Most Web3 projects struggle with user growth. They spend money on ads, hire influencers, run airdrops and expect instant adoption. But here’s the truth, they’re focused on acquisition, not conversion.

Web3 marketing isn’t just about getting eyes on your project, it’s about moving users through a real funnel from curiosity to interest to actual engagement.

If you’re not thinking about this, you’re already losing potential users. Here’s how to fix it.

Curiosity - Capturing Attention in a Noisy Space

Web3 is louder than ever. If you want people to check out your project, you need to earn their attention first.

The mistake:

• Assuming people already care, they don’t.

• Marketing that’s too technical, most users don’t understand the jargon.

• Trying to stand out with generic hype instead of real value.

The fix:

• Use hooks that trigger curiosity, bold statements, thought-provoking content and storytelling.

• Make your first touchpoint frictionless, whether it’s a viral tweet, a referral or a community post.

• Be where your audience is, Twitter, Discord, Telegram, Farcaster. If you’re invisible there, you’re invisible everywhere.

Curiosity doesn’t lead to conversion, it leads to interest. And that’s where the next battle starts.

Interest - Turning Awareness into Action

Getting attention is one thing, getting users to actually care is another.

The mistake:

• Airdrop hunters and speculators don’t build real engagement.

• Most Web3 projects focus on what they do, not why users should care.

• Overloading users with technical complexity instead of making it simple.

The fix:

• Educate, don’t overwhelm, show users the problem you solve, not just the tech behind it.

• Use community-driven marketing, real advocates will always outperform paid ads.

• Build engagement loops, once someone expresses interest, give them a reason to keep coming back (exclusive access, early features, social status).

Interest is great, but if users don’t convert, it means nothing.

Conversion - Getting Users to Actually Engage

This is where most projects fail. You’ve got attention, users are interested… but they never take action.

The mistake:

• No clear CTA, users don’t know what to do next.

• Onboarding friction, if connecting a wallet feels like a puzzle, users will quit.

• No retention strategy, if users drop off after signing up, you’re stuck in an endless loop of acquisition.

The fix:

• Make conversion effortless, whether it’s joining Discord, minting an NFT or staking tokens, it should be seamless.

• Eliminate unnecessary steps, every extra click reduces conversion rates.

• Retention starts at conversion, once a user takes action, make them feel invested and valued.

Final Takeaway

Web3 marketing isn’t about hype, it’s about guiding users from curiosity to conversion. If you’re only focused on getting more eyeballs, you’re missing the point.

The real growth comes from turning attention into action.

Are you optimizing for the full funnel or just chasing vanity metrics?