The institutional Web3 marketing landscape is evolving rapidly. As blockchain technology moves from retail to institutional implementation, marketing strategies must adapt accordingly. Here are seven predictions for how institutional crypto marketing will transform in 2026.

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1. The Rise of Institutionally-Specific Marketing Roles

Crypto companies expanding their marketing teams will increasingly hire for institutionally-specific roles rather than general Web3 marketing positions. This shift signals a crucial industry realization: the tactics and strategies that work for retail audiences cannot simply be copy-pasted for institutional clients. Traditional finance requires a fundamentally different approach, and companies are building teams that reflect this reality.

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2. Human Authenticity Replaces AI-Generated Content

After 2025's flood of AI-generated content (complete with the rise and fall of the em dash), brands will pivot toward human and authentic strategies. The saturation of generic AI content has created an opportunity: standing out now means being genuinely human. Expect to see more emphasis on original content creation and new media approaches that build real trust with institutional audiences.

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3. AEO Replaces SEO as Search Behavior Shifts to LLMs

Search behavior is fundamentally shifting from search engines like Google to large language models like Claude and Perplexity. This is especially true in onchain finance and institutional adoption, where the field is so new that professionals are actively in research and learning mode. They're turning to LLMs to understand concepts, compare approaches, and evaluate solutions. This creates a significant opportunity: brands that optimize for answer engines can be directly referenced by these models during critical decision-making moments. 

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4. Longform Content Becomes Strategic Infrastructure

LLMs tend to feature longform content from websites, comprehensive LinkedIn articles, and even detailed Reddit posts. This means longform content has gained new power as part of the inbound funnel: be referenced by an LLM, gain a website visitor. Unfortunately, tweets don't seem to be referenced by these models—at least not yet. This raises an important strategic question: what types of content and which channels should you prioritize? 

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5. Crypto Twitter Will Become Less Important

Crypto Twitter will lose its dominance as the only social media channel that matters in crypto. We expect to see that X will remain relevant for retail conversations, breaking news, and community discussions. However, for institutional adoption and onchain finance discussions, LinkedIn will become the center of gravity. If you're building at the bridge between crypto and traditional finance, investing in your personal and professional brand on LinkedIn is no longer optional.

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6. Educational Content Bridges the TradFi Knowledge Gap

Traditional finance professionals are in the discovery phase when it comes to blockchain and Web3. Terms like "blockchain," "DLT," "consensus mechanisms," and specific ERCs aren't part of the standard finance vocabulary yet. Effective marketing recognizes this gap and creates educational content that translates crypto concepts into familiar TradFi frameworks. Meet them where they are by explaining innovations in terms they already use, building bridges from known financial concepts to new technological capabilities.

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7. Finance and Crypto Events Converge

Crypto events will “institutionalize” while finance events will "cryptonize," creating significant overlap in topics, speakers, and attendees. The distinction between the two industries is blurring rapidly. Want to meet traditional finance professionals? Attend the right conferences where these worlds are colliding.

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Somma will be at ETHDenver and ETHCC. Join us there!

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Final Thoughts

These predictions reflect a maturing industry where institutional adoption requires institutional-grade marketing. The Web3 companies that succeed in 2026 will be those that recognize this reality and adapt their strategies accordingly. 

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