We are used to people coming together and sharing around common interests. Trekkies (Star Trek fans) have been around for decades and fan clubs seem to have been around forever . However, the technologies that we usually lump under the term Web3 seem to have enabled new dimensions in the way people interact and build communities. More active and committed groups arouse the interest of brands that seek to gain value from their participation in these dynamics.
One of the first things to understand is the origin of these communities. Although it may seem new,the groups generated around gaming or immersive open worlds, such as Second Life, Mu Online, World of Warcraft, GTA Online or Fortnite, have existed long before brands identify them and want to interact with them. They are organically generated communities, motivated by a common interest, which are built through the links between their members and what they can create collectively, and not only through the interaction of their members with a brand.
Web 3.0, with technologies such as blockchain and NFTs , is designed under a paradigm of decentralization and autonomy , in which its role of dynamizing and facilitating links between people acquires special relevance. Its ability to decentralize communities, distribute their power, and generate more democratic interactions allows for a vast number of ways in which people can contribute and extract value from their membership in these groups.
Unlike social networks, in which we can show a very limited representation, fragmented between platforms, Web 3.0 gives us the potential to create transversal identities to all universes, in which we can reflect more than what our appearance can tell. physical.Owning the visual elements of our digital identity allows us to bring them to any platform.
If we think that the avatar of the traditional web is more than anything associated with our mail, in these virtual worlds these representations are much more visual, personalized and with multiple dimensions. In these spaces there are no restrictions or prejudices regarding how people appear , which gives us the freedom to choose who we want to be, forgetting many barriers.
The possibility of feeling represented in a more authentic way and expressing ourselves more freely in digital worlds opens up forms of interaction where people can generate more sincere, committed and involved relationships.
The decentralized nature of these technologies enables an evolution in the behavior and expectations of digital users regarding ownership and the opportunity to own their content and digital image, and to make decisions that transform the internet environment based on their preferences. In Web 2.0 we all play or participate in environments that the big platforms design and this has an impact on the behavior that it generates.New technologies allow us to authenticate our online identity and open up space for us to have greater decision-making power.
According to a study carried out by R/GA, 70% of people who participate in Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO) believe that they are part of a community that has meaning for them and in which they can own something, while at the same time establish a partnership relationship between its members .
Web 3.0
Beyond the noise surrounding these new technologies, whether due to innovation or speculation, what cannot be ignored are the new behaviors and forms of relationships they produce and the impact they have on brands and how they relate to their customers. hearings. It is about the evolution of expressions that already exist, such as groups, forums, clans, video games and social platforms such as Discord.As communities gain power, brands will need to relinquish control, lose prominence and provide value to collaborate alongside communities and begin to see them as co-creators, instead of as audiences. This decentralization will be essential for brands to build meaningful relationships that coexist organically and authentically in these new spaces.
Today we are in an exploratory phase of this universe . Like us, brands are trying to understand how to relate to and what to do with the metaverse, NFTs, or Web 3.0. And, although initially going through a period of uncertainty, we know that people want to express themselves in different ways, in spaces that open up new possibilities for them, in which they can do different things with greater freedom. People’s experiences have to function as the main driver to shape these new worlds, learn from successes and mistakes, and add value, with people at the center