Deploying viral, novel social media tactics to build a 25,000-strong Web3 community

When bitgrit.net, an innovative Web3 and AI platform, approached us to grow their community of data scientists and engineers, we knew we had to get creative. Leaning into our expertise in social media marketing, Bussler & Co devised novel strategies on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google, and Telegram that ultimately attracted over 25,000 highly targeted members.

Challenge:

The central challenge was finding, attracting, and converting a highly-niche group of ideal customers: Data scientists interested in Web3 platforms. A substantial part of the initial phase was devoted to meticulous testing and analysis across diverse platforms including Reddit, 4chan, Discord, and Twitter. The objective was to find the most fertile grounds for community building.

• Reddit: A vibrant, casual platform, but the ephemeral and political nature of Reddit threads didn't provide the lasting engagement or targeting desired.
• 4chan: A polarizing platform which, despite its vast user base, didn’t resonate with the professional demeanor of our intended Web3 community.
• Discord: Although a preferred channel in previous projects for real-time interaction, it didn't show as much promise for the high-level professional-centric approach required for bitgrit.net.
• Twitter: A platform with substantial engagement in past campaigns, but for bitgrit.net, the professional and structured discourse we sought thrived better on LinkedIn.

After rigorous analysis, it was concluded that Facebook and Google Ads, and organic LinkedIn content bore the sustained engagement and professionalism needed for this project's success.

Strategy & Implementation:

1. Harnessing the Uncharted Territories of LinkedIn Algorithm:

In 2019, before it became a mainstream tactic, we pioneered a novel LinkedIn strategy. By initiating posts with compelling hooks such as sharing exclusive data science resources or resume templates, and encouraging users to comment “interested” below to receive them, we discovered a key to unlock LinkedIn’s algorithmic affinity. This strategy drastically amplified the visibility and engagement on our posts.

Below are a few example social media posts that amassed over 30,000 comments and 3 million views, driving tens of thousands of new members to bitgrit's social media channels.

2. A New Facebook & Google Ads Phenomenon:

A combination of content and smart targeting led to our ad campaigns also going viral. The standout campaign was an AI project revolving around dog breed recognition which not only resonated with the audiences but the cute dog videos used in the campaigns were a crowd-puller, making the ads share-worthy and propelling them into virality. The ads were engineered to lead the traffic into a specifically designed funnel culminating in our Telegram community.

Below, we can see a few ads in the Facebook Ads Manager that reached over 440,000 people in a 5-day period with around $200 in ad spend.

The viral effect of our content persisted across channels. On YouTube, a 7448 Yen (~$50 USD) test budget yielded over 400,000 impressions.

Our robust ads and content strategy also stretched across Reddit, 4chan, Discord, and Twitter. However, the pinnacle of success was realized on Facebook and LinkedIn. Detailed experiments across these platforms provided a rich vein of data which helped in zeroing in on the platforms that resonated most with our target audience.

3. High-Value B2B Engagements:

The ripple effect of our strategies led to unlocking doors at eminent enterprises like SoftBank, Klimazone, and Save the Dogs. These engagements significantly elevated the brand’s stature in the B2B space.

4. Community Transition to In-house AI Platform:

The crescendo of our strategy was channeling the community towards our in-house AI platform where exclusive resources and opportunities awaited them. The multilayered strategy led to an overwhelming response, with a swarm of active and engaged users flocking to the platform.

Results:

• Community of 25,000+ data scientists fostered from ground zero.
• Viral LinkedIn posts and ad campaigns with reach spiraling into millions.
• Noteworthy B2B closes enhancing brand’s B2B portfolio.
• Significant surge in active and engaged users on the in-house AI platform of bitgrit.net.

The transcendent journey from a nascent online presence to a thunderous online community, punctuated by a blend of ingenious strategies and meticulous execution, showcases Bussler & Co's prowess in unlocking the viral code of social platforms. The case of bitgrit.net stands as a testament to the mastery of Bussler & Co in propelling brands into the zenith of online engagement and community growth.