content creation, producing coding tutorials to solve tooling pain points. We’ve found such content boosts engagement, proving the industry needs interactive formats that break down information silos. This evolution demands stronger marketing mindset and execution from DevRel teams.
Kim Milosevich: How should blockchain projects develop effective on-chain developer support strategies?
Claire Kart: Developer ecosystem success hinges on closing the “product-economics-community” loop. Take privacy tech: its specialization naturally filters for the right developers. During cold start, pursue dual goals: uncover commercial potential while tracking early developers’ progress, offering high-value support like media exposure or strategic advice at critical moments. This deep operation is hard to scale but vital for building defensible moats.
Amanda Tyler: The essence of crypto marketing is ecosystem coordination. It’s not just uncovering developer stories—it’s proactively identifying needs and driving product iteration. The core is empowering developers to succeed: engage early on GitHub or Twitter, solve real build challenges first, then amplify once the project matures. This “empower first, amplify later” closed-loop model is the true path to effective ecosystem building.
(5) Coordinating Ecosystems and Filtering Noise: Systemic Thinking from Token Launches to Brand Alignment
Kim Milosevich: How do you pinpoint meaningful feedback in crypto’s noisy, information-overloaded communities?
Amanda Tyler: To track early adoption of new token standards, I follow these steps:
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Analyze repository clone records to spot many newly created accounts
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Filter for real developers and reach out via Twitter to understand usage needs
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Simultaneously validate documentation and feed user insights directly to product teams
This process embodies a “firsthand developer insight sourcing” methodology.
Kim Milosevich: How do you build a comprehensive lifecycle management system for token launches?
Claire Kart: The core of token launches is balancing dual attributes: it’s both a marketing campaign and a financial product. The quality of the economic model determines a project’s fate. Choose between explosive or gradual rollout based on project nature. Execution requires three keys:
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Work closely with economists to define token value—avoid copying templates;
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Study real-world use cases and user behaviors across markets;
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Establish robust post-launch governance: manage community sentiment, team incentives, and disclosure norms.
These challenges mirror those faced by public companies in governance.
Kim Milosevich: How do you build a full-cycle operational system for token launches, ensuring a closed loop from economic design to community governance?
Claire Kart: The core of community strategy is clarifying who deserves long-term investment. As you noted, bots and AI accounts flood communities, making it hard to spot real users. So precise targeting is crucial:
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Cultivate highly aligned early supporters during testnet phases
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For PoS networks, node operators and validators—whether institutional or individual stakers—are key opinion leaders
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Build structured engagement mechanisms like regular community calls
The key is gathering broad feedback while learning to filter noise. Responding to every online comment leads only to drowning in useless data.
Kim Milosevich: How does the split structure of foundations and labs create challenges for marketing teams? And how can brand alignment be achieved while maintaining organizational independence?
Amanda Tyler: In practice, I use differentiated communication strategies for this dual structure:
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Labs side: Cultivate technical leaders as voices—e.g., give product leads verified accounts to announce tech updates (like custom gas token upgrades), then amplify via official channels.
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Foundation side: Focus on strategic brand messaging to shape industry perception.
This maintains narrative independence while creating synergy in execution.
Claire Kart: This dual-team model has pros and cons. Benefits include strategic alignment with seasoned marketing talent—e.g., joint planning at DevCon marketing summits strengthens technical ties and reduces management load. But the main drawback is duplicated resources. During bear markets, maintaining two executive teams (GC/CFO/CMO) creates significant financial strain.
(6) Brands Are Built by People: Dual Strategy of Founder Influence and Marketing Resources
Kim Milosevich: How should founders professionally build their personal brand (IP)?
Amanda Tyler: Key advice: Position yourself as a domain expert, not a product salesperson. Specific tactics:
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Discuss industry pain points through expert lens—not direct product pitches
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Publicly build influence via technical insights
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Use personal channels to share deep perspectives
Take Optimism’s founders—their words carry weight because they’re rare and insightful. They don’t speak often, but when they do, it’s substantive. This restrained, expert tone is worth emulating.
Claire Kart: Founders should pick the most natural expression format: podcast if good at conversation, long-form writing if skilled at prose, video if camera-ready. Don’t force uncomfortable formats—e.g., avoid big stages if shy. The key is infusing expertise with personal style: add humor if witty, design creative formats if inventive. Find a comfortable-yet-professional output mode, then pair it with smart distribution.
Kim Milosevich: How can founders build personal IP within their comfort zone while planning a progressive growth path?
Claire Kart: For founders starting out, begin with the easiest entry point: focus on one thing, mobilize full company support, and create a few signature moments to build momentum. This beats forcing a founder to post 10 tweets daily. The goal is having something meaningful to say—say it well, and the rest follows.
Kim Milosevich: Should founders fully delegate their personal IP and core company narratives (mission/values/positioning) to marketing teams?
Claire Kart: My role is to help founders express their core vision. Founders must own the articulation of company DNA and technical direction—that’s what wins investor trust. We offer professional support—from ghostwriting to strategy sessions—but always insist founders produce original content. Teams refine and package it. Because what resonates isn’t polished marketing jargon, but authentic entrepreneurial passion.
Amanda Tyler: To build an influential brand in crypto, you must form a deep connection with the founder. Only through one-on-one dialogue can you truly grasp their vision and motivation—this injects soul into the brand story. It’s the foundation of successful marketing. No shortcuts.
Kim Milosevich: Key question on marketing resourcing: When to hire a full-time marketing lead vs. bring in consultants or agencies?
Amanda Tyler: Crypto marketing is unique: you often market concepts and visions before the product is ready. This phase demands constant experimentation to find the right message.
My advice: Begin marketing six months before launch. Announcing non-existent products too early breeds skepticism; starting too late misses opportunities. The key is finding the golden window—align storytelling with product delivery timelines.
Claire Kart: For community-built projects, marketing should start even earlier. For example, during decentralized testnets, even without a “real product” or mainnet, you need to attract node operators.
I help founders clarify real needs:
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If ongoing community operations are needed (weekly recaps, progress updates), a dedicated person may be necessary
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If needs are temporary, consultants or agencies might suffice
It’s crucial to distinguish real needs from external pressure—hiring out of anxiety rarely works.
Amanda Tyler: Working with marketing agencies in crypto poses unique challenges. Due to the field’s depth, you must invest significant time training them—otherwise, they won’t truly grasp the product, and outputs will fall flat.
Claire Kart: Crypto marketing agencies fall into two buckets: large generalists and specialized boutique firms. Seasoned marketers often fare better with boutiques—they deliver high-quality, tailored results. Long-term partnerships with studios are especially valuable. But founders, lacking experience, face risks regardless of choice.
(7) Getting Started: From Agency Collaboration to Team Building for Early-Stage Projects
Kim Milosevich: How can founders without marketing experience effectively select and manage professional marketing agencies?
Claire Kart: Many founders hold a misconception: signing an agency contract will magically solve all marketing problems.
Amanda Tyler: With small boutique agencies, I’ve found a winning model: provide clear, narrowly scoped campaign briefs. This bounded approach prevents internal narrative chaos and ensures quality output—it’s my preferred collaboration style.
Kim Milosevich: As the first full-time marketing hire at a startup, how should one prioritize hiring? What core skills should this person have?
Claire Kart: When hiring a startup’s first marketing lead, my principle is simple: only hire someone I’ve worked with before. This person must meet three criteria: deep understanding of my working style, seamless collaboration ability, and willingness to roll up sleeves (in early days, even CMOs run social media). Experience shows this trusted partnership accelerates progress—compared to risky hires, familiar teammates withstand startup pressure better and prevent team misalignment.
Kim Milosevich: How should early-stage startups balance specialist depth with functional flexibility?
Amanda Tyler: Marketing team building should follow the “generalist foundation + vertical specialization” dual standard. Every member must handle basics like tweets, emails, live streams, while also possessing deep expertise in a specific area. This domain-based (not function-based) team structure maximizes small-team efficiency. No rigid job silos—each person is both a generalist and a specialist.
Kim Milosevich: When hiring crypto talent, is “native to the industry” background mandatory?
Amanda Tyler: It depends on the role. For comms roles (writing, PR), industry knowledge can be learned. We all started from zero—no one was born knowing crypto. What matters is sustained curiosity: I still read every major update daily. If I can do it, so can our comms lead.
Kim Milosevich: How to balance technical talent’s expertise with crypto industry fit? When and how should editorial talent be brought in?
Claire Kart: Crypto hiring should return to business fundamentals. SaaS projects targeting developers can recruit proven marketers from traditional tech—e.g., experts in developer community management. Instead of fixating on “must have crypto experience,” assess transferable skills. Access to rich SaaS talent pools in places like San Francisco allows crypto projects to onboard battle-tested marketers quickly.
Amanda Tyler: Content creators and technical writers need a clear strategic roadmap to be effective. Many companies hire docs engineers just to translate product roadmaps, but these roles often lack the ability to connect short-term tasks with a six-month strategy.
Claire Kart: When considering hiring a content creator, think through three layers: First, identify the specific pain point writing will solve. Second, clearly define scope—don’t leave it at “responsible for writing.” Most importantly, establish collaboration mechanisms—high-quality content requires ongoing input and feedback from founders or the team. It’s never solved by hiring a single writer.
Kim Milosevich: How to ensure new content creators thrive in decentralized team structures?
Claire Kart: Before hiring a full-time content creator, founders must clarify the first deliverable. Often, such needs don’t require a full-time role. Founders commonly make two mistakes: hiring agencies or full-timers too early, and underestimating existing networks. A more pragmatic approach is project-based or temporary support—especially for one-off content needs. Blindly hiring full-timers often leads to misallocated resources.
(8) Local Presence and Resonance: Integrating Local Operations with Community Culture
Kim Milosevich: How can crypto projects efficiently build global local operations?
Claire Kart: The core of global crypto operations is building local trust networks. Entering new markets requires reliable introductions to local partners—business cultures vary widely. Some regions prefer trust-based long-term relationships over standardized U.S.-style contracts. Without local ties, cultural misunderstandings and communication breakdowns occur. The optimal path is leveraging existing networks for endorsement, not cold-starting with strangers.
Amanda Tyler: We used localized Discord channels to identify and nurture highly active community members. Our model: systematically train locals on project documentation, gradually building a decentralized network of cultural ambassadors. This tool-native localization builds new forms of online relationships, fostering community through frequent interaction.
Claire Kart: Community operations require identifying and cultivating core supporters. During key project phases, active contributors become valuable talent sources. Bring them into formal programs—tech ambassadors or local event organizers—to maintain engagement and build market footholds. When hiring service providers later, these relationships offer references and reduce cold-start friction. Post-grant models prove their worth through realistic evaluation.
Kim Milosevich: What is the strategic positioning and execution methodology for events in crypto?
Amanda Tyler: The core of crypto event strategy is precise targeting. Large events boost brand visibility but offer unclear ROI. In contrast, small, high-end events enable cost-effective business development and key networking. Mature projects should focus on high-value participants; emerging projects should avoid blind exhibition and instead host niche, high-quality events. It’s about quality over scale.
Claire Kart: Crypto event strategy should follow three principles:
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Align with the product roadmap—coordinate major launches with key events;
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Manage budgets rigorously—don’t treat sponsorship as mere relationship maintenance. All sponsorships must serve clear ecosystem goals;
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Focus on efficient formats: closed-door meetings for core influencers, developer conferences for technical audiences.
In-person events let teams observe developer feedback firsthand, identify potential users, and even discover regional communities—unlocking global expansion opportunities.
Kim Milosevich: How should crypto marketing balance technical rigor with community-driven, entertaining expression?
Claire Kart: Crypto marketing should leverage meme culture as a unique storytelling tool. Memes elegantly simplify complex ideas and strengthen community belonging. The key is balance: keep core accounts professional, but allow room for creative freedom among ops teams. This boosts morale and drives quality content. Treat memes as an integrated part of strategy—test and refine expressions that resonate, rather than using them randomly.
Amanda Tyler: Our meme strategy is moderate: we mainly support ecosystem projects’ content, staying relatively restrained in our own creations. We follow three rules: maintain positive, constructive tone; preserve brand identity amid playful industry vibes; use internal meme sharing to track trends. This balanced approach lets us participate in community culture while managing communication risks.
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