Connor Borrego is the Chief Executive Officer at Emergent Digital. He is an expert in data warehousing, artificial intelligence, and business applications, with over 10 years of experience in the digital marketing industry. “The highlight of my career was landing at Google, where I did a two-year stint coaching startups that have raised between $5 and $50 million on how to profitably use Google Ads to grow their business,” he tells Tom Fox. Currently, he is building a Web 3.0-powered productivity and growth marketing tool for content creators to help them fully own the value of their first-party data. He joins Tom on this week’s show to explore the world of NFTs, Web 3.0, what it means for business professionals, and how Emergent Digital handles the changing technological landscape.
What is Web 3.0
Connor explains that Web 3.0 is the next iteration of the internet and online technologies. To fully understand Web 3.0, you should first understand Web 1.0 and 2.0, he tells Tom. Web 1.0 is the ‘read and post internet’: only the tech-savvy could have a website or app with minimum functionality that other users could access. Web 2.0 is ‘the social Internet’, with the emergence of social media platforms and cloud-driven technology that make it easier for internet users to create content and tools for other users. Web 3.0, Connor remarks, is “focused on a user-owned internet … if we provide users with a standard socket to encrypt and hold their data, they can plug it into any application or website they use, giving them privacy and protection… without losing the functionality of today’s modern technologies.”
The Role of Emergent Digital
Tom asks how Emergent Digital ties these together for the content creator. Connor explains that Emergent Digital is a marketing agency that is prepared for the shift to Web 3.0. He says that if you are a brand or artist that is interested in making NFTs, Emergent Digital can provide web or application development and digital marketing. UniPro, their software tool currently under development, is going to be the cryptocurrency wallet that would host their first-party data to allow the user to plug it into additional applications. First-party data, he explains, is data a company keeps about its own operations. He contrasts this with third-party data and comments on the privacy issues arising from third-party data.
Driving Stakeholder Engagement
“An integrated metaverse can drive stakeholder engagement,” Tom remarks. He and Connor discuss the idea of a headless brand. He says, “It’s the idea that someone’s putting an image, a brand aesthetic as well as values out there and creating a community of stakeholders around that concept, and giving them ownership in the development of that brand and the use cases and application of that brand.” This has the potential to amplify the voice of customers and brand advocates, ultimately improving the company’s image and market share.
Tom asks how he helps creatives develop a long-term strategy. Connor explains that it starts with his first-party data strategy paired with paid advertising analytics. Creators often give digital products away for free, usually in the form of an image, video, or audio clip. The company has an efficient, non-invasive method using their proprietary tool that raises valuable engagement from the customer on behalf of the creative. “We are working to build your first-party data because all of that … data is useful to analyze what … content on your site is driving the most performance… allowing you to double down where your success is. At the same time, each level you achieve increases the probability that you’re making money on your advertising investment, which is the ultimate goal.” Connor explains.
Resources
Connor Borrego | LinkedIn | Emergent Digital
