Newsletters and NFTs: The Intersection Reshaping Content Creation 🤝
Exploring the possibilities of token-enabled newsletters.
GM DOers!
Who would've thought that NFTs and newsletters would go together like peanut butter and jelly? 🥪🤣
A few years ago, the idea would have seemed as odd as pineapple on a pizza (yes, I went there, even though I don’t mind pineapple on a pizza🍍🍕).
But today, in the dynamic world of web3, it's not only possible, it's creating a revolution! 🚀
Let's set the stage. We recently had Colin Armstrong on our podcast to talk about the intersection of newsletters and NFTs and explore the possibilities that this new tech brings.
Colin is the co-founder of Paragraph, a web3 platform that’s blending newsletters and NFTs to reshape the creator economy environment.
They're not just breaking boundaries; they're completely redefining them. How?
By providing the ability for audiences to own their content, collect newsletters highlights, acquire memberships in the form of NFTs, and more… 👀
Let us explain how NFTs are a swiss army knife for newsletters and how they are changing the game for content as we know it!
Just sit back, buckle up, and get ready for an exciting journey into the future of newsletters 🌐
👉 Lens Protocol: The Future of Social Media
Decentralized social media finally allows creators to own their content, data and followers. That’s why we choose to build part of our media platform on Lens Protocol.
Collecting Articles as NFTs 📜
Who says you can't own the words you read? In web3, owning an article isn’t just a wild thought — it's a reality! 😉
Platforms like Paragraph or Mirror let you purchase articles from beloved creators (if they're on board, of course). But why would you? 🤔
Well, an article on the blockchain turns into a rare collectible.
Here's the real kicker: owning an article as an NFT gives you clear ownership and verifies who wrote the piece. And the benefits? They're vast and varied:
Interoperability 🔄
If you own an article as an NFT, that article isn't dependent on the platform you're using.
Think about it this way: if Facebook goes down, all your posts, photos, and comments vanish with it. 😱
If Paragraph goes down, you still own the content. You simply need to move to another platform that serves the User Interface (UI). 🔄
It's like holding onto a precious photo album even when the house comes crashing down. You simply need to find a new house that can accommodate and display your album. 🖼️
Are you or your brand looking to reach an engaged audience of 30,000+ early tech adopters?
You’re in luck. A sponsorship slot just opened up and you can now partner with us to speak to fellow creators, builders, founders, and investors, all committed to capitalize on the web3 opportunity.
Interested? Reach out by clicking the button below.
Monetization 💰
NFT articles offer creators an extra revenue stream, and audiences can support their favorite creators.
But remember, this isn't necessarily sustainable as creators need to be really good at selling all of their work on a recurring basis, which isn't their main focus, nor should it be. 💰
We’ll touch more on sustainable revenue streams in a bit, so keep reading 👇
Revenue Sharing 💸
Do you, as a creator, want to share, say, 1% of your revenue with the 5 top collectors of your NFTs?
Good luck doing that on web2 platforms like Substack or Beehiiv.
On the other hand, doing this on web3-powered newsletter platforms is seamless due to the use of smart contracts.
However, collectors shouldn't expect this as a given. Creators call the shots on whether or not revenue should be shared with holders!
Deeper Fan Engagement 🤝
Lastly, NFTs let creators foster deeper relationships with their fans.
At Web3 Academy, our PRO members receive an NFT, unlocking token-gated Discord channels and other web3 perks, allowing us to connect with PROs in unique ways. 🎁
But right now, claiming your NFT involves some friction, aka, subscribing by putting your card in, receiving a welcome email with a link, claiming your NFT etc…
Imagine if this newsletter were an NFT, you could snag all our perks with a couple of clicks! 👌
That’s why we're super stoked about NFT articles and newsletters. 🔥
But in the meantime, you can still grab your PRO Pass (NFT) to make the most out of Web3 Academy.
A PRO subscription will not only give you access to weekly onchain PRO reports, but also to the ‘PRO Advice For Builders & Investors’ section at the bottom of this newsletter (so keep reading).
Furthermore, we host bi-weekly PRO-only calls, and we’ve also introduced 1-on-1 calls with Kyle for PRO members.
Fancy a PRO subscription? Get yours just in time to book a call with Kyle! 👇
P.S. - More information about booking your call will be found in the welcome email you’ll receive upon subscribing. 🚀
Collectible Highlights 💎
If owning entire articles wasn't cool enough, how about collecting your favorite snippets from a newsletter? 📌
With platforms like Paragraph, you can highlight specific quotes or content within a newsletter, and it auto-mints as an NFT.
This feature is perfect for remixing content and saving the bits you love most. 💘
Remixing content is the practice of taking existing content and reworking it into a new piece while maintaining the essence of the original.
It's an approach that has gained popularity in the digital space, particularly with the advent of NFTs, and allows for a higher degree of creative exploration and personalization.
In the context of newsletters and platforms like Paragraph, remixing content takes a unique turn.
Imagine reading a newsletter and stumbling across a paragraph that resonates with you - a beautifully crafted sentence, a compelling argument, or perhaps a hilarious quip.
Wouldn't it be fantastic to have the option to keep that specific piece of content and make it your own?
Raul’s edits: It’s like you’d be able to collect the paragraphs of when I make fun of Kyle for not surpassing 10k followers on Twitter. 😂
And anytime someone asks you about NFTs and newsletters, you whip out this gem, share a laugh, and explain the concept at the same time! 🎉
The 101 of how to explain web3 to normies 🙂
NFT Memberships 🎟️
Sustainable business models (in the ever-changing digital landscape) are our jam here at Web3 Academy.
So, enter, NFT memberships! 🙌
Picture this: a membership that's not just an access pass but an asset you own. It's like turning your subscription into a key that opens doors across the web. 🌐
Want to access a private Discord server? You got it 👍
Looking for exclusive content or early access to product drops? Done ✅
And since memberships are all about ownership, if life takes a turn, and you can't utilize your membership anymore, you can simply sell it to someone else who can (if it hasn’t expired yet) on a secondary marketplace. 🔄
No more non-refundable subscriptions. Now, that's what we call a game-changer! 🚀
If you want to find out what this all means for you as an investor or builder, make sure keep scrolling! 👇
We tell you what to consume next to dive deeper into all of this.
And, as introduced last week, we’ve got a new “Advice for Builders and Investors in Web3” section where I share advice for PRO DOers! 🥳
This is a new section in all of our free newsletters. However, this advice is only available to PRO members. Not a PRO yet? Go PRO HERE!
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Wrapping Up: What’s Next? 🤔
The migration from online to onchain is already in motion. If you read/listen to Web3 Academy enough, you already know that! 😏
As web3 evolves, we expect to see more integration of NFTs (and other web3 features) into various forms of content.
We hope that this article (sorry, it’s not an NFT) has given you the foundations you need to understand how web3 integrations will change the creator economy in the near future.
However, we touched only on the tip of the iceberg 🧊 of what’s possible here.
So grab your headphones and go on a ~1h walk to dive deeper into newsletter NFTs by listening to our conversation with Colin Armstrong, the co-founder of Paragraph.
It was just released last Wednesday 👇
For the PROs, let’s dive into our usual advice section. Enjoy ⏬