1. Make it fun

Don’t be afraid to get creative with how you choose to present your NFT roadmap. When the project DeadFellaz released their roadmap 2.0, they literally enlisted the talents of a comic book artist and designed a short
Manga to announce it, proving they put time and effort in every aspect of their project.

2. Build a narrative

Building a 10K generative PFP with 10 000 unique and colourful characters requires so much work it would be a waste just to stop there. What is their backstory? Where do they live? World building is an underrated aspect of NFT projects, but it can inject substance into your storytelling and make it truly wholesome.
When Azuki launched, their roadmap was actually called a “Mindmap” which was broken down into poetic themes which gave collectors a sense of entering a whole new narrative world.

3. Involve the community

A strong community will make or break an NFT project. What charities to donate to? What merch designs to drop first? Involving your community early in the decision making process through voting will not only create interaction but will help you build a meaningful and long lasting relationship with your holders.

4. Utility for all

When launching an NFT project, the community will inevitably want to know what kind of utility they can expect. Allowlists and merch drops all require money, and giveaways, well, not everyone wins them. We’re not saying not to do those, but they can be grounds for frustration down the line. Think of utility that is accessible to all holders and that generates value for them.

5. Underpromise, Overdeliver

Whatever you do, don’t bite off more than you can chew. Set yourself and your team realistic goals you know you can complete. In addition, not everything you will want to do has to be revealed in your NFT roadmap. After DourDarcels minted, it came as a surprise to holders that a collaboration with famed concept store Colette was underway and that several giveaways were about to be announced.

It’s natural to want to get inspired by the BAYC and Moonbirds of the world, but the next out of the box roadmap idea has yet to be imagined. Your roadmap doesn’t have to follow any rules, in fact web3 is always under construction and always looking for creative builders. Think of a problem that need fixing and fix it.
At the end of the day, roadmaps exist to help founders hold themselves accountable and manage expectations. Some teams didn’t meet all their deadlines and still thrived, others overdelivered and still went to 0. None of it is an exact science and that’s what web3 is all about: experimenting, exploring and building.