The generative art NFT space has blown up and everyone is yelling about how influencer marketing is the cure all/Pantheon of business solutions. Let's be honest: a lot of these campaigns are flat-out failing. I’m not referring to those 55-page reports where they’re missing these targets by a couple percentage points. I’m not referring to non-crypto examples, like good projects that mint out, only to immediately flatline with no movement. I’m sick of seeing excellent works of art suffer from terrible marketing. Why? Because far too many of these campaigns are constructed out of hype and hope rather than data and reality.
Vanity Metrics Vs. Value Metrics?
Influencers flaunting follower counts and like ratios? That's exactly the problem. That’s the same as just looking at a restaurant’s Instagram feed and judging it on the quality of its food pictures, not the food. In the realm of generative art, the generative art on-chain pudding has the proof. Assess activity in the secondary market on platforms such as OpenSea or Blur. All of these resources are exhausted by the initial mint, so then what determines real trading volume? Or is it just crickets? A good project with 10,000 Twitter followers and no secondary market activity is a dead project walking.
Here’s a harsh truth: a massive reach doesn’t guarantee engagement, especially in a space as nuanced as generative art. Collectors aren’t just buying NFTs, they are buying art.
Ditch the vanity metrics. Focus on influencers who can drive actual value: secondary market sales, sustained community engagement, and long-term collector retention. Look for advocates that talk about the art’s algorithm, its uniqueness and its potential long-term value.
Tech Ignorance Ruins Artistic Integrity!
How many influencers are going to explain the true mechanics of generative art? I'd wager it's a depressingly small number. They’re very readily going to sit and chat with you about “cool art” and “blockchain innovation,” but can they really describe to you what that algorithm is doing? Do they have any idea about immutable scripts? Can they even read the smart contract?
This ignorance is a massive problem. That’s pretty much how projects with little to no artistic merit and perhaps even a little shady code end up getting promoted. It’s as absurd as a food critic judging a restaurant without ever sampling the cuisine! You’re operating on blind faith, and that’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Demand technical literacy from influencers. Before entering into any partnership, drill potential partners on the project’s central mechanics. Request that they summarize the algorithm in layman’s terms. If they can't, walk away.
Sponsored Content Camouflaged as Genuine Love?
Perhaps it’s Irksome Influencer Marketing 101 that influencer marketing is the most opaque form of advertising. How many of these “organic” posts are really just paid advertisements in disguise? So one of the biggest problems in the NFT space, and one that’s currently devouring all trust as quickly as you can say “rug pull,” is opportunism.
Think about it: are you more likely to trust a review from a friend or a blatant sales pitch? The same principle applies here. When influencers fail to clearly disclose sponsored content, they're not just violating FTC guidelines. They're betraying their audience's trust.
Influencers are required to use clear, conspicuous and unambiguous disclosures such as #Ad or #Sponsored in each and every promotional post they create. No exceptions. Anything less is unethical and, frankly, illegal.
Mint Focus, Secondary Market Neglect!
Everyone obsesses over the initial mint. The countdown timers, the FOMO marketing tweets, the wild gas wars. What happens after the mint? For too many projects, it's radio silence.
This is a massive missed opportunity. The secondary market creates deep value. It’s where the inspiration of the community is unleashed, and the ultimate success of the project over time is assured. Treating it with contempt is like developing a product and then forgetting to ever support it after launch.
Shift your focus to post-mint engagement. Stoke secondary market demand with local events, collector features, and sustained influencer engagement. Honor the artistic practice—not only the first sale.
Generic Briefs Stifle Artistic Expression!
The cookie-cutter approach to influencer briefs is stifling creativity. The one-size-fits-all influencer brief is creative kryptonite. Unfortunately, most briefs fall victim to being generic, vague, and totally disconnected from the very essence of what makes generative art special. They treat generative art projects like any other product. This view simplifies the algorithm’s complexities, the uniqueness of the outputs, and the distinct culture in community.
It’s a little bit like taking a painter and putting them in front of a coloring book and saying go be creative. You’re interfering with their creativity and you’re losing sight of what the art form is all about.
Craft bespoke influencer briefs that highlight the project's unique characteristics. Allow influencers enough creative control to flesh out the full potential of the art and learn how to engage with the community genuinely.
Reputation Management? More Like Reputation Suicide!
As seen with many projects, post-mint reputation management is an afterthought — if it’s even a thought — at all. And when the problems do come, whether it’s buggy code or bait-and-switch marketing, the projects tend to go dark. In fact, at times they specifically retaliate against their naysayers.
This is a fatal mistake. But you know what, in this new age of social media, your reputation is all you have. Dismissing legitimate criticism bleeds away confidence. By seeking to silence dissent, proponents undermine a project’s long-term potential.
Develop a proactive reputation management strategy. Monitor sentiment, address concerns quickly and transparently, and be willing to admit mistakes. Remember, honesty is always the best policy.
Unsustainable Tokenomics Fuels the Fire!
Most generative art NFT projects have failed in their tokenomics sustainability. They offer misleadingly exorbitant returns, motivate speculation at the expense of cultivating a love of art, and inevitably implode on themselves.
It's like building a house on sand. Sooner or later, it's going to crumble.
Promote projects with sustainable tokenomics and a genuine focus on art appreciation. Seek out projects that are focused on creating lasting communities rather than quick financial returns.
We need to hold our influencers, our projects, and ourselves accountable to do better. Join us as we cut through the hype and get down to the data. Together, let’s work to ensure that the generative art NFT ecosystem is sustainable, fair, transparent, and deeply artistic. The future of generative art does too.
