Struggling to Grow Your Web3 Project?

Here’s a problem every founder faces:

You built something great. Maybe you launched a protocol, a dApp, or an NFT project. You got your first wave of users—your early believers.

But now what? Growth has stalled. Engagement is slowing. You’re posting updates and pushing content, but nothing’s moving the needle.

Here’s the truth: You’re stuck in the Growth dilemma where only 8% of brands expand beyond their first growth phase. And this is where the problem lies, and on this issue today, we discuss:

• The zero-cost growth strategy to expand beyond the first growth phase.

• Leveraging data to get important insights when breaking through the growth dilemma.

• An incredible hack to make Web3 product development much smoother for you.

If this is your first time here, Welcome to Blocks and Growth. Now, let’s unpack these nuggets!

The cycle is familiar: new projects launch every day, yet most disappear into obscurity. Why?
Because they market the same way—posting on X, shilling in Telegram groups, and waiting for engagement that never comes.

But what if there was a zero-cost strategy for organically driving attention, using the blockchain as the marketing engine? 

That’s what Thomas Pan (TPan), founder of the newsletter: Web3 with TPan, calls On-Chain Guerilla Marketing, a concept he broke down when he joined us on W3GM Podcast. You can listen to the episode here.

Here’s how On-Chain Guerilla Marketing Works:

• Use of Wallets and Transactions as Marketing Tools: Public blockchain data (e.g., wallet addresses, transactions, smart contract interactions) is intentionally used to tell a story, create intrigue, or deliver a specific message.

• Memes and Relatable Content: Incorporating memes or culturally relevant jokes into on-chain activity amplifies the viral potential. A fun and relatable message can make even technical transactions engaging.

• Community-Led Amplification: Once the campaign starts, community members often amplify it by analyzing transactions, discussing them on social platforms, and speculating about the project's intent. This virality is fueled organically by user curiosity.

• Cross-Platform Engagement: On-chain activity is combined with off-chain discussions (e.g., on Twitter, Discord, or Reddit), creating a feedback loop of engagement between blockchain explorers and social platforms.

How to Leverage On-Chain Data To Find Insights!

Now, you might wonder—how do we measure whether these guerilla marketing strategies work? That’s where on-chain analytics comes in. 

But here’s the catch: basic blockchain analytics isn’t enough anymore, either from a marketing or general Data Analytics perspective.

In one of his tweets, 0xBoxer famously called basic blockchain analysis the “Weather Report,” and he is quite correct. 

Here’s why: Founders, Devs, and Marketers like you looking to grow your brands don’t need blanket insights on Daily wallet activity, trading volume, and TVL. They are useful—but they don’t tell the full story. Great insights go deeper.

But how can you find real insights from a large LOG of on-chain data events? Well, it is simple:

• Ask Smarter Questions: Don’t just track activity—analyze what’s driving it.

• Link On-Chain + Off-Chain Behavior: Are traders reacting to the news? What’s happening in governance proposals?

• Measure What Matters: Instead of vanity metrics, align data analysis with protocol goals and community impact.

• Look at the Events: What’s happening within each event? What about across all events? Is it directly or indirectly correlated? 

@Sem1d5, a Data Analyst and Contributor at Metrics DAO, recently explained his hidden insights in on-chain data if you want more examples of how this works. Check out his X thread here.

AI is for Builders, and that’s why I love Cursor AI

With on-chain analytics, we uncover deep insights; at least you know how to do that already.

But what about improving the way we work with data and code? Or the way we write Rust, Move, or Solidity? And ship product 2x — 5X faster and smile while you’re at it?

That’s where AI tools like Cursor come in. It can help builders and founders like you execute codes faster and smarter.

Trust me, this is not an Ad. I’d be elated if it was, haha … but I’ve tried Copilot, BlackBox AI, and other extensions in VsCode. But recently, Cursor AI has been my go-to coding tool; here’s why

• AI-Powered Doc Writing – Makes documentation effortless.

• Code Refactoring Made Easy – Smart suggestions that improve my code.

• Focused Workflow – Clean UI, no distractions.

• @Docs Feature – Pull in API docs or articles directly into your workspace.

• Flexible AI Integration: You can use their free tier, $20/month plan, or connect your OpenAI API key.

For example, when I tried translating JSON files between languages, Cursor admitted it couldn’t do it directly but offered a Python snippet to automate the task. 

That level of adaptability and transparency is something I truly appreciate and I think you would find it useful.

Bricks on Bricks—Don’t Stop Building!

Blocks & Growth isn’t just a newsletter—it’s a construction zone of ideas, insights, and execution for founders, Developers, and Marketers like you. 

Where every block you lay moves you forward. Every insight you act on builds something bigger. Lots of insight was shared in this issue today: What’s Your Take?

• Have you tried On-Chain Guerilla Marketing? What worked?

• What’s your favorite AI tool for building in Web3?

• How are you going beyond surface-level on-chain data?

Reply and let me know—I’ll feature the best insights in the next issue.

If you’re new here, subscribe so you don’t miss out. Until next time, keep stacking blocks and keep growing.