Disclaimer: Views are my own and this article is intended for informational purposes only. Any of your personal or organizational blockchain activity that arises from this article is disposed of at your own risk.
My first exposure to the Web 3 (also known as Web 3.0) environment was when I joined the Decentraland metaverse in the first week of November 2021. It all started with creating my own avatar, dressing it up with some wearables, and naming it with an alias called “Celestelle”.
As I explore around the metaverse, I meet people around the world and they often call me by that name. I got used to it and since then, I have identified myself with it. I have to create separate social accounts and email addresses to connect with people I meet in the Web 3 space. Since then, it has now become my Personal Brand and it has already been useful for me to receive offers to work on projects and collaborations.
At the time of this writing, I don’t think I have heard of any organization or entity that requires anyone to create a distinct identity in this emerging tech space. I believe it is just useful to have especially if you want to separate your activities happening in the digital world from real life. In the Web 3 world, you are free to use a fictional character or NFTs and use it to identify yourself to the public, or you may use your real identity especially if you already have an established personal brand to connect with your community or running your business.
Personally, in the world of cryptocurrencies and the rise of digital assets and value where everything can be tracked and traced publicly in the blockchain, I think it is recommended to have a distinct Web 3.0 identity for safety and security reasons.
There is no specific order in setting up your Web 3 identity, however, you will obviously need to have your own digital wallet first. If you do not have any yet, I recommend creating one with Metamask as it is one of the most commonly used Ethereum-compatible wallets across many web applications and software. To set up your wallet, you may watch a short and straightforward tutorial here.
A digital wallet is your first entry to the web 3. This will allow you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies, NFTs, or digital assets, and perform blockchain-related activities.
The following are some tools or accounts you might find useful to navigate the Web 3 world at its early stages. You do not have to complete creating everything in one sitting. You are free to take as much time as possible at your own convenience.
Create an Alias or Personal Brand - Be creative and come up with something that really speaks “you”. When you enter the metaverse or be involved at hangouts, people will be calling you by the name you set up for yourself. You also have to be comfortable with it and be willing to own and live by that name. Your reputation and value will also be built on that as well. So, think carefully and choose your name wisely as you will have to use it and be consistent across all your accounts and domains.
Set up your Discord Account - Almost any person I know who is involved in NFT and Web 3 projects, always has a Discord account. Discord is a highly favorable platform to accommodate community gatherings and to announce project updates and innovations. In addition, it has a wide array of interactive features that boost social and community engagement among members in the server. For control and security functions, administrators and moderators can manage channels designed for specific purposes and regulate member activities.
Create a Web 3 Twitter Account - With a separate Twitter account from a personal one, you have the convenience to follow and interact with everything you want to know about Web 3 such as NFT projects, cryptocurrencies, and metaverses. On the other hand, you will build followers and connections in this area. It is also best to tweet or share Web 3 related content that will bring knowledge or tangible value to your audience. Not everyone will be appealed to know your personal life, interests, or any of your opinions on politics and the like. Keep it separate and you will sustain a good Web 3 reputation.
Buy or create your own NFT, or use any picture that you own - The most common NFTs that you will come across in the Web 3 space are usually PFPs (or Profile Pictures). People buy them for several reasons: they either love the art, see some kind of rarity or value in a particular attribute, buy for investment/reselling purposes, or enjoy the privileges and utilities that come with it. Sometimes, PFPs can be used to market or support a community project. For other cases, it is also some kind of social currency.
If you own an Ape NFT, for example, it can also speak to your audience of the value of the digital assets you own. Overall, you are essentially not required to buy an NFT to associate your identity with it. However, if you really want a really nice-looking profile picture on your account, it is also wise to invest it as it also represents your brand. At the same time, you are supporting talented and hardworking artists for bringing creative energy into the Web 3 space.
I would be happy to feature one NFT collection here in this article. If you want to market your Profile Picture (PFP) NFT Collection directly here, you may look for my contact information at the end of this article. All applications are welcomed by March 2022.
Buy a domain at the Ethereum Name Service (ENS)- Having a web3 username or domain that looks like this
yourname.ethis a convenient way for you and your connections to share wallet addresses. You do not have to look through your stuff to copy and paste a 42 character long wallet address every time you pass tokens and assets into and from your digital wallet. In addition, having a username or domain fortifies your presence in the Web 3 environment. It also proves you are the sole owner of that name or brand, and not anyone can easily copy or take that name for themselves. For more information, you may buy your own at ens.domains
Did you know you can create your own Web 3 email address? Simply log on to web.ethmail.cc with your Ethereum wallet address.
If you have a registered ENS domain such as yourname.eth for example, your Web 3 email address will have a format like yourname@ethmail.cc. The .eth at the end part of your ENS domain will automatically be omitted from your email address.
On the other hand, if you do not have a registered ENS name linked to your wallet address, your email address will take up the format as <your 42-character wallet address>@ethmail.cc
Overall, these are the basic accounts I discovered that are essential for you to build your Web 3 presence and explore more opportunities in the space. It is your gateway to learn new information on Web 3, connect with people, build communities, acquire promising digital assets and tokens, and many more.
The bare minimum you will need is a wallet address and some social media accounts such as Twitter and Discord. Profile Picture NFTs and Ethereum Name Domains are not required, but great to have especially if you want to set up a strong identity in the Web 3 community. This increases your chance to attract opportunities that will allow you to work on Web 3 projects and activities without asking for your resume. Your skills and reputation tied to your Web 3 identity will tell so much about you, so take care of it very well and make sure to not get involved in any kind of conflict at much as possible.
Thanks for reading and hope you have fun!
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Reach out to Celestelle
If you want to work on a project or collab with me on writing articles or seek advice, you may reach out on the following channels
Discord: Celestelle#2438
Email: celestelle@ethmail.cc
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