Layer 1 and Layer 2 marketing: turn interest into builders

Who gains from chain marketing

Quick test: Can a new developer deploy a sample in 30 minutes using your docs alone? If not, fix the docs before you buy attention.

Layer 1 and Layer 2 marketing is for teams that need developers and ecosystem participants to understand why their network matters. It is useful before a mainnet or product launch, when a network is expanding into new use cases, or when a project needs to make existing ecosystem programs easier to discover.

The work is not simply broad token promotion. It connects the network’s capabilities with the needs of specific audiences: developers evaluating documentation and tooling, projects considering where to build, and users looking for a reason to try an application. A focused plan can also help an ecosystem team explain what support is available and how to take the next step.

Before planning, gather:

• A clear description of the network and the problem it addresses.
• Developer documentation, product links, and any public roadmap details.
• Current ecosystem programs, application requirements, and important dates.
• Priority audiences, target regions, and approved claims about the product.

We use these inputs to shape the message and channel mix around what the network can demonstrate now. If your product is primarily a DeFi protocol, compare this approach with DeFi marketing; for an overview of project-type support, see solutions by project type.

How does developer marketing become real participation?

Developer and ecosystem marketing gives each audience a clear route from first discovery to a relevant action. That action might be reading technical documentation, joining a builder session, applying to a grant program, or exploring an application already live on the network.

Start by matching the message to the audience. Developers need accurate technical context and a useful next step; ecosystem partners need a concise explanation of fit, support, and responsibilities. Community-facing materials should explain what participants can do rather than rely on general claims about future adoption.

A practical campaign can include:

• Developer-facing content that points to documentation, tools, or a build opportunity.
• Partner outreach with fitted context and a specific request for a conversation.
• Community activation around a real program, event, or product milestone.
• A follow-up plan that records responses, questions, and outstanding actions.

MarketingExtra reviews the source materials before outreach and keeps campaign language aligned with approved product information. We also provide a concise reporting format showing what was prepared, which activities were completed, and what needs a decision from your team. Projects building on the network can use a more focused GameFi and Web3 gaming marketing plan when game developers and players are the priority.

What goes into a chain-specific plan

A chain-specific plan should reflect the network’s actual developer experience, ecosystem priorities, and launch calendar. It should not treat every Layer 1 or Layer 2 as interchangeable: the available tools, existing applications, community expectations, and partner priorities shape which messages are useful.

We begin with a kickoff checklist covering product context, audiences, approved claims, available assets, program details, and decision owners. Then we turn those inputs into a campaign brief that identifies the audience for each activity, the action it should support, and the material needed to deliver it. Your team can read the brief before execution, so technical or ecosystem details are corrected early.

Useful inputs include:

• Links to public documentation, product pages, and ecosystem resources.
• A current description of grants, developer support, and event opportunities.
• Existing brand guidance and approved spokespeople.
• Any geographic, language, or compliance considerations for outreach.

The channel mix should follow the objective. A developer program may call for technical content and builder outreach; an ecosystem launch may need partner coordination and community communications. For networks emphasizing physical infrastructure or distributed services, DePIN marketing can provide a more relevant project lens. We agree what you receive and owners before work begins, then share progress in writing.

Your 6-point chain marketing checklist

Tick these 6 points before you announce a program or a partnership. They keep a network story anchored in things developers can try, which is what turns a passing visitor into someone who actually builds. Keep the ticked list with your records, because it is the quickest way to explain later what was agreed.

• Link the docs and a quickstart.
• Publish a working sample project.
• State which phase the network is in.
• Describe each grant or hackathon with dates.
• Name where developers ask questions.
• Choose who approves public claims.

Terms in one line

Layer 2: a network built on top of another chain to make it faster or cheaper.

Hackathon (in plain words: a timed event where developers build projects on your network).

Where grants and hackathons fit the story

Rule of thumb: Pair every announcement with one thing a developer can do today: a repo, a quickstart or a faucet.

Grants and hackathons work best as visible routes into an ecosystem, not as standalone announcements. Marketing can make the opportunity easier to understand, help qualified teams find the right information, and keep communication organized before, during, and after an application or event.

For a grant program, clarify who can apply, what kinds of work fit, where the official requirements live, and how interested teams can ask questions. Keep promotion consistent with the program’s published terms; do not imply that a marketing campaign changes eligibility or award decisions. For a hackathon, align event messaging with the organizer’s rules, judging information, submission process, and follow-up plans.

A useful preparation checklist:

• Confirm the official program page and the person responsible for updates.
• Prepare a short explanation of the opportunity and its intended audience.
• Provide approved copy, visual assets, and links for participating partners.
• Plan how to answer common questions and route technical queries.
• Decide how to report interest, completed communications, and follow-up tasks.

MarketingExtra can coordinate these materials with developer outreach and community communications, so participants receive a consistent path to the official details. We document what was delivered and flag unanswered questions for the program owner rather than improvising policy on their behalf.

What can the team check before a campaign?

Before a campaign goes live, the team can verify that its claims, links, materials, and calls to action match the network’s current information. A review of these basics helps prevent avoidable confusion for builders and ecosystem partners.

Grant panels decide awards, hackathon organizers set rules and judging, and ecosystem teams control program access; we can prepare submissions and deliver agreed outreach, but we cannot decide those outcomes. Network activity and launch calendars can also shift, so our reporting records confirmed work and next actions rather than promising adoption.

Use a pre-launch review to check that:

• Technical descriptions match public documentation and have an internal approver.
• Grant and event details point to the official source and current requirements.
• Each audience has a relevant action, not just a general awareness message.
• Partner materials use approved language and working links.
• Reporting responsibilities and escalation contacts are agreed in advance.

Send 3 things: your docs link, the developer group you want first and the dates of any grant or hackathon. With those, we draft the plan and confirm the cost in writing before anything is published.

How it works

1. Share the network contextSend public product and developer links, current ecosystem priorities, and the milestone you are planning around. Flag any claims or materials that need approval.
2. Set audiences and what you receiveWe agree which builders, partners, or community members the work should reach, what action matters for each group, and what materials are in plan.
3. Review the campaign briefCheck the proposed messages, channels, owners, and timing against your technical information and program requirements before outreach begins.
4. Deliver and reportWe coordinate the agreed activities and share a written record of completed work, questions raised, and follow-up actions for your team.