Author: Founder of TON Ecosystem Growth Lab
Twitter: @Showy005
Community: Growth Lab
1. Purpose of the Guide
This guide aims to showcase the potential and opportunities of the TON ecosystem, helping future practitioners to easily start their careers and providing practical insights to reduce learning costs. At the same time, we hope to attract more people to join the TON community through this guide, promote resource sharing, and drive ecosystem development.
2. Introduction to the TON Ecosystem
Origin and Development of TON
TON was initially developed by the Telegram team (2018-2021) to address traditional blockchain issues such as scalability, speed, and privacy protection. Its development background is deeply rooted in Telegram's massive user base and its vision of a decentralized internet. Due to SEC accusations, it ultimately had to abandon issuance and hand it over to the foundation for operation. Today, it has become a top public chain with a daily trading volume exceeding 5 billion US dollars.
The Relationship between TON and Telegram
Although TON was initially initiated by Telegram, due to regulatory issues, Telegram ultimately decided to withdraw from TON's development. The core technology of TON continues to grow and develop within the Telegram community, forming a new ecosystem centered on decentralization and privacy protection. Telegram's massive user base provides tremendous support for promoting the TON ecosystem.
Roles of TON and the TON Foundation
The establishment of the TON Foundation aims to promote the technical development and community building of TON, ensuring that the project's decentralization goals are achieved. The foundation not only provides the financial support needed for ecosystem development but also collaborates with developers and enterprises to jointly promote the expansion of TON technology and ecosystem.
Although both belong to TON, TON's rights in ecosystem development outweigh those of the foundation. In terms of global influence, the foundation is not weaker than the TON team; the two have different focuses.
Integrating payment functions and leveraging user base
The payment function of TON is very powerful; leveraging Telegram's vast user base, TON has integrated payment and trading functions, allowing users to conduct cryptocurrency transactions without leaving Telegram, significantly lowering the barrier for users to enter Web3 and laying the groundwork for cryptocurrency payments. Many countries now support TON tokens for online payments, such as in Singapore for taxi rides.
The vision for a decentralized future
The ultimate goal of TON is to achieve complete decentralization, providing a free, open, and secure internet environment for global users. In the future, TON will not be limited to payment functions but will expand into decentralized gaming, storage, social, financial services, and other fields. The official team has also repeatedly stated at conferences that the development team and foundation will gradually operate in the form of a DAO, giving community and power to users.
3. Roles in the TON Ecosystem
In the TON ecosystem, multiple roles work together to promote the development and innovation of the network:
Telegram: Follow Durov's channel; basically, you need to get firsthand information from him. Additionally, Telegram and TON are independent of each other, so the Telegram function is one of the biggest factors affecting the ecosystem.
Ordinary users: Mainly Telegram's original residents, with a considerable portion using Telegram because of TON, and a small part being on-chain token holders.
Developers: Responsible for writing smart contracts, developing DApps, and participating in technical innovation of the network.
Foundation: Primarily promotes TON's global application, currently mainly distributed in Europe and Asia.
Investors: Invest in projects within the TON ecosystem, mainly in token rights, with a significant portion also having equity rights.
Project Team: Responsible for managing and promoting TON-related projects, developing applications and products.
Economic Model Designer: Designs the project's token economy, ensuring the system's health and long-term growth.
Compliance and Legal Advisors: Provide legal opinions for TON ecosystem projects to ensure compliance.
Professional Content Creators: Self-media/institutions that produce content (articles, videos, etc.) targeting the TON ecosystem.
4. Popular Tracks in the TON Ecosystem
The TON ecosystem encompasses numerous innovative projects and applications, mainly divided into the following categories:
DeFi (Decentralized Finance)
One of the Q4 strategies for TON in 2024 is a decentralized financial platform based on the TON blockchain, providing lending, trading, stablecoin, and other financial services.
MEMECOIN
One of the Q4 strategies for TON in 2024 is to hold multiple events, mainly to help DeFi develop better and increase on-chain transaction volume.
GameFi (Games + Finance)
Some game projects launched on TON allow players to not only enjoy the fun of the game but also earn token rewards through participation.
NFT (Non-Fungible Token)
Many personal artworks, game items, and virtual items are issued and circulated in the TON ecosystem in NFT form, becoming a new emerging market for digital assets.
Advertising Platform
Due to the limited data sources of official advertising platforms, many original WEB2 teams are flooding into entrepreneurship, aiming to become Telegram's version of Google Ads and Star Map...
Tool Product
Including products such as wallets, token issuance platforms, trading bots, and data queries, making it easier for users to provide services through Telegram.
5. Project Research SOP
Methods to Discover Popular Projects
To discover popular projects in the TON ecosystem, you can learn about them through app stores, data analysis websites, TON official communities, following Telegram groups, developer forums, etc. However, understanding the most popular and latest projects is often faster within the community.
Project Breakdown and Analysis Methods
Conduct a detailed breakdown of each project, analyzing its product positioning, token model, user situation, marketing strategies, etc. This can be compared, analyzed, and judged through the other party's channels, communities, Twitter, and media reports.
Step 1: Collect Basic Project Information
Collect basic information about the project, including the project white paper, technical documents, and team background, to help understand the project's core highlights and advantages.
Step 2: Product and Service Analysis
Evaluate the market demand for the project's products and services, analyze how they solve actual problems, and their positioning and goals in the TON ecosystem.
Step 3: Market Demand and Target Users
Break down the project's target market and user groups, as well as the authenticity of these users' needs in a decentralized ecosystem.
Step 4: Economic Model Analysis
Analyze the project's token economic model, whether it is sustainable, whether token distribution is fair, the clever design of user incentive mechanisms, and how to avoid death spirals, etc.
Step 5: Success Factors and Paths
Summarize the key factors for project success, particularly analyzing their success paths from aspects such as technological innovation, user growth, and token economic design. Determine whether it is a capital-driven bubble (similar to CATIZEN) and ultimately derive the strategies, paths, methods, and costs of their success.
6. Introduction to TON Ecosystem Operations
Project Cycle Management Plan Development
In the TON ecosystem, projects typically go through multiple phases, each requiring different operational strategies to ensure healthy development.
Click to read the TON Product Lifecycle Management Plan (recommended to download and save)
The importance of product operation positions to TON
One of the core roles of product operations is to drive user growth and community building. A unique feature of the TON ecosystem is that its user base primarily consists of underrepresented users who typically do not come from mainstream markets but from broader, younger, and more exploratory third-world countries. The main tasks of the operations position include designing effective viral mechanisms, community management and incentives, data-driven optimization, creating brand and social atmosphere, and ongoing encouragement and retention.
Operations Department Structure
An initial operations team of 2-3 people is sufficient, mainly product operations and community operations, or add a member responsible for placements. As users reach 1-3 million, additional personnel for customer service, events, business, branding, etc., should be added. It is recommended to keep operations flat, making the overall operational pace lighter and easier to adapt to changes in Web3.
Recommended Commonly Used Operation Tools
In the TON ecosystem, using the official major tools well is already sufficient (more tools can be inquired in the group). Click to join the Growth Lab.
1. Story: Key recommendation, similar to social media features, can effectively influence friends around users, supports video and graphic content sharing;
2. Channel Lottery: Channels are similar to official accounts, lottery activities will specifically notify each user, effectively enhancing user awakening and retention.
3. Community Voting: Generally used for significant voting, a good way to interact with users
4. Community Management: There are many external bots that support detecting irrelevant content, kicking people out, verification, etc. Large communities need this, while small communities may not.
5. Community Activity Assistant: Many functions, similar to activity detection, random lotteries, etc., quite good for community activities
6. Video/Voice Livestream Room: Usable in channels and communities, with noticeable prompts during use, has good awakening and activation effects, facilitating interaction between users and product explanation activities.
7. BOT Message Push: Effectively activates users and reaches important activity notifications; most bots will use content like 'You received 1 USDT' to guide users to activate the bot.
8. Automatic Replies for Personal Accounts: Currently mainly used for customer service accounts, automatically replying to users, automatically inviting users to groups, automatic keyword replies, etc., to improve service efficiency.
9. Personal Profile/Channel: You can place links and channels in the personal card section for new friends to quickly understand you; this function is mostly used by business people.
10. Twitter Tools: Twitter tools are not very useful within TG; if needed, you can seek support from group members.
Case Analysis of Exponential Growth (only showing credible data cases)
Case 1:
Project Name: Capybara
User Count: 4.06 million (November 7) Historical Peak 5.5 million
Recharge Data: Daily average recharge of 2500u
Launch Date: August 21, 2024
BOT Link: https://t.me/the_capybara_meme_bot
BOT Type: MEMECOIN
Monetization Method: Issuing tokens, exchange user acquisition commissions
User Expectations: Cash for invitations + token airdrops
Customer Acquisition Cost: 0.02 USDT
Growth Secret: Bonus acquisition, increasing user silence costs to improve task completion rates, and enhancing the conversion rate for players completing tasks.
Case 2:
Project Name: FOXCOIN
User Count: 1.1 million (November 7)
Recharge Data: Daily average recharge of 3000u
Launch Date: October 14, 2024
BOT Link: @thefoxcoin_bot
BOT Type: Web Game Hall
Monetization Method: Advertising, user recharge, issuing tokens
User Expectations: Daily cash tasks, token airdrops, win big money for free
Customer Acquisition Cost: 0.03 USDT
Growth Secret: Advertising revenue compensates for user cash tasks, ensuring both spending costs and user quality.
Compliance Issues and Avoidance Strategies
1. A team focused on safe small profits does not need to worry about this issue, especially for businesses that are not closely related to grey areas.
2. Projects wanting to issue tokens must consult the officials more on this issue, as the officials are currently applying for compliance in Hong Kong, which will be very helpful. Asking a lawyer is secondary. Currently, many domestic teams are issuing tokens, and I haven't seen anyone get into trouble yet, but don't have a careless mindset.
3. Other non-compliant businesses are currently beyond TG's official reach, as many things they wish to manage are constrained by their commitment to decentralization. However, if there is no license or compliance application, there is also a possibility of being banned due to complaints. The smallest punishment is to label your application as 'fraudulent.' If you want to grow big, you must ensure compliance.
7. Common Challenges and Solutions in Operating TON Ecosystem Projects
Common Challenges
Slow user growth
Low community engagement
Too fast user attrition
Poor token liquidity
Solutions
If it is early-stage, prioritize checking 1. Traffic quality, 2. Viral activity data, 3. User gaming data, check jump rates to judge whether the traffic source is reliable, check viral rates to assess user interest in activities, and check gaming data to determine the game's appeal to this batch of users. Comprehensive assessment to optimize direction.
First distinguish the stages and then judge the problems; different stages require different response strategies. Additionally, some niche products may not pursue community activity but rather seek user feedback, which can be assessed by trying different activities and adjusting reward values. Having private conversations with users is also very important, listening to their opinions.
From past experiences, directly buying traffic from BOTs or exchanging volumes has a relatively high churn rate, which is normal. It is recommended to analyze based on existing data, then use regional KOL placements or professional advertising platforms like TON AI, Open AD, Teleads, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, etc., for precise third-party advertising. Currently, TG official does not support precise placements and lacks user profiles.
Currently, almost all tokens launched are below their issue price, with the only exception being token X, which has not only maintained its price but has been steadily increasing due to its low market value. This page provides a good idea: is it necessary to have a high market value from the beginning? Is it necessary to be listed on Binance? Aside from the economic model, the method of issuing tokens might also be a critical consideration.
8. Author's Personal Experience
1. This ecosystem has great potential; as long as you work in the ecosystem, there are infinite opportunities. If you are diligent enough, you can definitely have your own career.
2. Ensure that the cost of starting a product is manageable; a budget of 10 million RMB for trial and error would require 2 million (RMB). Individual grassroots entrepreneurs might consider creating fee-based tools and services for developers (small profits are safe).
3. Main Logic of Game Operations - I have experience and can answer questions in the group. It mainly relies on games and activities for viral growth, with products attracting nearby private users through sharing, while activities are aimed at drawing public traffic and influence through Twitter, primarily guiding users to enter BOTs and channels, followed by Twitter communities. Therefore, I emphasized the importance of product operations in the previous text; for traffic-based products, pure placements are currently ineffective. Only after the existing advertising platforms mature a bit more can we attempt that.
4. Main Logic of Tool-based Product Operations – I have experience and can answer questions in the group. For tool products with solid fundamentals, generally, a content community plus the product can run well. After completing a small closed loop, expanding the PUGC investment/cooperation range can achieve rapid user growth. If there are security issues, a round of financing and auditing PR can be considered. Basically, it should take around 45 days from 0 to 1.
5. More discussions can be carried out in the group; there are many things not written in this article, especially various pitfalls...
Ad Placement Fraud Prevention Guide:
1. Fake BOT developers: Run away after payment; response method: have him send a message to you using the admin account;
2. Mediator Impersonating Developers: Doubling the payment amount; response method: ask peers in the developer community for direct contact information to save half;
3. Low-price Volume Selling: Real users account for 20%, fake users account for 80% or more, concentrated in top BOTs. Many of those with over five million BOTs are likely fake! Response method: ask those who have been scammed, ideally get some traffic data to see user behavior;
4. Precision Chat Fraud: Using low-price and precise advertising as a pretext, combining various arguments to make you try first, and after payment, they either use bots to brush or run away directly.
5. False Advertising: Channels, Twitter, and YouTube influencers may have good data, but when you invest, it doesn't yield results.
Response method: Ask more in the group before placements, if you need precise targeting, find advertising platforms, if you are looking for KOLs, consult mediators. Start small and gradually discuss; don’t rely on just a few tens of thousands of dollars.
Exchange Volume Fraud Prevention Guide:
1. Fake for real: This is the most common issue; some companies with bot follower resources will first boost their users to several million, then exchange with you, with only a few real users and the rest being fake. Avoidance plan: exchange a small amount first, then check quality to decide whether to continue.
2. Cooperation Breach: This is the most common issue; usually, BOTs with strong exchange capacity find it difficult to recover losses, and some even have the breaching party directly take down the BOT tasks. Remedy plan: Supervise task completion continuously, expose the breaching party, and demand cash compensation.
3. Tricks to Scam Followers: 1. Borrow some followers, 2. Promise to make it up later, but most of the time it doesn't work out. Avoidance plan: Don't be swayed by personal feelings; stick to agreements.
It is hard to pursue lost exchange volumes, so it is recommended to exchange only when daily active users can reach above 10,000, and also to obtain screenshots of daily active users from the other party's backend for confirmation. You can also consider using exchange tools from our group, which can integrate SDKs to check data authenticity (this is a third-party free BOT).
