When new crypto assets for art come out, crypto enthusiasts start talking about keeping an eye out for NFT shilling. But what is NFT shilling, and what does it have to do with promotional content on social media platforms? Keep reading to learn more about this crypto slang term and why it’s used to attract potential retail investors!

What Is Shilling?

“Shilling” dates back to the 17th century – the original “shilling” is an old form of English coinage. While the coin is no longer in use, to “shill” means being paid to sell or promote a product to entice other people into it. Being a shill has a negative meaning because a shill typically doesn’t disclose to the target audience that they have a relationship or receive payment to advertise the product.

In the casino world, a shill is someone who gambles with the casino’s money to keep games going when there aren’t enough players. Seen as disruptive players and stooges, they’re looked upon unfavorably by gamblers.

Crypto or NFT shilling is not that different from the “real-world” meaning. If you’re shilling an NFT, it means that you’re promoting it online in the hope of selling it and enticing investors.

Why Do People Shill NFTs?

Simply put, people shill NFTs to build trust in the project, attract more crypto space investors, and potentially earn thousands of dollars as a fee. 

Some are paid to shill. For example, they may receive a fee in exchange for shilling a project or receive an NFT for free and get a percentage of its sale price. People are more distrustful of the latter because their enthusiasm can seem fake and purely motivated by profit.

However, many people who are called NFT shills genuinely believe in the crypto economy and the projects they’re promoting, so they may do it for free.

Celebrities Have Shilled NFTs With Mixed Results

While it’s generally acceptable for ambitious artists to shill their own projects, institutional investors are suspicious of celebrity shilling because they may be paid for advertising. They are also seen as less credible than crypto devs or financial experts, so their financial advice about NFTs is seen as suspect.

For example, Paris Hilton shilled the Bored Ape Yacht Club collection and her NFT there on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. While this built more hype around the project, there was a lot of criticism about how these celebrity endorsements encouraged the uninformed to invest in a very volatile market.

Where Can You Shill NFTs?

You don’t need a crypto media outlet to shill NFTs. Social media networks are a great place to start shilling and talk about crypto exchange projects. Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are all good places for starting conversations about blockchain products, especially if you use the right hashtags.

Many crypto users hang around on Telegram and Discord channels to share trading advice and talk about new projects. Choose the right ones with large memberships so you can shill to as many people as possible with just one message.

You can also try shilling on NFT marketplaces like Rarible and OpenSea. Generating buzz about a project can help NFTs go up in value before you finally sell them, so shill in as many places as you can!

How To Shill Non-Fungible Tokens

If you own NFTs or want to earn advertising fees from crypto companies, you can create buzz by shilling. Here’s how you can successfully do it and reach the right audience.

• Create engaging content: You need to build engagement with your target audience, so share interesting pictures and stories about your NFTs. Add some variety and filters, and try to avoid spamming people’s feeds so your content doesn’t appear one-note.
• Make community ties: People will be curious, so be responsive! Answer their questions, drop links, or give information. You never know which commenter will turn out to be a big buyer, and your effort could help you earn billions of dollars on your NFTs.
• Build authority: You’ll need to successfully position yourself as a trusted and credible person in crypto economy spaces. Join Reddit, Telegram, and Discord to connect with crypto enthusiasts and talk about your project.

These social media channels are great places for making valuable connections and picking up tips about blockchain technology. Doing this will gradually make you look more experienced and knowledgeable about NFTs, instead of just another link-dropper.

In Conclusion

Shilling isn’t a bad thing in itself, but people view it with suspicion because of all the NFT scams that have emerged. It doesn’t help that there are many unauthoritative celebrities who are shilling NFTs but don’t seem to have the expertise to be truly persuasive.

If you’re planning to release an NFT, you’ll need to cultivate authority and trust to be a successful shill. Build connections online and talk to other crypto enthusiasts to get the ball rolling!