Getting started with NOSTR
What is NOSTR?
Nostr is an open protocol that provides worldwide, decentralized, and censorship-resistant social media. Using Nostr is done through a client, like a mobile or desktop or web app. Nostr uses various relays to store and send data from one user to another, rather than a centralized server where all data is stored. An App will fetch data from relays and also generate new data and push that to relays so others can read notes, images, videos, links, sound and more. One doesn’t need to understand the Nostr protocol to use it; it simply works under the hood of popular Nostr Apps like Damus and Primal.
One notable difference between Nostr and all other legacy social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok etc) is that no email or passwords are required for an account. To create your account on Nostr, a Public Key (username) and a Private Key (password) are generated for each user. This allows for greater privacy, but more importantly, it allows a user to switch between Nostr clients and keep their notes, followers and usage history intact. Imagine if the legacy social media platforms allow Nostr: users could take their audience from YouTube and leverage that same group of followers on Instagram or SnapChat. This is highly unlikely, perhaps a zero-chance, but it’s mentioned to illustrate the power that Nostr could have in creating a new social media paradigm.
Why is NOSTR important?
Nostr has the ability to dethrone, declaw and demonetize every social platform that exists today. Current adoption is low, somewhere in the range of 700,000 users worldwide. Nostr is decentralized, using relays instead of centralized servers that have the ability block or suspend users. That in itself is noteworthy, but Nostr also incorporates a feature to send and receive digital money, Bitcoin, which Nostr users have termed “Zaps.” Sending Bitcoin to a users is as simple as a click of a button, which in time, could be the new form of “like” or “heart.” It’s hard to overstate how much of a shift this feature alone could generate.
Who’s using NOSTR today?
Developers, tech-enthusiasts, Bitcoiners, authors are all using Nostr today. They’re the early adopters and are generally screaming into the echo chamber at the moment. That’s likely to change though, as brands seek new ways to connect with audiences and as inviduals are less inclined to share personal data with Big Tech while not being paid to view ads. With Nostr, a brand can pay users at will, sending them fractions of a Bitcoin to gain their attention. Would you be more inclined to purchase a product from a company that paid you 20,000 Sats (1 Bitcoin equals 100,000,000 Satoshi’s or Sats for short)? The answer is probably yes. We’re resistant to advertising as a culture because advertising interrupts what we were intending to do. Incorporate payment into the interruption and user behavior and attitude may change.
What’s the future of NOSTR?
The likeliest outcome is that more people will use Nostr as time goes by. What’s missing is a leader in the space to draw in large audiences all at once. Once that occurs, and it will because we experience a free market (of sorts), users will see and experience the value of using Nostr in addition to other social platforms.
Want to learn more? We’d welcome the opportunity to explore Nostr with your team. We believe Nostr can be a key component in customer acquisition for retail and E-commerce brands. Our team of expert marketers led by our Executive Creative Director, Greer will look for opportunities to demonstrate our skills and offer inspiration that leads to revenue. We’re skilled in E-commerce, brand strategy and advertising. Plus, we’re efficient and have the experience to recommend a path that will drive meaningful growth. Want to chat more? Send a note to hello@gogravis dot com and we look forward to speaking with you.
Illustrations in this article by @awayuki
