Is turning a WC post into an NFT the next step in making lots of money with the blog?
First, subscriptions. Next, an NFT?
Why not? The New York Times says it’s possible. So does the Robb Report and an Australian wine magazine. A PR person was flogging the idea the other day, too, emailing me that blockchains and NFTs are the next big thing in wine collecting.
Don’t worry if this sounds confusing. I’m confused, too, and I’m writing about it. A non-fungible token, or NFT, is an on-line work that is certified with a cryptographic signature, so the buyer knows it’s one of a kind (and may include extras, the way the dealer throws in floor mats with a new car).
NFTs, blockchains (a digital public ledger that records transaction data), and cryptocurrency are part of what the experts are calling the world’s transition to the Metaverse, in which everything will exist virtually. How do I know this? I get news releases about it almost every day.
Yes, this sounds more than similar to a certain 17th century Dutch flower boondoggle. And well-known financial gurus like Michael Che also have their doubts. But who is the WC to pass up a hip and with-it way to monetize the blog?
Imagine even a modestly successful cyber-auction for one of the blog’s best posts — this one, perhaps, or this one. Or even this one. I’d be able to buy enough Domaine Tariquet, Bieler rose, and Falesco Vitiano to outlast almost any financial bubble. And I wouldn’t have to take any more calls about selling my house.
Still, there are problems if I decide to do this. First, I’d have to figure out how to blockchain the post, the idea of which makes my head hurt. That’s a long way from the typewriters and carbon paper of my youth. More importantly, what if no one bids? What if no one thinks a blog NFT is a worthwhile addition to the Metaverse?
Which, on second thought, probably wouldn’t be much different from the way the actual wine world treats the blog. Cheap wine? Pass the premiumization, please.
Photo: Mimi Thian on Unsplash