NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, gained prominence in early 2021, so much so that NFT was the word of the year. Since then, NFTs of all shapes, sizes, and industries have entered the market. From JPEGs of apes and cartoon rocks to human DNA and more, the space has witnessed the transformation of eloquent, weird, and mind-boggling concepts into NFTs. Certainly, the creative freedom offered by NFTs is one of the finest features of the business. But what are the best NFT ideas to start your own collection?
Are you going to release an NFT collection but are stuck for inspiration? We’ve got your back! This post will outline the most effective NFT strategies to help you get started. In addition, we’ll investigate what sells best as an NFT and explore some novel NFT concepts.
What Can Be Made Into an NFT?
The quick answer is pretty much anything!
As noted, one of the most appealing characteristics of NFTs is the ability to convert nearly anything into a digital asset. NFTs function as digital certificates of authenticity and ownership that can be linked to digital or physical objects. (If you need to refresh your knowledge of NFTs, consult our NFT 101: Introduction to NFTs guide.
So let’s examine the most prominent NFT concepts. Here is a list of our best NFT ideas:
Art: The Most Prominent NFT Use Case
Unquestionably, art is one of the most popular subcategories of NFTs, with some works selling for millions of dollars. Naturally, digital artists such as Pak and Beeple dominate the scene. Nonetheless, classic and fine artists such as Damien Hirst and Trevor Jones have demonstrated that traditional artists may find success in the arena.
Art is a fantastic playground for non-fictional concepts. You may build looping animations similar to Mad Dog Jones. Alternatively, you can make 2D pixelated, line, or illustration artwork. Even better, you can concentrate on 3D modeling to produce hyper realistic 3D art. Obviously, if you are interested in photography, you can also turn it into NFTs.
In the meantime, you can experiment with generative art, an additional NFT art concept. To clarify, this is a form of art created by an artist using computer code. In recent years, generative art NFTs have gained tremendous popularity due to initiatives such as Art Blocks and Tezos’ fx hash.
In addition, some artists have built NFTs that self-destruct. For instance, Sotheby’s auctioned off a green NFT last year that will self-destruct if the average world temperature rises 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
Music NFTs
Although not as prevalent as NFT art, music NFTs are gaining traction in the business and therefore made it into the list of best NFT ideas. Music NFTs represent an audio file, which may be beats, singles, or complete albums. In addition, popular NFT marketplaces such as OpenSea offer a section dedicated to music NFTs. On the other side, there are a number of markets that cater only to music NFTs. Included in this are Catalog, Async Music, and Royal.
Now, anyone may create music NFTs, regardless of genre. For instance, the NFT music videos of hip-hop musician Latashá are making waves in the Web3 market. She is one of the first musicians to accomplish this feat. Ed Balloon, a musician and visual artist, is renowned for his generative sound and film creations. His collection Run Ed includes NFTs that combine stop motion, 2D and 3D animation, and music.
Film, television, and animated series
The film and television industry is infamous for making life difficult for beginners. It is difficult for filmmakers, especially those from disadvantaged origins, to secure finance for their films. In response, NFTs have emerged as a means of increasing the industry’s accessibility and transparency. In order to crowdfund their projects and get closer to their followers, many in the business are turning to NFTs.
Film3 Collective is an example of a community of storytellers and innovators leveraging blockchain technology to usher in a new cinematic era. Similarly, a plethora of NFT television programs have entered the market. Examples include the adult workplace comedy The Gimmicks, the adult cartoon series Stoner Cats, produced by actress Mila Kunis, and the animated comedy series The Glue Factory Show. Even Fox will debut its own NFT animated series, Krapopolis!
Therefore, if you have a narrative to tell, NFT films and animated series are a viable option to consider!
If you are interested in learning more about NFT films, we recommend reading our following article: NFT Movie Projects In Full Swing
Games
The next category of our best NFT ideas is blockchain games. Blockchain and non-fungible token (NFT) games are another burgeoning Web3 niche. In essence, these games use non-fungible tokens as in-game assets that players may also use outside of the game, unlike traditional gaming assets. In addition, NFTs have spawned an entirely new game genre: play to earn. While playing these games, gamers can earn cryptocurrency and other benefits.
NFT games of different genres, including horse racing (Zed Run), mining (Alien Worlds), trading card games, and more, are gaining popularity. You can also join the bandwagon if you’re a game developer with innovative ideas and the necessary resources. Alternatively, you can design an NFT game in partnership with a brand or a gaming studio. Obviously, this is a more resource-intensive and time-intensive domain than other NFT concepts.
Digital attire and non-traditional textiles
A couple of years ago, digital fashion may have appeared ludicrous, but now it is all the rage. All of this is due to the increasing interest in metaverses and virtual worlds. In this digital economy, consumers like adorning their avatars with ultra-chic digital wearables, such as clothes and accessories. Even the largest companies, such as Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, Adidas, and others, have released their own smart wearables.
Of course, NFTs can also represent a variety of different things in metaverses and games. This features skins for guns, vehicles, and structures, among others. Clearly, when it comes to digital wearables, there are numerous NFT concepts that can be explored. If you have a keen fashion sense and a rudimentary understanding of 3D modeling, this specialty is ideal for you.
For more information about fashion and NFTs you can read our article: Fashion Takes Over The Metaverse: Are You Ready?
Sports Trading Cards and Fan Tokens
Sports NFT trade cards and fan tokens were extremely popular in 2021, particularly due to NBA Top Shot’s popularity. Even if interest in sports NFTs has waned somewhat, particularly owing to the current bad market, platforms such as Sorare and Socios continue to gain popularity.
Therefore, if you are a sports player, you can profit from this market. Alternatively, you may even create your own NFT sports fantasy games. NFTs and sports trading cards are the perfect match and therefore made it in our list of best NFT ideas.
Physical Goods
Surprisingly, NFTs are not restricted to digital goods alone. You may also link an NFT to a physical item. Some artists, such as Beeple and FEWOCiOUS, provide physical copies of their works in addition to their NFTs.
Similarly, many participants in the spirit and wine industries use NFTs to represent physical liquor bottles, wine barrels, and other assets. For example, BlockBar is an NFT marketplace that offers NFTs from luxury liquor brands, with each NFT representing an actual bottle. The platform’s partners include, among others, Penfold, PATRON, and Johnnie Walker.
Some individuals have even sold superyachts as NFTs. Early this year, Cloud Yachts sold a Superyacht as an NFT for a staggering $12 million! However, some virtual real estate is associated with tangible properties. To cut a long story short, NFTs can represent a wide variety of physical objects.
What is the most popular NFT?
A brief examination of the most costly NFTs in history can give you an indication of which ones are the most popular. The clear winner is NFT art and collectibles. The Merge by Pak and Everydays: The First 5000 Days by Beeple are the best-selling and most expensive NFTs.
Similarly, it is possible to say that 2021 was dominated by NFT collectibles, while new projects continue to decline despite a sales slump. This is evidenced by the remarkable success of the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection. OG collections such as CryptoPunks have also sold millions of dollars’ worth of NFTs.
In addition to these, utility is a crucial component that defines the success of an NFT. In a market saturated with NFTs, a brilliant NFT concept is insufficient for success. Many collectors who invest in NFTs are in it for the long haul. In other words, they seek benefits that extend far beyond a PFP illustration.
This is why the majority of the best NFT collections provide collectors with numerous bonuses. Consider BAYC as an example. Members of the community receive merchandise, NFT airdrops, access to a plot in The Sandbox, and even an annual NFT celebration called ApeFest.
More Original NFT Concepts
However, if you want to stand out from the pack, there are several unconventional NFT ideas that you might investigate. Alethea AI, for instance, is an iNFT (intelligent NFT) consisting of artificial intelligence tokens on the blockchain. Essentially, these are NFTs with an integrated AI personality that learns and grows in response to user interaction. That seems really nice, no?
In contrast, you can also investigate name registry services, a developing subsegment of the NFT business. Name registry services, such as ENS and Unstoppable Domains, enable users to establish shorter, easier-to-remember names associated with a cryptocurrency wallet. Thus, you will no longer have to deal with the inconveniences of a lengthy wallet address.
In addition, an increasing number of companies are utilizing AR technology to develop novel NFTs. Consider Jadu Hoverboards; they are AR-enabled hoverboards that collectors can utilize in The Mirrorverse, Jadu’s AR game project. If you are interested in AR technology, you can perhaps develop your own metaverse and AR automobiles.
Final thoughts
We hope you enjoyed our list of the best NFT ideas. All things considered, your creativity is the only limit when it comes to NFT concepts. As you can see, the NFT industry is a place where your imagination can run wild. You are not limited to JPEGs, art, or music; you may build animated, 3D, augmented reality, and gaming NFTs. Or, even better, you may come up with your own NFT concept. You are only constrained by your own imagination.
The author has created and sold NFTs but this article is not an inducement to buy or invest in NFTs and is provided for educational purposes. Do your own research and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Jay Speakman is a technology writer based in San Francisco, California. He writes on the topics of blockchain, cryptocurrency, DeFi and other disruptive technologies. Clients include Avalanche, Be[in]Crypto, Trust Machines and several blogs devoted to blockchain gaming. He will not rest until fiat currency is defeated.
