[DAO:47e4bf3] Update #1 for proposal "Decentraland Studios — Grant Renewal"

Governance
1

Author: 0x9942c18de1b386d77828f79e4ebe4ed60bcd3fce
Update Status: On Time
Project Health: :green_circle: On Track

Introduction

Welcome to our initial update on the renewal of the grant for Decentraland Studios. We are excited to outline our progress and plans for the coming months as we continue our mission to foster job opportunities for Decentraland creators and enhance our platform.

Highlights

During this first month of our renewed grant period, we have concentrated on setting the groundwork for the enhancements we plan to implement. Here are our key achievements:

  1. Sign up, Dashboard and Messaging System for Brands: We’ve been hard at work defining the UX of these new flows, which will allow brands to manage their job posts and communicate with different studios more efficiently. Most of the UX has been defined, and we’re progressing with wireframes. You can see some preliminary designs for the sign up flow for brands here.
  2. Enhanced Filtering and Sorting: This feature allows users to locate relevant projects quickly, fostering more effective connections between studios and brands. See designs here.
  3. Resources Section Improvements: We have begun optimising the resources section by improving the user interface and making resources easier to understand, even before having access to GitHub.
  4. Marketing Performance Campaigns: Based on the analysis and experience gained from our previous grant period, we have decided to partner with a new agency called Lemons, in order to run marketing performance campaigns on Meta and Google. Leveraging the remaining budget from the previous grant, we are determined to acquire better-quality leads. Our approach includes creating new and tailored landing pages and ads for audiences such as Web3, consumer product goods brands, marketing agencies, and brand owners. This strategic shift aims to maximise the impact of our marketing efforts and generate high-quality leads.
  5. Job Opportunities for Studios: Over the past 30 days, we have received a total of 10 job posts, 3 out of them have been moderated. 4 of these job posts have resulted in generating a total revenue of $9,120 for four different studios. This information was shared voluntarily by the poster. This achievement shows the tangible impact of our platform in creating income opportunities for Decentraland verified creators. Furthermore, the Decentraland Foundation has turned to our platform to hire services within our verified studios. This highlights that our tool not only caters to brands or individuals seeking metaverse presence but also serves as a valuable resource within the community itself.

Blockers

Fortunately, we have not encountered any significant blockers during this period.

Next steps

As we move forward in the grant period, we are looking forward to accomplishing the following key objectives:

  1. Login Interface and Dashboard Deployment: We will finish the design and development of the login interface and dashboard for brands.
  2. Messaging System Implementation: We will start the implementation of the messaging system. This system will streamline communication between studios and brands, ensuring efficient collaboration.
  3. Filtering and Sorting Enhancements: In the coming weeks, we will roll out the improved filtering and sorting options.
  4. Resources Detail Page Refinement: We will continue refining the resources detail page to ensure that it provides a comprehensive and informative experience for users. This optimisation aims to enhance the accessibility of valuable resources for creators.
  5. Product Discovery Activities: To better understand the needs and preferences of brands and studios, we will conduct product discovery activities, such as interviews and analysis. This research will guide us in making decisions for future implementations based on verified information.

Additional notes and links

Community Manager Category Evaluation:

In the pursuit of evaluating the viability of incorporating the Community Manager role into our platform, a survey was conducted with the participation of the community. The survey was shared on the DAO Discord and Twitter. The findings have led us to the conclusion that it is not currently optimal to introduce this category. The details below provide further insight into the reasoning:

  1. Limited Demand: So far, no project opportunities currently posted on the platform have explicitly asked for the services of a community manager.
  2. Portfolio Representation: The projects showcased in studios’ portfolios rarely showcase or discuss contributions from community managers. While their role is significant within the Decentraland ecosystem, it may not align with the primary objectives of our platform.
  3. Existing Categories: There is a Creative Director category which already provides a channel for brands to connect through professional networks.
  4. Survey Response: Despite sharing the survey across social media, a limited number of responses were received. This might suggest that community interest in the addition of the Community Manager role might be less substantial than initially anticipated.

While the present decision leans against introducing the Community Manager role, Decentraland Studios Team remains receptive to exploring alternative enhancements.

We invite you to explore the following resources and stay connected with Decentraland Studios:

Thank you for your continued support!

View this update on the Governance dApp