As blockchain technology continues maturing, an increasing number of crypto projects require dedicated marketing support to build awareness and drive adoption.
Seeking help from a specialized blockchain marketing agency has become crucial to effectively promote and position new crypto startups.
However, the emerging blockchain agency space remains largely unregulated with huge variability in skill and quality. Choosing the right agency partner is challenging but absolutely essential.
This guide will explore the key attributes and specializations to look for when vetting and hiring a blockchain marketing agency.
Relevant Crypto Experience and Case Studies
The ideal blockchain marketing agency should have direct experience promoting and launching blockchain projects across multiple sectors like DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, crypto infrastructure, exchanges and more. Avoid agencies with minimal crypto exposure.
Request 3-5 case studies from past crypto clients highlighting strategy, campaigns, and measurable results achieved. Case studies demonstrate hands-on expertise growing real blockchain projects beyond just conceptual knowledge. Proven experience is invaluable.
Specialized Skillsets
Given the complexity of blockchain technology and markets, specialized teams are required spanning:
Technical Expertise
Deep understanding of blockchain protocols, wallets, DEXs, dApps, cryptography and Web3 is essential. Evaluate technical writing samples.
Trading Experience
In-house trading talent with crypto investment experience ensures effective engagement with speculative communities.
Community Management
Managing engaged Discord and Telegram communities 24/7 requires dedicated expertise.
Multilingual Capabilities
Marketing across global crypto ecosystems means supporting key languages like Chinese, Korean, Russian, German.
Look for niche specialists on the agency team covering the full spectrum of skills needed for holistic blockchain marketing. Avoid generalists.
Thought Leadership and Industry Contribution
The top blockchain marketing agencies build their own thought leadership through consistent educational blogging, podcasts, AMAs, research reports, and other content that gives back to the wider crypto community.
Seeking out agencies with recognized industry contributions through open information sharing signals dedication and credibility. Thought leadership builds authority.
Clear Pricing
Quality blockchain agencies provide clear pricing on their website for core services like consulting, content creation, trading groups, influencer networks, paid advertising, token launch packages and so on.
Transparent pricing demonstrates confidence and allows clients to assess value. Avoid vague claims of “custom packages”. Costs should correlate to value provided.
Comprehensive Service Offerings
A strong agency provides integrated, 360 marketing services both on and offline, including:
- Research & Strategy Consulting
- Branding & Messaging
- Website Design/Development
- Content Creation
- Social Media Management
- Community Management
- Public Relations
- Events & Conferences
- Affiliate & Referral Programs
- Token Airdrops
- Advertising – Web, Radio, TV
- Defi & Dex Listings
- Celebrity & Influencer Marketing
- Viral Contests and Giveaways
Ideally, clients can access this full spectrum of dedicated crypto marketing services from one agency partner. Be wary of fragmented, piecemeal teams.
Global Partnerships and Media Access
The top-tier blockchain marketing firms maintain partnerships with media outlets, conferences, journals, and influencers worldwide. These connections allow amplifying client projects globally.
Strong agencies can broker interviews on crypto podcasts, get placements in tier-1 blockchain publications, secure event speaking engagements and enlist influencer endorsements easier than solo startups can.
Performance Tracking and Reporting
After signing contracts, professional blockchain marketing agencies report detailed metrics and ROAS to quantify impact of campaigns. Tracking may include:
- Detailed advertising performance – CPC, CTR, CTR, ROAS
- Email clickthroughs, open rates, and subscriber growth
- Website traffic, conversions and SEO rankings
- Social media engagement and follower growth
- Community growth across platforms like Discord/Telegram
- Defi platform volumes and token price over time
Consistent performance reports and optimization based on data-driven insights ensures maximum ROI on marketing spend.
Specialized Blockchain Ad Platform Experience
The programmatic advertising landscape differs significantly between blockchain versus mainstream digital marketing. Sophisticated blockchain agencies maintain dedicated trading desks specialized in crypto native platforms like:
- Coinzilla
- CoinTraffic
- BitMedia
- CoinTelegraph Markets
- Delta Investment Tracker
- CryptoAds
Leveraging ad platforms designed specifically to target crypto traders and investors is essential for optimal awareness and conversion results. Mainstream platforms have limited targeting capabilities.
Vetting Process and Red Flags
Vetting agencies thoroughly before hiring will save clients significant time and money. Here is an effective vetting process:
- Review Case Studies and Client Examples
Assess the quality of previous clients and campaign results demonstrated in case studies. Lack of verifiable examples is a major red flag.
- Interview Founders and Team Members
Gauge technical competence, crypto experience, communication skills and transparency through incisive interviews.
- Research Ad Performance Examples
Request access to live dashboards of active ad campaigns to evaluate targeting and results. Inability to showcase real examples exposes inexperience.
- Assess Blockchain Experience
Ask tactical blockchain questions during interviews to determine true grasp of crypto, DeFi, NFTs, and Web3.
- Check Public Portfolios
Evaluate live websites, content, creative designs, and tracking implementations launched for clients. Half-baked or stale portfolios signal deficiencies.
- Review Proposal Deliverables
Require detailed campaign proposals, media plans, creative concepts and timelines to assess strategy viability. Ambiguous proposals are risky.
- Verify Previous Client References
Personally contacting past clients to validate satisfaction and return on spend establishes trust.
Conclusion
As blockchain technology progresses mainstream, effectively marketing crypto projects demands specialized agencies intimately familiar with the intricacies of the ecosystem.
Valuable outsourced support depends on vetting experience, competencies, management capabilities, transparency, tools, and results documentation.
While agency selection requires diligence, partnering with a truly aligned blockchain marketing firm can significantly accelerate growth. Look past vague promises and rigorously evaluate agencies on crypto track record.