Is Base Chain Igniting a New Wave? How Cold Start Marketing Strategies Are Evolving
In early 2025, Base Chain’s ecosystem has seen explosive growth: according to Dune Analytics, daily active addresses have surpassed 1.5 million, transaction volume has briefly outpaced Ethereum’s mainnet, and Total Value Locked (TVL) has surged 300% in just three months. This growth has attracted developers, investors, and users, fueling new projects in Meme, DeFi, GameFi, and SocialFi sectors.
However, opportunities come with challenges—cold start difficulties are escalating. The surge in project numbers has intensified competition, and attention within the ecosystem is scarce. Projects must quickly build user awareness, spark interest, and establish community engagement, or risk being lost in the information flood.
Drawing from multiple Web3 project post-mortems, this article analyzes how to design an effective cold start marketing strategy in the context of Base Chain’s booming ecosystem, helping projects stand out in crowded markets.
ChainPeak.Pro – Web3 Marketing Agency with 10,000+ Regional KOLs. Boost Your Project Efficiently with ChainPeak.Pro, Contact Us Now.
The Current State and Evolution of Cold Starts on Base Chain
In the past, cold starting on new blockchains followed a predictable path: build an early user community, distribute airdrops or beta access, and leverage KOLs for word-of-mouth traction to attract core users. However, Base Chain’s post-explosion ecosystem is entirely different.
First, user demographics have shifted. Base Chain’s 1.5 million+ daily active addresses include ~40% new Web3 users from the past year, drawn by memes, airdrop expectations, or social mechanics. These users are highly interested in on-chain interactions but have short attention spans and prefer lightweight, entertaining content. Projects can’t rely solely on technical highlights; they need instantly engaging mechanics and rewards.
Second, competition dynamics have changed. According to DeFiLlama, the number of DApps on Base Chain has tripled in the past year, and the lifecycle of trending topics has shrunk from weeks to 48–72 hours. Missing the optimal discussion window makes it hard to gain organic traction.
Finally, channel and campaign pacing have evolved. Early Base Chain relied on in-chain KOLs and a few task platforms. Now, cross-chain and cross-platform integration is key—X (Twitter), Farcaster communities, Telegram groups, task platforms, and on-chain event pages can all serve as cold start touchpoints. Projects need multi-channel, multi-audience integration, not single-point efforts.
Core Cold Start Strategies for Base Chain
Leverage Base Official and Ecosystem Resources
Base Chain’s official events are not just exposure channels but also trust endorsements. Events like Onchain Summer, ecosystem Grants, hackathons, or tech talks naturally attract core on-chain players and media attention. For cold-start projects, appearing in official social media, ecosystem websites, or event posters offers maximum credibility at minimal cost.
However, simply participating doesn’t guarantee sustained traffic. The key is designing interactive, shareable on-chain mechanics around official event themes. For example, an NFT project during Onchain Summer launched a “daily limited mint” campaign tied to the official event page, converting short-term attention into daily active users and achieving over 30,000 mints in a week.
Projects can also proactively connect with Base’s team to secure mentions in official tweets, press releases, or AMAs. For small teams with limited resources, this “leveraging momentum” approach is often the best entry point for a cold start.
Dual In-Chain and Cross-Chain KOL Traffic Funnels
KOLs are among the fastest ways to reach target users on Base Chain. Relying solely on in-chain KOLs risks limiting growth to existing user circles, while cross-chain KOLs alone may miss Base’s community context and trends. The optimal approach is a dual strategy.
In-chain KOLs understand Base’s culture, memes, and trending rhythms, sparking discussions quickly. Cross-chain KOLs can attract new users from other ecosystems, expanding growth potential. For instance, a Base DeFi project collaborated with 5 in-chain mid-tier KOLs for in-depth tutorials and 3 Ethereum/Solana top KOLs for comparative reviews, achieving dual traffic inflows. Curious why mid-tier KOLs drive more traffic? Download the In-Depth Analysis Report.
To boost conversions, tailor content to KOL audience traits: in-chain content can be technical and detailed, while cross-chain content should focus on storytelling and accessibility to lower entry barriers, explaining why users should “try Base.”
Task Platforms for Traffic Retention
A cold start isn’t a one-time explosion—it’s about user retention and engagement. Even if a tweet or livestream drives massive new users, without follow-up paths, they’ll quickly churn.
Task platforms like Galxe, Zealy, or QuestN are ideal for retaining traffic. They break user engagement into stages—following social media, joining communities, on-chain interactions, or creating user-generated content—offering points, NFTs, or airdrop eligibility to sustain motivation. A Base gaming project designed a three-stage task system: Stage 1 involved social follows and claiming a game character NFT, Stage 2 required playtesting and feedback, and Stage 3 included on-chain transactions and referrals. This led to 35% higher retention than similar projects without task funnels.
Task platforms’ data tracking also helps identify conversion bottlenecks for optimization. For example, low on-chain task completion rates signal the need for simpler mechanics, tutorials, or KOL demo videos.
Community-Driven Content Virality
Base users are highly engaged with memes, on-chain challenges, and user-generated content, creating fertile ground for viral spread. Providing easy-to-replicate, shareable materials can trigger content explosions.
For example, a Meme project offered 50 meme templates and a “best creation” reward, requiring users to post on X with a hashtag. Within 48 hours, the hashtag generated 5,000+ original and derivative posts, over half from non-core followers.
The key is clear incentives and low entry barriers—users need to feel “posting is easy, and I might win.” Projects must sustain engagement post-campaign to avoid community cooldowns, such as through follow-up interactions with active users.
PR and AMAs for Trust-Building Loops
For DeFi, infrastructure, or cross-chain protocols requiring user funds or long-term engagement, trust is critical during cold starts. PR and AMAs are cost-effective, reliable methods.
PR articles (press releases, in-depth interviews, sector analyses) on platforms like Cointelegraph, The Block, or PANews provide instant credibility. AMAs allow users to ask questions directly, alleviating concerns. A Base liquidity aggregator hosted three AMAs for different markets alongside media coverage, boosting TVL from $500,000 to $5 million in a week. [You Might Be Interested: How to Choose Asian Crypto Media?]
PR and AMAs may not yield immediate results but enhance subsequent marketing conversions. During cold starts, combine them with KOL campaigns and task platforms to form an “awareness–interest–participation–retention” loop.
Common Pitfalls and Avoidance Tips for Base Chain Cold Starts
Chasing Exposure Without Conversion Retention
Many projects invest heavily in one-off campaigns, achieving impressive exposure but losing users post-event. An NFT project on Base collaborated with 10 KOLs, gaining 2 million views, but lacked task funnels or incentives, resulting in a 70% Discord activity drop within a week.
Avoidance Tip: Design retention paths before exposure campaigns, such as task platforms, airdrop whitelists, or on-chain achievement badges, ensuring users have clear “next steps.”
Ignoring In-Chain Cultural Differences
Base’s community leans toward entertainment and lightweight content. Reusing Ethereum or Solana’s technical-heavy approaches often fails. A DeFi project’s hard-core AMM mechanism article flopped due to Base users preferring interactive mechanics over technical details early on.
Avoidance Tip: Study Base’s trending topics, memes, and event styles before launching. Test small-scale campaigns to gather feedback before large promotions.
Over-Reliance on Single Channels
Focusing solely on one channel (e.g., KOL tweets) risks stagnation if algorithms or trends shift.
Avoidance Tip: Run at least three traffic streams—in-chain communities, cross-chain social media, and task platforms—interlinking them. For example, funnel task platform users to Discord, then drive on-chain actions via Discord events.
Tailored Cold Start Strategies by Sector
Meme Projects
On Base, Meme projects excel at creating short-term buzz, especially given the chain’s vibrant culture and entertainment-driven users. Focus on capturing話題 rather than token mechanics initially. Use memes, short videos, or on-chain mini-games to build community buzz, then introduce low-threshold on-chain interactions (e.g., limited mints, trading contests) to convert social hype into transaction spikes.
DeFi Projects
Base’s DeFi users, often from Ethereum or other L2s, prioritize technical details and security. Address “why choose you” early with KOL tutorial videos, yield calculators, or demo platforms to lower learning curves. Media interviews, audit reports, and real-time TVL displays build trust. Avoid high-APY hype; emphasize stable yields and risk management for long-term fund retention.
GameFi Projects
Base users are enthusiastic about interactive and gaming mechanics, but mass-market launches risk “flash-in-the-pan” effects. Target core Web3 gamers and creators first for deep playtesting and content creation, leveraging their influence for broader reach. For example, invite prominent GameFi KOLs and streamers for beta testing livestreams while offering NFT item rewards via task platforms to gather feedback and early buzz.
NFT Projects
For NFTs on Base, competition hinges on narrative and community belonging, not technology. Craft compelling stories and create scarcity through limited sales, whitelist reservations, or on-chain airdrops. An art NFT project can debut at Base’s official events, blending the artist’s story and on-chain creation process with limited mints to trigger “fear of missing out” and drive sell-outs.
Success Case Studies
Case Study 1: How a Meme Project Used In-Chain Virality to Spike Day-One Trading Volume
A Meme project aimed to rank in Base’s top 10 trading volume on launch day to gain organic traffic and media attention. With a limited budget and multiple competing Meme projects, user attention was fragmented.
Strategy:
- Two weeks pre-launch, seeded “meme tasks” in Base communities to build awareness.
- Partnered with 5 mid-tier Base KOLs for a limited meme challenge, requiring X posts with hashtags for NFT badges and airdrop points.
- Launched a three-stage Galxe task on launch day, guiding users through follows, NFT mints, and token trades.
Results: Within 72 hours, token trading volume exceeded $1.2 million, with over 30,000 NFT mints, landing in DEXScreener’s top 10.
Feedback: Base community engagement exceeded expectations, especially in user-generated content. The team made meme challenges a weekly activity to sustain activity.
Case Study 2: How a DeFi Project Built Trust with KOLs + Media
A cross-chain liquidity aggregator on Base aimed to attract stable user deposits and institutional trust within two weeks. With many DeFi projects on Base, user retention was challenging.
Strategy:
- Partnered with 3 in-depth DeFi KOLs for detailed tutorials and yield campaign links.
- Published in-depth interviews on Cointelegraph and PANews, highlighting team credentials, audits, and past data.
- Hosted an AMA on Base’s official Discord to address security and yield questions.
Results: TVL grew from $800,000 to $6.2 million in a month, with 65%+ retention, including first-time deposits from cross-ecosystem users.
Feedback: Users valued tutorial content and credible media, boosting confidence. AMAs were particularly effective for converting high-value users.
Conclusion
Base Chain’s explosion offers new opportunities and challenges for Web3 cold starts. Compared to other blockchains, Base’s community favors lightweight, interactive content, with strong interest in Meme and GameFi projects. However, relying on single “hype” tactics won’t sustain growth.
An effective cold start forms a loop across buzz creation, on-chain retention, and user stickiness, tailored to sector needs—Meme projects seize social topics, DeFi builds trust, GameFi targets core players, and NFTs craft narratives.
Regardless of budget, designing integrated in-chain and cross-chain plans, avoiding common pitfalls, and optimizing content and community pacing are key to standing firm in Base’s boom.
Free Marketing Tips to Download
How to Find and Collaborate with Quality Crypto KOLs | 2025 Web3 Global Growth Strategy Guide | Which KOL Collaboration Model Suits Web3 Growth? | How to Choose Truly Effective Web3 KOLs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What’s the best timing for a Base Chain cold start?
Target high-activity periods in the Base community, such as official events or major project launches, when users are more open to trying new projects and promotion costs are lower.
2. How can I execute an effective cold start on Base Chain with a small budget?
Focus on mid-tier KOLs, task platforms, and in-chain community engagement for lower costs and authentic interactions. A mid-sized task campaign paired with an AMA often outperforms single, high-cost ad spends.
3. How do I prevent user churn after a cold start campaign?
Maintain continuous content updates and community incentives post-campaign, such as user-generated content contests, weekly AMAs, or limited-time airdrops to give users reasons to stay engaged.
4. What are the advantages of working with ChainPeak?
ChainPeak offers bulk pricing advantages, with costs far lower than direct negotiations. Long-term partnerships unlock customized packages and annual discounts, saving over 30% on costs.
Additional Resources You May Need:
Website: https://chainpeak.pro/
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/chainpeak
Global KOL Resource Group: https://t.me/globalcryptokol
Global Moderator Resource Group: https://t.me/web3modglobal
Schedule an Online Meeting: https://calendly.com/chainpeak/30min