Without proper marketing of your unique and eye-catching NFT collection, your digital artwork is like every other product on the shelf. If you are an NFT creator or enthusiast, then you might have seen the term ‘Shill your NFT.’
NFT shilling is a type of cryptocurrency advertisement basically for the promotion and marketing of NFTs.
In this article, we hope to clear all doubts you have when hearing or reading the term ‘shilling.’
Defining NFT Shilling
Shilling is a marketing tactic used to promote NFTs. Common characteristics of shilling include posting about your NFT on social media constantly, sharing links to it, and mentioning it whenever possible. Shilling is often viewed as a spammy way to market your NFT.
Shilling is a controversial method of marketing. If you shill “too hard”, it can actually have a negative effect on your promotional efforts. The term was popularized in 2021 at the height of the NFT bull run. Nowadays, shilling an NFT isn’t encouraged as much as it used to be.
Shilling is actually a name of currency from the old-world English coinage from the 17th and 18th centuries. ‘Shill’ is also a word used in casinos for a long time and is interpreted to mean ‘stooge’.
Shilling sometimes has a bad rap to it, as the term is associated with misleading and disrupting a game in a casino. In a casino, it is used for a gambler who plays using the casino’s money in order to keep the games going when there are not sufficient players.
But in the NFT world, shilling can be just posting or sharing a link about a project you are interested in. As long as it is based on something logical and factual then there is nothing wrong with it. It is basically the marketing and promotion of your crypto asset.
Why do people shill NFTs?
Simply put, people shill NFTs to build trust in the project, attract more crypto space investors, and potentially earn thousands of dollars as a fee.
Some are paid to shill. For example, they may receive a fee in exchange for shilling a project or receive an NFT for free and get a percentage of its sale price. People are more distrustful of the latter because their enthusiasm can seem fake and purely motivated by profit.
However, many people who are called NFT shills genuinely believe in the crypto economy and the projects they’re promoting, so they may do it for free.
Popular NFT shilling platforms
There are many places to shill your NFT. The most common are social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also use Telegram, Discord, and even Reddit. Anywhere NFTs are discussed they are likely shared as well.
To shill on Facebook, it would be good to ensure that you have joined a few groups where the members are looking for NFTs and discussing them ardently. A post with a write-up on the background and value of the NFT you want to shill, along with a link is more than sufficient. Ensure that you do not post multiple times and create a nuisance. Once is enough and if people are interested you can send them more details.
Instagram is a great place to shill an NFT. You can use Instagram stories to build an audience and promote the NFT.
Using Twitter is a good idea, as one tweet can reach a large audience. It is a quick and effective way to let the masses know about your NFT.
You can also shill them on forums and chat rooms. They may not be as effective as using social media as people may become wary. There are many scams that are marketed through forums and chatrooms.
Telegram
Telegram is an excellent platform for a shilling as a good portion of the crypto community hangs out there. In fact, Telegram is the primary channel with the maximum number of crypto users. Creating a channel there can be a great way to spread the word while you are shilling NFTs.
Discord
Discord is great as well, there is the option to create different chats within the same channel.
Marketplaces
You can also shill on NFT marketplaces as well. Rarible, OpenSea, and Nifty are all avenues to promote your NFTs.
Basics of shilling NFTs
If you own NFTs or want to earn advertising fees from crypto companies, you can create buzz by shilling. Here’s how you can successfully do it and reach the right audience.
- Create engaging content: You need to build engagement with your target audience, so share interesting pictures and stories about your NFTs. Add some variety and filters, and try to avoid spamming people’s feeds so your content doesn’t appear one-note.
- Make community ties: People will be curious, so be responsive! Answer their questions, drop links, or give information. You never know which commenter will turn out to be a big buyer, and your effort could help you earn billions of dollars on your NFTs.
- Build authority: You’ll need to successfully position yourself as a trusted and credible person in crypto economy spaces. Join Reddit, Telegram, and Discord to connect with crypto enthusiasts and talk about your project.
These social media channels are great places for making valuable connections and picking up tips about blockchain technology. Doing this will gradually make you look more experienced and knowledgeable about NFTs, instead of just another link-dropper.
Final Thoughts
Shilling isn’t a bad thing in itself, but people view it with suspicion because of all the NFT scams that have emerged. It doesn’t help that there are many unauthoritative celebrities who are shilling NFTs but don’t seem to have the expertise to be truly persuasive.
If you’re planning to release an NFT, you’ll need to cultivate authority and trust to be a successful shill. Build connections online and talk to other crypto enthusiasts to get the ball rolling!
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