Shiny Messaging Principles
This part of the document contains the core messages we speak to when writing for Shiny. By speaking to these, you ensure your writing resonates with Shiny's audience and gets the attention, conversion or action it deserves.
The messaging principles are mostly facets of (potential) Shiny members. This gets back to the initial point of this document: Always know who you're writing for. There's always a human at the other end. A human who is looking to solve their problems and improve their life. If we can accomplish that (whether by selling something or creating useful content), the Shiny brand will grow.
These guidelines don't tell you specific words to use or avoid. You won't find fill-in-the-blank templates, 20-point checklists or step-by-step guides. It also does not contain design guidelines. Those can be found here.
(Note: Individual teams may systemize writing processes with checklists, templates and the like. If you're contributing to a regular format, make sure to ask if any of those exist.)
Instead, this document contains principles from which you can derive your own execution and creative expression.
If your writing contains the following messages (in whatever words), it'll speak to our core audience.
Who is Shiny for?
The typical Shiny prospect is skilled and ready to dive into the unknown. They’re willing to start at 0 to learn something new to achieve the outcome they’re looking for, whatever that may be.
They have “The Shiny Mindset”.
What do they want?
Shiny members want to have fun while learning about what they find interesting.
They want to feed their own curiosity and meet people with similar interests. Their day job often has no connection to these interests and offers no opportunity to explore them.
They're not only interested in following their interests, but in taking action, building and creating in that space.
Who are they not?
There are folks who should seek other communities outside of Shiny. These are usually:
People who want to "get rich quick" and only come for the purpose of making money.
People who are obsessed with credentials and define themselves by past certifications, accomplishments or titles.
People who only want to take and don't want to contribute.
What do they struggle with?
Before they join, Shiny members struggle with 3 core issues:
Overwhelm: They can't keep up with all the information (even the stuff they want to consume)
Isolation: They have many interests, but their environment doesn't share them. They feel alone.
Free time feels like work: Learning about the things they do "for fun" becomes stressful because they can't keep up.
Why is Shiny the right solution?
Shiny has components which solve the problems named above:
Shiny shows them that they're not alone with their interests and connects them with fun people they can trust.
Shiny gives them a place where pursuing their interests feels like play again.
Shiny separates signal from noise. Because of the caliber of people, content in Shiny is heavily curated (and our newsletter/podcast even curates the curations).
Shiny offers them a way to contribute to projects which include their interests.
Why should they believe this is true?
Skeptical prospects often wonder why they would believe someone who's clearly selling something. Here's why Shiny is an authority:
Shiny regularly publishes newsletters, a podcast and other media. Within Shiny, people have also built proprietary software such as Discord bots. Shiny ships.
Shiny members have launched their own projects by using the community as a sounding board during every part of the process. Others found new jobs, clients or business partners.
What makes Shiny unique?
Shiny is "hyperfocused on being unfocused.". Many communities are about one thing (e.g. marketing, food, music). This restricts conversations.
In contrast, Shiny is about anything new, exciting and, well, shiny.
On the surface, this makes it look challenging to write for SOSC. But it gives you freedom: If there is interest within Shiny, there is probably interest outside of Shiny.
That's because the community is fluid:
You can have an expert-level conversation in the same channel someone asks a beginner question. This makes Shiny accessible.
All channels are one click from one another. This lets you dive deep quickly and connect with experts on any topic.
This makes learning feel like play.
CTAs
If you're writing to attract new members to Shiny, our main CTA is a link to Uniswap and instructions on how to join Shiny once they have 250 $SHINY.
Otherwise, you can always link to Shiny socials so people stay updated.
For website buttons use phrasing like "Get $SHINY" not "Buy $SHINY".
How does Shiny improve people's lives?
Shiny lets people...
Follow their curiosity
Learn from experts with skin in the game
Connect with others with your interests (could be friendship, could become business partners, etc.)
Be on the frontier of technology—stop feeling like you're missing out.
Open up opportunities (get business ideas, find new gigs, find business partners, etc.)
Feel certain they're not missing out
What's their world like without Shiny?
It feels like their head is full of static
Miss something new and be behind the curve
Constant FOMO
Feel like you don't know people who care about the same things
Learning feels like work
How does Shiny transform people?
Before Shiny:
Overwhelmed by technology
Don't know people who share their interests
Even their free-time curiosities feel like work
After Shiny:
Connected to a supportive community around their interests
Equipped to explore the frontier of technology
Building new skills feels like fun
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