How Web3 Will Shake Up the Content Marketing Landscape

From the development of Web 2.0 and social media to the likes of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and the Internet of Things (IoT), there’s no doubt that technology has had a huge impact on the way we do business in the modern world.

Now there’s a new kid on the block.

Touted as the future of the internet, Web3 is a blockchain-based envisioning of the World Wide Web which incorporates advanced technologies like cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the Metaverse in a decentralized online ecosystem.

But the question is what implications will Web3 have on business and society and, more specifically, how will it shape the content marketing landscape moving forward?

Web3 trends and predictions in content marketing

With the emergence of NFTs and the Metaverse, along with consumers embracing cryptocurrencies and decentalized finance (Defi), Web3 is set to cause a monumental shift in marketing and how people consume content moving forward. Read on to find out about some key trends shaping the content marketing landscape.

1. Content tokenization

If you’ve spent any time online in the past year, you’ll have heard of NFTs (it was even the Collins Dictionary word of the year in 2021) and how they’re quickly becoming mainstream. Despite this, just one in four Americans know what they are.

NFTs are cryptographic tokens that exist on a blockchain. Each has a unique identification code and metadata that distinguishes it from others and means it can’t be replicated.

These digital tokens will change the way content is created, consumed and engaged within a Web3 world. Until now, content ownership has ultimately belonged to the platforms rather than the creators themselves. NFTs can provide creators with the agency to own and monetize the digital content they produce. In practice, this could work by a viewer enjoying a piece of content and buying it as an NFT, meaning the content would become a part of the product.

Many brands are already experimenting with NFTs for different purposes. For instance, fashion giants Dolce & Gabbana and Paco Rabanne have sold NFTs of their clothing, NFL turned Super Bowl tickets into NFTs and jeweller Tiffany is selling NFTs for more than $50,000 each.

Many facets of content marketing - content partnerships, brand experience, personalization and customer relationships - have the potential to benefit from NFTs. Although their potential is yet to be fully explored, you can guarantee that NFTs will become integral to content in the years to come.

2. More control over personal data

Due to the decentralized nature of blockchain technology and the intelligent peer-to-peer transactions it facilitates, Web3 has the potential to create a new power dynamic where consumers are more in control of their data.

Digital marketers rely on consumer data for various reasons, such as ad targeting and personalization and to optimize their product or service for their marketplace.

As Web3 emerges, consumers begin to use digital wallets to store their cryptocurrency and personal data. Here, they have the power to give and revoke that data any time they want.

This means that marketing databases would theoretically consist of wallets, rather than static data entries. Brands will remain about to target content experiences but with accurate and up-to-date information provided by their digital wallets. However, the consumer can also opt out if they don’t find value in a brand’s content.

3. The rise of virtual communities

Increased user control over their data is predicted to lead to a surge in empowered virtual communities. Web3 marketing strategies should focus on remaining active in these virtual communities to create, nurture and maintain connections with consumers. This will change the role of brand loyalty, as users have more control over how their data is accessed and used and therefore more autonomy to pick and choose which companies they interact with.

4. Experiential marketing reaches a new level

Virtual reality is a Web3 iteration that tech giants are already investing in by providing customers with virtual experiences such as concerts, product demos, real estate tours and more.

One of the biggest stories to hit the news last year was that Facebook was changing its name to Meta and moving to Web 2.0 applications, with the intention of focusing on developing the Metaverse.

Virtual experiences offered in the Metaverse are set to outline a new benchmark for the digital world, changing the way people and businesses interact. As Web3 establishes itself, virtual experiences will be essential for brands that want to succeed in an increasingly digitized world.

The journey to Web3 is just beginning. Moving forward, marketing professionals and business leaders need to embrace these new technologies and adapt their content strategies for a digitally-empowered audience.