Now imagine that same small, determined dream team operating from rural Ghana. They are building a blockchain-based, global cooperative microfinance platform to help make those local farmers prosper. In short, they’ve created a magical product. They have a hard time cutting through the hype of the overwhelming tsunami of venture-backed projects that keep clogging up every crypto news site. Are these data-driven public relations pushes, as in the case of Outset PR’s global expansion, really democratizing access? Or are they just reinforcing the power of the powerful? This isn’t merely a marketing tactic – this is the essence of blockchain.
Is Data Leveling The Playing Field?
Outset PR’s data-driven, SEO-optimized, Google Discover-Top Stories-blasted article farm approach seems cool. They brag about your ability to make dynamic campaign changes on the fly and a premium on up-and-coming high-visibility platforms. Let’s not kid ourselves, who wins at SEO farther down the funnel. Businesses with deep pockets who can out-optimize and out-bid the smaller players. It’s the digital age version of a land rush. Data, in this latter scenario, becomes a weapon to be used by the financially privileged.
Think about it: a small project with limited funding can't possibly compete with the marketing budget of a VC-funded behemoth. They rely on organic, word-of-mouth community growth to survive. In the meantime, their deep-pocketed counterparts are snatching up every other spot in search results and virtually owning all media attention. Outset PR says they customize campaigns for every stage of the product pipeline. Projects that are able to grow quickly have the lasting edge, exacerbated by investor pressure to make things happen. This has nothing to do with helping the small fries, and everything to do with giving the big fries a turbo boost.
Blockchain's Promise: For All?
At its heart, blockchain’s great potential lies in democratization – an ethos that sees people take back ownership over their data, their finances, and indeed, their future. This promise rings hollow if the ecosystem itself is dominated by the same power structures that plague the traditional world. Visibility and adoption are controlled by marketing budgets and data-driven algorithm-based placements. If we just lean in on these three areas, we’ll end up recreating all the current inequalities on a shiny new blockchain infrastructure.
We need to ask ourselves: are we building a decentralized future for everyone, or just a more efficient system for the wealthy to accumulate even more wealth? The answer, I worry, is unfortunately trending in the latter direction. Avoiding vanity metrics in favor of meaningful scaling The third point sounds good on paper. In actual practice, those vanity metrics can incentivize actual adoption in the real world, especially for smaller projects that are competing for the limelight. It's a catch-22.
Community First, Always!
The solution isn't to demonize PR firms. They're simply responding to the market demands. As ever, the true answer is in moving away from data-driven growth towards community-driven governance. The new mantra Blockchain projects should focus first and foremost on creating diverse and inclusive communities built with an intention of empowered self-determination over the project’s direction. That starts with creating a safe space, which can look like promoting transparent communication, honoring inclusivity, and recognizing engagement.
Think about DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations). They’re far from perfect, but they are a meaningful move further down the road towards a more equitable, populous and democratic future. When communities have a real say in the direction of a project, they're more likely to support it, regardless of its marketing budget. This produces a virtuous cycle of organic expansion and community stewardship.
Furthermore, PR firms can do better. They can offer discounted services to smaller projects, prioritize ethical marketing practices, and actively support community-led initiatives. And they don’t have to be reactive or just focused on the noise-makers. Rather, they have the power to illuminate those voices that are more frequently ignored.
Here are some examples of what it looks like to advocate for community-driven governance:
- Prioritize open-source development: Open-source projects are inherently more transparent and accessible.
- Implement quadratic funding: Quadratic funding mechanisms can help allocate resources more equitably.
- Establish clear governance processes: Clear and transparent governance processes ensure that all community members have a voice.
My hope is that we will build this new ecosystem together, with community strength and inclusivity as our watchwords. Market cap can’t be the only measure of success.
Demand More, Build Better, Act Now!
We shouldn’t be afraid to call for better from the blockchain industry. We should require more transparency and accountability from PR firms. We need to demand that projects prioritize community over profits. And we need to advocate for a fairer allocation of funding.
The future of blockchain is not predetermined. It's up to us to shape it. To fuel that future, flip the script and give everyone a real shot to join and succeed. Let’s create a new world that realizes the hope we have for democratization. The time to act is now.
- Support inclusive blockchain projects: Invest in and contribute to projects that are committed to community-driven governance and equitable distribution of resources.
- Advocate for community-driven governance: Speak out in favor of governance models that prioritize the needs of the average user over the interests of large corporations.
- Demand transparency and accountability: Hold PR firms accountable for their marketing practices and demand greater transparency in their operations.
The future of blockchain is not predetermined. It's up to us to shape it. Let's build a future where everyone has a fair chance to participate and thrive. Let's build a future that lives up to the promise of democratization. The time to act is now.
