Marketing plays a crucial role in promoting cryptocurrency and blockchain projects by creating awareness, establishing trust, and driving adoption. However, with so many projects vying for attention, it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd. In this interview, we speak with Vlad Pivnev, the CEO of ICODA, a prominent marketing agency specializing in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries. Drawing on his extensive marketing experience and deep industry knowledge, Pivnev sheds light on the challenges faced by businesses operating in this space. Discover how ICODA’s data-driven approach and tailored marketing strategies have helped numerous clients successfully launch their projects, stay ahead of the latest trends, and achieve outstanding results.
Please tell us a little more about yourself.
I have been actively involved in marketing since 2010, and in 2017, I began developing ICODA. The idea for the agency came from the realization that there was a demand for marketing services in the cryptocurrency industry, which was experiencing rapid growth and change at the time. Our early days were marked by a lot of experimentation with real projects and the development of new services. Starting with just three team members, we have since grown to a team of 15 employees and 20 freelancers.
We weathered the storm of the first crypto winter in 2018, a difficult time when the negative market conditions made it challenging to launch new projects or promote existing ones. Despite the tough conditions, we were able to find a few clients who became our friends and partners and helped us survive the downturn.
With the rise of Initial Exchange Offering services, the industry bounced back for about six months, and new projects emerged, seeking both funding and effective marketing.
The last few years have seen the emergence of DeFi, NFTs, and GameFi, all of which have contributed to significant market growth. However, the industry has also faced significant challenges, with many projects and companies collapsing.
Our agency faced these challenges during the summer of 2022, but we adapted our approach to work within the current market conditions. Despite the ups and downs, we remain committed to providing tailored marketing strategies and data-driven approaches to help our clients succeed in this dynamic industry.
What is ICODA, and what services do you provide to the crypto market?
At ICODA, we offer a wide range of services to our clients, including influencer marketing, assistance in listing on launchpads, public relations, social media marketing, and more. Our approach is based on understanding our clients’ business goals and developing tailored solutions to help them achieve those objectives.
Currently, our most in-demand services include NFT sales, Initial DEX Offerings (IDOs), and bringing new customers to exchanges and wallets. In addition, we help our clients manage their online reputation by monitoring and shaping their brand awareness.
Our team has extensive experience in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries, and we stay up-to-date with the latest trends and developments to ensure that our clients are always ahead of the curve. Whether you are launching a new project or seeking to increase your brand awareness, we can help you achieve your goals with our data-driven approach and tailored marketing strategies.
How does your company use a data-driven approach in creating products and services for crypto businesses? Could you give us a walkthrough?
At ICODA, we believe that effective marketing is data-driven, and we launch a cross-channel analytics system for each project we work on. This system records metrics at every stage of the marketing funnel, including ad impressions, website traffic, registrations, completed KYC, and deposit sums. By customizing an analytics system for each project, we can determine what is working and what is not and adjust our strategies accordingly.
We recognize that marketing is not just about paid advertising, which is why we use the See Think Do Care framework. This approach allows us to use different marketing tools at different stages of the funnel to achieve specific goals. While every function contributes to the overall objective, each task is locally targeted towards different aspects of the funnel, such as lead generation.
To generate and analyze this data, we use a mix of solutions, including Google Data Studio and our own developments. We also monitor mentions on social networks to keep track of our clients’ online reputation and brand awareness. By leveraging these tools and analytics, we can create effective marketing strategies that drive real results for our clients.
Can you explain how you tailor your marketing strategies to beat the bear crypto market challenges?
At ICODA, we pride ourselves on our boutique approach, where we offer customized solutions that are specifically tailored to meet our clients’ unique needs. We don’t believe in selling pre-packaged solutions or offering cookie-cutter packages. Instead, we approach each project with a fresh perspective, developing tailored strategies that align with the project’s story, goals, and desired results.
In terms of adapting to bear markets, we believe in being agile and continuously learning, testing new approaches, and adapting to emerging trends. We keep a close eye on the market, constantly testing new sources and strategies, and quickly pivoting when needed. For example, when NFT sales first emerged, we helped clients to sell them independently. Then, we transitioned to organizing NFT sales on launchpads, and now we are focused on collaborations and down calls. Similarly, in 2017, we adapted to the market by shifting our focus from traffic acquisition to PR and then to working with funds as the market evolved.
We understand that the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries are constantly evolving, and we are committed to staying ahead of the curve. Our ability to learn quickly, test new strategies, and implement changes is what sets us apart and allows us to provide our clients with effective marketing solutions that deliver real results, even in challenging market conditions.
What types of digital marketing techniques do you offer specifically for cryptocurrency-related projects?
Developing a strong positioning and unique selling proposition (USP) is the first step in any marketing campaign for cryptocurrency-related projects. These projects exist in a distinct sphere that requires unique approaches that may differ from other types of marketing. While some marketing tools may overlap, the strategies and tactics used must be tailored to the crypto market. For example, partnering with a specific influencer may be crucial to kickstart a crypto project. The fast-paced nature of the market requires marketers to constantly stay up-to-date with new opportunities and trends and use them to their advantage.
How can ICODA help startups looking to navigate through the complex world of token offering launch campaigns and crypto sales?
ICODA has a lot of valuable resources and expertise to offer to cryptocurrency-related projects. Access to a wide range of influencers and launchpads, as well as PR solutions, can be crucial in helping these projects succeed in a highly competitive market. Additionally, the experience and knowledge that ICODA has accumulated over the years can be extremely valuable in creating tailored strategies for each project’s specific goals and needs.
Do you have any success stories where your company has helped a business achieve significant growth or financial success within the cryptocurrency industry?
Check out these cases:
- Clouch. We brought 100,000 new users to the Web 3 social network.
- Bosagora. Thanks to our robust solutions, the company closed a round of the T-Fi lending service in 9 seconds.
What sets ICODA apart from other digital/crypto marketing agencies out there today, are there particular regions where your expertise is strongest when it comes to promoting blockchain-based companies and their offerings?
That sounds like a very comprehensive approach. It’s great that you take the time to analyze each project and offer tailored solutions based on their specific needs and goals. By doing this, you can ensure that your marketing strategies are effective and aligned with your clients’ overall business strategies. It’s also great that you provide realistic scenarios and results to your clients, which helps manage expectations and build trust. This approach is likely to lead to more successful and long-term partnerships with your clients.
Our expertise is strongest in Europe, CIS, and various English and Spanish-speaking countries.
Where do you see the future of crypto marketing? Do you have more information to share with our readers today?
Working with the Chinese market, which is, worth recognizing, much more developed, we noted the critical importance of influencers and mobile traffic in cryptocurrency marketing. We believe that this trend towards mobile usage and influencer marketing is not unique to China and is becoming more prevalent in many markets around the world.
With the increasing importance of mobile devices and social media, influencer marketing has become one of the most effective ways to reach a wide audience in a short amount of time. Working with influencers who have a strong presence on popular social media platforms can help companies tap into new markets and reach potential customers in a more authentic and relatable way. It’s important to tailor marketing strategies to fit the specific needs and preferences of each target market. Understanding the nuances of different markets and adjusting marketing strategies accordingly can make all the difference in achieving success.
For more information, visit the website: https://icoda.io/
