Make NFTs Fun Again: Looking Beyond the Wall

The Walls Got Higher. We Stopped Looking Over Them.

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A few years ago, Web3 felt like wide-open space. Everyone was running toward the new frontier.

You remember the hype.

Everything was the next big thing. Remember that ugly cute little collection of “insert anything here” that was going to the moon and taking you with it?

And now?

You’re still here…

With the rest of us.

And it kind of feels like we’ve all been shoved into increasingly smaller rooms, with everybody shouting over each other.

Just keep building they yell.

And we do.

We Build More Doors.

But Fewer People Are Walking Through Them

The other day, I read a post on Medium from photographer Matt Kent. You might know him as Static Motion on Twitter.

The article: Lead with the Art, Not with the Wallet: How Web3 Can Learn from Retail’s Collapse.

It was a great article. Matt’s post nails the current state of things. We keep building more doors, but fewer people are walking through them.

And instead of adapting, we’ve doubled down on complexity. Like, maybe if we create yet another marketplace, tweak the UX one more time, and just add some new levels on top of layers, they’ll all come rushing back.

But let’s face it.

• The market shrank.
• The tools got louder.
• And nobody is falling all over themselves to come back.

Nobody is coming!

Nobody is coming to save us OK. Look at Google Trends for the search term “NFTs“. Nobody cares.

When is the last time you heard a Twitter Space talking about onboarding new people into the community? It’s been a while right? Because nobody is even trying anymore.

We’ve all sort of just become content in the echo chamber.

The only thing we move for is the next big exit from one marketplace to the next. Promising what?

And then we all act sad when the old marketplace closes. Nostalgia, those were the good old days.

Now we’re probably doomed…

But maybe there is still an opportunity?

Maybe We’re Not Doomed. Maybe We’re Just Looking the Wrong Way

Maybe it’s about shifting perspectives. Putting on a wider lens. Zooming out.

Because what if NFT’s weren’t just things to sell?

What if we stopped building for the next big exit?

And instead, started building for the room we’re already in?

The hell with it, let’s think broader.

What if Web3 doesn’t need to be the entire stage?

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Web3 Doesn’t Need to Be the Stage. It Can Just Be Part of the Set.

The shift for me happened when I let go of the idea of “Web3 artist” or whatever. Like, that is not a thing.

Zoom out, We are just artists, photographers, creators, whatever.

There is no need to tie your hands to one audience, whether it’s Web3 or Web2.

I also got very tired of feeling like I was failing if my work didn’t sell, or if I didn’t have a community of 10,000 people hanging on my every mint.

It’s the moment I said, fuck this. I can just be the same photographer I was before this whole NFT experiment began.

I can write about my photography journey on my very much Web2 WordPress blog. And maybe that’s better for everyone.

I’m not isolating myself and my web3 experience behind the wall. I’m shouting it to the world.

All 10 of you, and that’s including you so thanks for being here.

Anyway, that’s also when I realized: I don’t have to sell every piece of art I mint.

What If We Mint for Reasons Other Than Sales?

Maybe there are other reasons to mint your work as an NFT.

I started down this road in my Substack: I Knew It – You Hate NFTs!

But we’re going to dig a little deeper.

Let’s Talk About NFTs as Tools. Not Just Products

So, there’s this weird assumption that if you mint something, it’s because you want someone to buy it.

And this is true.

It’s transactional. The Artist and the Collector.

But sales aren’t the entire story.

There is a group of people who believe in the tech so fiercely that they want to see their work on-chain.

Regardless.

It’s about:

• Provenance
• Legacy
• Presence

Let’s not confuse legacy with fame. They are different.

It doesn’t mean everyone will come to know about this person’s artistic journey just because they minted their work on-chain.

But maybe their daughter will. Or their grandchild. Or someone else down the line who’s looking for where they came from.

But even if None of this Matters to You…

There is still another reason.

Because what if minting is about something way more real?

I’ve been playing around with this idea for a while now, experimenting.

That’s what I do.

Maybe just in small ways, but honestly, it’s more fun than chasing the next sale.

Minting Without Selling Out: Why NFTs Still Matter

If you’re an artist or photographer trying to grow an audience, whether it’s for your YouTube channel, Substack, TikTok, blog, slinging merch, or just your work in general, this is for you.

Look, NFTs aren’t just about blockchain or scarcity or JPEGs with receipts.

They’re about something way more human…, connection.

It’s a way for someone to say, “I see you. I get what you’re doing. I want to be part of it.”

Not a like. Not a retweet. A deeper kind of support.

One that says, “This matters enough for me to keep.”

It’s not charity and way beyond the tip button.

It’s connection with context.

And the best part? You’re giving them something real in return.

Not just a thank you.

No, you are giving them a piece of your work that they can actually own and hold.

Digitally, yes.

Emotionally, absolutely.

It’s not just about the art.

Or the money.

It’s about making people feel like they’re part of something.

Even if you’re minting just to document your journey.

Even if you’re minting and it doesn’t sell out.

This stuff still matters.

Because meaning doesn’t need a market.

So what does this look like in practice? Honestly, your imagination is the limit, but here are 5 ideas off the top of my head.

5 Ways to Use NFTs That Don’t Rely on Sales

1.) Give an NFT to your subscribers. Just a simple thank you. No utility, no promises. Just something they get to have because they were here.

In fact, I’m doing this right now. If you subscribe to my Substack and comment your Tezos Address on this Stack: I Knew It – You Hate NFTs!, I will send you an NFT. It’s that easy.

Note: You must comment your address in the comments on Substack. I want non-NFT people who read that post to get curious. I want them to wonder why everyone’s adding this weird number in the comments. I’m doing this for us! Show solidarity.

2.) Create tiers of collectibles tied to moments. First 100 fans/subscribers get a Founding Fan NFT edition. Only 100 were created for the first fans who supported you. Next 1,000 get a different NFT. And paid subscribers, well you know how to treat them. Make it Epic!

Remember, these are actual representations of your art/photography in digital form. People are following you because they like your work.

Naturally, they’ll appreciate a collectible that not only marks an “I was here early” moment, but also reminds them of your art and why they connected with it.

3.) Use NFTs to gamify engagement. Not with some overcomplicated tokenomics thing. I mean simple stuff. Like “post a photo every day this month and get a commemorative token.” Or “everyone who comments this week gets added to a draw for a 1/1.”

4.) Build Easter eggs into your website, blog, etc. Just fun hidden links that let someone mint a surprise. No announcement. Just a reward for exploring. Are there any hidden easter eggs on See Imagery? Maybe…

5.) Reward Your Biggest Fans. If someone’s been showing up for years and commenting, reposting, and just supporting everything you do, drop them a personalized thank you collectible. Quiet loyalty deserves loud appreciation. Don’t you think?

This is just skimming the top of what is possible. Are you starting to see?

All of these are ways in.

Not pressure-filled launches. Not shilling “minting now” tweets again and again.

Just little bridges for people to step onto when they’re ready.

Little bridges turning true fans into collectors.

And collectors into holders.

Holding Should Feel Like Belonging

What I love most about NFTs isn’t the scarcity or the money. It’s that someone can hold my work, in a literal, verifiable, timestamped kind of way. That feels different than a like, or a comment, or a share.

It feels like: “I was part of this.”

And that’s powerful.

Not everything needs to be rare. But some things should be special.

That’s where Web3 really shines.

And if we want people to notice, just how much, perhaps we need to bring it to them.

We Keep Asking People to Show Up.

What If We Showed Up for Them First?

Let’s stop treating blockchain like it’s the destination. It’s just a medium. And mediums get way more interesting when we stop yelling about them and just make things.

Creators are still building on Instagram, Substack, TikTok, WordPress, etc in mass.

So instead of trying to drag people out of Web2, why not meet them there and bring Web3 with us?

Builders, this is where we need you.

We need simple tools that help artists and creators bridge Web2 platforms with Web3 functionality, so they can create and share NFTs without learning Solidity or explaining what a gas fee is.

I know there are barriers. Some platforms are locked down pretty heavily. But we can look at APIs, Zapier, Link-in-bio tools, Webhooks, and Email list integrations to start.

WordPress is probably one of the easiest platforms to utilize as it’s completely open source, and you can build plugins on top of it.

The OBJKT gallery curation, “Before Language, After Light” at the end of some of my posts, including this one, is from a plugin I built on WordPress. You can read about that here: WordPress Plugin to Display NFTs from OBJKT

What are some other Tool Ideas?

Auto-NFT Drops for Newsletter Subscribers

Comment-to-Claim Tools

Web2 Sign-ins with Wallets

Fan Badges/Roles Based on On-chain Support

I kind of like this last one because I’m thinking of Patreon style tiers, but powered by actual NFT interactions. Collectors unlock roles, rewards, or access just by holding your work.

I don’t know. There is a lot of brainstorming to do here.

But, this isn’t about inventing new platforms.

It’s about adding simple layers to what already exists so Web2 creators can use Web3 without even realizing they’re doing it.

It’s possible. When DraftKings was experimenting with its Reignmakers game, fans collected a pack of player cards without even realizing they were buying a NFT.

They used their normal bank roll cash, credit card, etc.

It was more, “oh, and by the way, these player cards are NFTs. If you want to bring them on-chain, you can.”

Isn’t that how it should be?

Let the art or product stay front and center.

Let the tech disappear into the background.

And let the experience be fun again.

Final Thoughts.

Use Web3 and Web2 to Distribute.

Use NFTs to commemorate.

Use art to connect.

We don’t need to rewire the internet. We just need to be present and give people cool reasons to join us in the process.

Maybe if we stop treating NFTs like a storefront and start treating them like a sketchbook, a memory, or a bridge between artist and fan, they will become fun again. And the pressure drops off. And the creativity comes back.

I don’t want to be a Web3 artist anymore.

I just want to be an artist who uses Web3 to find unique, fun ways to connect with my audience.

And honestly, it’s way better over here.

Because maybe the next chapter of NFTs isn’t about sales or hype. Maybe it’s about humans connecting over what they love.

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💬 How are you using NFTs creatively? Drop your favorite use case or experiment in the comments.

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