Alright, let’s talk about blockchain branding. If you haven’t already started working on your blockchain brand, then what’s the hold up?
Half the world doesn’t even know what blockchain is, and fewer know anything about how it actually works, so blockchain startups have their work cut out for them on the branding side.
But what does it take to successfully brand a blockchain startup? Can this be done in-house, or is some type of blockchain branding agency the better solution?
More importantly, what steps need to be taken and why?
Here we take a look at how to brand a blockchain startup successfully, from finding your identity to knowing what effective strategies branding agencies use and why storytelling is so important.
Know Yourself
What is your brand? A simple question, but one that requires a lot of soul searching.
Is it just a logo? Is it a slogan, or is it something that stands for something greater?
By simply questioning who your startup is and what your mission is, you then have a solid foundation that can guide you towards where we want your blockchain startup to be in the future.
This is your first-step towards building a successful blockchain brand.
Take cryptocurrency exchange platform Kraken as a company whose branding is consistent across the board.
For example, Kraken supports multiple digital assets and this is reflected in its logo which features the mythical creature with multiple tentacles.
Kraken’s website design continues the mythical theme with graphic novel-like illustrations while slogans like “Keep sailing the high seas of success!” are consistent in their tone and message.
Because Kraken knows itself, it is able to create and maintain an identity. That identity remains constant throughout all of its branding strategies,which helps create a level of trust and confidence for anyone who comes across the brand.
Blockchain Branding Agency Strategies
If you have the capital, but don’t have the time, then enlisting a creative blockchain branding agency can take care of most of the leg work for you.
Any branding agency worth its salt will provide solutions such as:
- Design
- Market research
- Finding the target audience
- Sizing up the competition
- Making your startup unforgettable
These solutions should go into any DIY branding strategy, but you should get most or all of them when you hire a specialist.
Many agencies that offer branding also provide services beyond that to include blockchain PR, marketing, storytelling, advertising, or consulting.
Searched is one such agency that specializes in branding for blockchain startups, but it also has a wide range of marketing solutions.
Its take on branding is that “a brand is more than just a logo, it’s who you are, what defines your company and everything it stands for to the benefit of your consumers and your bottom line.”
For the more crypto-inclined blockchain startups out there, Crypto Gang Agency says that Having a great idea alone is not enough anymore, and your company has to stand out to be successful.
“It’s about emotions that people have when they hear about your project,” according to the company website.
Spellbrand is another leader in the blockchain branding space.
In fact, its Blockchain Brand Identity Report ranks the top blockchain startups based on their branding alone. If you want to scope out the competition and see what others have done and where they’ve failed and succeeded, then we highly recommend checking out Spellbrand’s report on 50 of the most popular blockchain startups above.
However, to get under the skin of brand building, you need to have a story.
Storytelling
Logos, catchphrases, and website design are all essential parts of branding, but they are somewhat skin-deep.
Branding ain’t no rodeo like in the old days. Sticking a hot iron poker into a blazing fire before searing it onto some product and calling it a day may be good for cowboys but not for crypto companies.
In order to round-off your blockchain startup’s branding successfully, you really need to invest in storytelling.
Remember how we started the branding process by saying “know yourself?” That’s because a logo or a motto is nothing without the story behind it.
Elements of storytelling can appear in your company website’s About section, mission statement, and blog, but it’s especially effective when it appears in media publications where audiences are large and relevant.
A great example of storytelling for a blockchain startup is that of Alchemy on Wired. The story is not about technical features of the platform, nor is it promotional in that it tries to get you to sign up for any services.
Instead, it tells the story of the founders from their perspectives, and it shows a much deeper understanding of the thought processes and visions behind the brand.
The article’s subheading alone, “The founders of Alchemy are hoping to conjure gold—by building a better backbone for companies that run on blockchain,” lets the reader know that Alchemy is a brand that cares about the industry and wants to provide better solutions, so everyone can benefit.
Getting the attention of journalists is a great way to increase brand awareness, but it takes due diligence in doing your homework.
That’s why blockchain PR is an essential part of any branding strategy.
Blockchain PR as an Aid to Branding
A comprehensive PR strategy can get the right message in front of the right audience that accurately portrays your blockchain startup’s mission and values.
Both investors and journalists receive proposals and pitches from an abundance of blockchain startups, but knowing which to trust can be difficult.
Blockchain PR helps build that trust and understanding by providing journalists with accurate information that they can publish and that potential investors can read and understand.
A successful PR campaign helps you tell your story, so that the whole world will know who you are and what you represent.
By connecting successfully with journalists who then publish your story on influential publications, you’re establishing yourself as a credible and trustworthy blockchain thought leader.
Whether this means reaching out to journalists from blockchain-specific publications to send them press releases about your new piece of distributed ledger technology, or offering expert analysis of the latest blockchain industry trends, getting published in tech-focused media outlets is a great way to spread your blockchain brand name and reputation.
