10 best NFT utility examples and ideas

Keen to make your NFT holders more sticky and loyal? Want to survive an uncertain bear market where holders might just be tempted to sell their tokens? Then you need to add utility to your NFT collection.

Whether it’s access to special features, bonus content, early access to new drops or even physical merch, an NFT utility is the real-world value which turns your token from ‘just a pretty’ picture into something valuable and useful.

At Tropee, we think that utilities aren’t just a ‘nice to have’ but an all important necessity that can make or break your brand and which will be the future of the industry. 

And what’s more it’s not just creators who should be getting in on the act. In fact, with Tropee, anyone can build any utilities for any collection. Maybe you’re an artist wanting to showcase your new collection - you could offer exclusive prints to existing NFT communities, like the BAYC crew, for example. Or maybe you’re a NFT creator who wants to throw the baton over to your communities - allowing them to build great things for your collection, adding value to your brand and increasing loyalty and engagement to boot.

The even better news? Tropee can help you turn your standard NFT into a collection with utilities your communities will love, in just a few clicks.

Need some inspiration? We’ve got you covered!

NFT utility idea #1 — physical products

Want to reward your communities with some goodies? You can simply add a physical product as a utility for your loyal holders - allowing them to redeem their NFT against something special in the real world.

A great example of this done well is legendary digital artist Beeple who has provided physical tokens connected to his artworks. It includes a high-resolution screen art display, a signed certificate of authenticity, cleaning materials and a hair sample (allegedly, don’t take our word for it)...

Very rare streetwear with Adidas NFT 

Artist hair samples not your thing? Then what about sportswear giant Adidas - which launched an NFT collaboration with the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), and allowed to claim exclusive physical merchandise including hoodies, tracksuits and beanies. Reports say Paris Hilton and Jimmy Fallon both loved the collab - us too, guys!

NFT utility idea #2 — tickets for physical events 

Sports tickets is a great NFT utility for a fans

Impossible to fake and cheap to produce, it's no surprise that NFTs are becoming big business in the ticketing industry. We recently wrote about the potential for football clubs to harness NFTs to mitigate ticketing fraud - but sports isn’t the only area where NFTs as tickets for events can be really successful.

ApeFest: the community meets in real-life

Take BAYC (again - but we never get bored of talking about these legends). Last month saw its annual Ape Fest, a fantastic event for its holders which serves to build hype, strengthen the community and keep holders loyal. ApeFest is only accessible to BAYC and MAYC holders with a tokenproof app ticket (and one guest per ticket if it contains a +1) giving holders an opportunity to attend a special event which nobody else gets access to.

NFT utility idea #3 — metaverse events

Of course, you don’t have to hold a physical event to make the most of ticketing. Virtual or metaverse events and meet-ups can prove equally popular amongst holders.

Check out Cereal Club for inspo. The collection of algorithmically generated munchers minted as NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain boast different bowls, colors, charms, body types, some rarer than others. But Cereal Club is more than just a collectible. Holders get access to metaverse meetups, which attract creators, NFT investors, market experts and more. It also provides accessibility to a great place to meet people, to collaborate on projects and to do business.

NFT utility idea #4 — voting rights 

Let your NFT holders decide

Want to make your holders feel more engaged with your brand? Give them the chance to decide the stuff that really matters to them. From new features to brand new drops, the possibilities for voting rights are endless. 

An NFT that allows you to choose the festival line-up

Take NYC entertainment company Launch Inc for example. Kicking off in June this year was the brand’s W3BSTOCK, the world’s first real-life music festival entity powered by blockchain technology, owned and curated by NFT holders. NFT ownership offers lifetime utility including free entrance, merchandise, preferred and VIP accommodations. But even more excitingly, owners get to vote on who plays at the festival and when.  

NFT utility idea #5 — promo-codes and discounts

Get a discount on your coffee

Can’t function without your morning coffee? Us either. Luckily for us, Crypto Baristas has not only created a cool range of coffee-related characters (our fave is Death before Decaf). In facts, it is also providing promo codes for free coffees in real life - to be redeemed at the creators’ cool cafe in the heart of NYC.

Get a promo-code on a brands' store

We think promo codes and discounts are an easy way to provide utility to a collection, giving holders the chance to get their hands on free stuff, or a low-cost bargain, and helping keep them engaged and loyal to boot. In August 2022, G-Star RAW gave their NFT holders a 25% discount code to their holders using Tropee, this code was valid for 1x online order on their website. Great stuff!

NFT utility idea #6 — Exclusive videos

Media brand or content creator? Why not use your NFT collection to give holders exclusive videos that aren’t available to the general public?

AMC’s popular zombie show The Walking Dead has hopped firmly on this bandwagon, with its collection of rare, unique, world-class quality digital collectibles and immersive experiences, which give fans an opportunity to own a piece of the television show’s legacy. And what’s more, NFT holders have the opportunity to watch exclusive behind-the-scenes videos, giving them a sneak peak into what it’s like to film an episode of the legendary series.

NFT utility idea #7 — Ask-me-anything (AMA)

Meet your favorite star

NFT superstar Gary Vee is a great example of collections giving holders the chance to interact with the brand. His popular Vee Friends collection offers holders the chance to have exclusive virtual meets with Gary himself via Facetime, together with the opportunity to ask him about his thriving brand through live ‘AMA’ sessions. Great stuff!

Create your own story and share it to your NFT holders

You don’t need to have Gary’s profile to make this sort of utility successful. Holders are often interested in creator stories, so offer them the chance to get to know you a bit better, and to hear the story behind your art.

NFT utility idea #8 — Exclusive content

Providing access to exclusive content is another way to make your holders feel special and boost loyalty. 

Cult filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has got this one right with his Tarantino Collection NFTs. Hugely popular amongst QT fans, Tarantino NFTs offer exclusive content that you simply can’t get elsewhere. From deleted scenes to interviews with the director himself, they’re packed full of goodies and highly sought after. Definitely one to check out as you build and mint your own collection.

NFT utility idea #9 — Token drops

Some savvy creators ‘airdrop’ tokens into their holders wallets - in a bid to keep collections fresh and alive, and keep holders engaged with the brand. 

Probably the most well known example of this done well is ‘Ape Coin’, the token which powers Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) and Mutant Ape Yacht Club (MAYC), two of the most popular NFT collections on the Ethereum blockchain. Regular Ape Coin drops to holders fuel purchases and trades, and keep holders excited about the collection.

NFT utility idea #10 — Whitelisting for new launches

A whitelist is the process of having a crypto wallet address pre-approved for an NFT pre-sale. It works like an early access list that guarantees that a specific number of crypto wallets can mint one (or more) NFT of an upcoming project - and it’s a brilliant way to reward loyal holders.

Sometimes, creators team up to make this happen. Take Interfaces, for example. Although the passion project sadly closed its doors in February this year, it made waves by giving away 100 whitelist spots to Deadfellaz NFTs holders. Both NFT projects won big by embarking on this campaign - Deadfellaz found a new way to reward their holders and Interfaces was able to piggyback on the brand equity of Deadfellaz. Inspiring.

And this is just the start

The possibilities of NFT utilities are endless and the good news is that there’s plenty of scope for creativity. From exclusive club memberships to access to parties and new collections, NFT utilities can be varied and exciting and continue delivering something new. 

Keen to get started? We can help. With Tropee, anyone can create utilities, in minutes.

Get inspired, pick a template, and build exclusive experiences for any communities with our ready-to-go utilities.