Explore our journey crafting user-focused design for the NFT platform, Metastaq, navigating the complexities of Web3 and NFTs. Witness how our strategy created an inclusive space for both Web3 veterans and newcomers in the NFT landscape.
Key takeaways
- Research for NFT design is essential. Before writing a single line of code, we spent weeks understanding blockchain platforms, user pain points, and competitive gaps. That groundwork shaped every decision that followed.
- Automation beats complexity. By hiding smart contract creation and automating technical processes, we turned a seven-step nightmare into a streamlined flow. Users don't need to understand blockchain to use it.
- Technology choices have real consequences. Choosing Solana over Ethereum or Polygon wasn't arbitrary. We weighed speed, cost, security, and long-term viability. That research prevented future headaches and ensured scalability.
- Fortune 500 brands have different needs than crypto enthusiasts. We designed for both Web3 veterans and newcomers, but our primary users were enterprise teams. That meant prioritizing clarity, security, and business functionality over flashy features.
- UX research pays off in customer acquisition. Metastaq landed 200+ stores post-launch. That didn't happen by accident. It happened because we designed a platform that solved real problems for real businesses.
- Competitor analysis reveals hidden opportunities. Features like lazy minting weren't our invention, they were table stakes. But identifying gaps (like fiat payment support and automated smart contracts) gave Metastaq its competitive edge.
If you aim to reach a user adoption destination, you need to pave a human-focused way to it. Yes, Web3 and NFT alone are gaining momentum and opening the door to new ways of interaction, digital art, brand communication, marketing campaigns, and business.
But to keep it scaling, it's time to break through the intricate puzzle of overcomplicated interfaces that make blockchain products like closed clubs for Web3-versed only.
That's what our client, co-founder of the NFT platform Metastaq, Ibrahim Hasani, had in mind and Lazarev.agency helped bring it to life.
Although, without a clear understanding of the industry's specifics, users' needs, and pain points, it would've been next to impossible to build the platform it is now. So to avoid taking such risks, we turned to UX research which was our true ally all the design way.
Next, our top-rated Bay Area design agency will dive into the world of discovery that helped us design the NFT platform that, spoiler alert, acquired the top global brands as customers with over 200 stores after the launch.
Metastaq x Lazarev.agency: how it all began
The thing about Web3 is that it sets its prime focus on NFT marketplaces' individual users but rarely on businesses. The Metastaq team discovered this market gap and decided to cater to brands.
The startup developed an all-in-one B2B solution that empowers businesses to create and mint NFTs. And the cherry on top of it — it's a platform that reaches both Web3-versed users and newbies who are excited to discover the realm of blockchain.
That's Lazarev.agency cue to enter the scene. Our task was to design a space where Fortune 500 brands can stress-free mint NFTs, leveraging automatically generated smart contracts, and build e-stores.
As an NFT creative agency, we kicked off our design journey with UX research. Let's see what findings it helped us uncover.
UX research in Web3 design
When working on Metastaq, we tailored the UX discovery phase to the company's specific goals and dived into market research and technology research and competitor analysis.
Insights combo: market & technology research
Our team set out to discover the digital world of blockchain. We left no stone unturned and explored the industry's specifics and constraints and how it all aligned with economic, political, and technological aspects.
We also ran stakeholders and product discovery workshops to have an in-depth look into Metaverse case studies from different brands' advertising campaigns.
What did it help us find? We extracted actionable insights about the target audience's pain points, like:
- the too-complex minting process;
- the lack of tools to analyze token sales;
- the longed-for features like paying in fiat for NFTs.
Not bad, right? There's more. Next, we needed to select a blockchain network to build the platform on. Our ally in this endeavor was technology research. Our squad looked into platforms like Polkadot, Solana, Avalanche, Ethereum, and Polygon blockchains.
Having analyzed each, we dug up both platforms' strengths and weaknesses. For instance, when it comes to Ethereum, it's the second most decentralized cryptocurrency in the world, after Bitcoin. But its decentralized protocols tend to be slow. The platform makes 15 TPS (transactions per second), which isn't enough.
Polygon is quite the opposite. Speed-wise, it has faster transactions that are also at a lower cost than Ethereum, which makes it an attractive chain to use for decentralized finance apps.
But the trouble is that the platform lacks security when not using the main chain. Given that Metastaq aimed for a long-term and safe journey, using Polygon wasn't an option.
So after considering all the pros and cons, we decided to go for the Solana network. It has a lower gas cost and is faster than Ethereum, thanks to the small number of validators. Plus, Solana doesn't have a mempool, so it processes and adds transactions to the blockchain almost in no time.
Look into the competitive field
Given that the crowded NFT market is filled with various offers, our goal was to outline key points that would help Metastaq stand out. Analyzing its direct and indirect competitors, like OpenSea, Bitski, Rarible, etc., helped us uncover hidden gems we could implement in our design. For starters, a feature like lazy minting is something users expect to see on the platform by default.
On top of that, we found out that the creating smart contracts stage is mandatory from a technical perspective but optional for user experience.
That was something one can call our “aha” moment. We hid smart contract development and included this process in automation. Eliminating it from UX helped us streamline the NFT creation flow and avoid overburdening the user's focus.
Research findings that make the design work
The research insights roll didn't stop there. Such robust data served as a solid foundation for every design step. The platform's main features and user flow are one of them.
Metastaq's prime functionality
We structured the platforms' features according to the elaborated mind map, which was a necessary premise of user flow. For example, we packed Metastaq with a no-code NFT creation and powerups that help users increase the value of their unique digital assets and make it a reward or a discount coupon.
The platform also is rich with functionality like integration with webpages and API, payment in fiat (not exclusively cryptocurrency), automatic creation of SC, and the ability to mint all NFTs in one transaction.
Data-backed user flow
This is where it all led. Having built a research-driven design strategy, we set out to create a journey that would welcome users to the platform and guide them across the NFT creation process.
Lazarev.agency developed customized user flows for creating and minting tokens. We divided the management system into a well-structured dashboard that includes Collections & NFTs and the Releases pages. All three empower NFT brands to create and save tokens as drafts, delete, and/or mint NFTs.
We also explored the idea of adding a separate analytics page but opted to keep it simple with a small amount of data in informative blocks on the Releases and NFTs pages.
Oh, and one more thing. Our team is all about a personalized approach. Keeping in mind various Metastaq user personas, we built different layouts for the admin, user, and manager roles, each with its own access level.
Why NFT projects fail without proper design research
Most NFT companies rush to launch without understanding their target audience. They focus on technical expertise but ignore the human side. The result is platforms that confuse users, kill conversion rates, and drive website traffic away instead of converting it.
As an NFT marketing agency would tell you: your product needs more than blockchain knowledge. It needs strategic marketing rooted in real user behavior. That's where comprehensive services like UX research, content marketing, and visual identity design intersect.
When marketing NFTs, you're not just promoting digital assets. You're building trust in the crypto space — a space where users are skeptical, cautious, and bombarded by noise from countless NFT marketing agencies promising the moon.
“Our approach as a leading NFT marketing agency? Start with research. Build with data. Design for humans.”
{{Oleksandr Koshytskyi}}
What makes the NFT design agency an effective solution?
The best NFT design agencies deliver innovative solutions that connect NFT art with real business goals. Here's what separates a legitimate NFT design firm from the noise:
- Industry expertise that goes beyond surface-level trends. Anyone can claim they're an NFT design agency. Few can prove they understand smart contract development, community building, and how to drive community growth in online communities.
- Tailored strategies, not cookie-cutter templates. Every NFT and Web3 project has unique challenges. A company specializes in understanding those nuances from community management to influencer marketing and builds custom solutions accordingly.
- Proven track record with real results. We've helped crypto businesses and other clients raise $500M+. That's not luck. It's strategic solutions backed by market research, app development knowledge, and technical expertise that translates into measurable outcomes.
The intersection of design and NFT marketing campaigns
Design isn't separate from marketing. They're two sides of the same coin. When promoting NFT projects, your visual identity matters as much as your paid advertising budget.
Think about it: billboard advertising catches eyes, but your NFT marketplace interface keeps users engaged. Influencer partnerships drive initial website traffic, but intuitive UX converts that traffic into sales. Social media management builds your brand strategy, but smart design makes your digital marketing strategies stick.
As both an NFT creative agency and NFT marketing company, we've seen this pattern repeat: the best NFT marketing happens when design, research, and promotion work in sync.
Video marketing tells your story. Email marketing nurtures leads. But if your platform's UX is broken, none of that matters. Users will bounce. Your marketing projects will fail. Your crypto media coverage will go to waste.
That's why we integrate web development, mobile app development, and NFT development. It's not about being everything to everyone. It's about understanding that effective NFT promotion requires a holistic view.
Finale
What can you take from this research-focused case study? Well, that in-depth analysis isn't a whim or extra service, it's a foundation to build a user-centered Web3 product on.
With Metastaq, we created a platform that utilizes the innovative nature of decentralized space in a way that both Web3 aficionados and excited newcomers can grow their NFT brands within the NFT marketplace. The company's results and our client speak for it.
Looking to build an NFT platform that actually works? As an NFT design agency with a proven track record in Web3, blockchain integration, and community building, we turn complex crypto projects into user-friendly experiences. From market research to web development to targeted advertising, we deliver comprehensive design services that drive results. Let's talk.
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