NFTs are fast establishing a clear presence in the fashion world, as more brands become aware of their utilities and interoperability, as well as the metaverse. Now, creators across social media channels are embracing them, too – although none are catering to Gen-Z users quite like Kayla Trivieri, known as @ktrizv (226k followers) on TikTok.
Before her life on social media, Trivieri’s worked at IBM as a managing consultant on the AI, IoT and blockchain teams. Since starting a TikTok account in November 2020, Trivieri has been actively engaging with her fans. “I started making content about NFTs as a joke. But then that blew up and took off for me,” she said. “People liked the series of how to make an NFT. They watched the whole process of me making my collection and minting it, and I showed them how to make a wallet. It seems so complicated and nuanced, but it’s not that difficult.”
Her NFT explainer videos have garnered over 5 million views on the platform, as many Gen-Z users are starting to get into web3 and respond to TikTok’s short-form content. However, according to recent reports, younger consumers are still confused about the metaverse and NFTs, with many looking to various social platforms for answers. Forty-five percent of 18-24 year have no idea what NFTs are, and those who do aren’t tempted to purchase these digital assets — 58% saying they’d never consider investing in them.
TikTok was one of the first platforms to trial a series of creator-made NFTs of its viral videos, in September of last year. After multiple delays and several reported cancelations, one NFT, by TikToker Jess Mariante and serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, was sold for 25 ETH ($97,000 at the time of sale in October) through Immutable X, a more sustainable protocol for Ethereum. The platform appears to have had a more difficult time convincing its most famous creators to engage in creating NFTs, but it may not be the end of TikTok’s venture into the space.
Last month, YouTube chief product officer Neal Mohan announced the platform’s intention to build an NFT presence. In his blog post, he said, “We believe new technologies like blockchain and NFTs can allow creators to build deeper relationships with their fans. Together, they’ll be able to collaborate on new projects and make money in ways not previously possible. For example, giving a verifiable way for fans to own unique videos, photos, art and even experiences from their favorite creators could be a compelling prospect for creators and their audiences.” Other reports from January this year show that Meta and Instagram also delving into the space this year.
Ad position: web_incontent_pos1
Trivieri’s TikTok NFT explainers and step-by-step videos of creating an NFT collection resulted in her taking a head of community role at Appreciate, where her tech know-how helped in translating the company’s mission. The New York-based tech company aims to bring luxury fashion shoppers digital luxury goods wallets for shopping brands like Prada, Dior and Mansur Gavriel and insuring their luxury goods. The tech company’s app can also tell users about the real-time value of all the products in their closet and how much individual items are worth, turning their purchases into potential assets for resale. “For brands, it’s a great way for them to interact digitally with customers; they can engage about the exact product bought,” she said.
Trivieri sees social media as a key channel for educating people, especially Gen Z, about the transition from web2 to web3. “People still have a lot of questions about NFTs. And they have questions about the metaverse and web3; they want to make sense of it,” Trivieri said. “I’m going to do more content around the whole ecosystem: blockchain, crypto, NFTs, Web 3. They’re all connected and in the same ecosystem, but getting it all to a place where I can make content that people can digest and that they want to listen to and engage with is the next step.”
