How To Mint (Create) Your Own First NFT: A Beginners Guide
By Margot Pessy
“Have you minted an NFT?”
We’re sure you’ve been getting the question a lot. But what does minting actually mean? When NFTs went viral last year, even we scratched our heads. This fast-moving space coined completely new words and phrases. But don’t worry. We have you covered!
As many are looking to hop on the trend while the momentum is strong, we thought we would simplify it for you. Let’s break down “Minting” step-by-step.
WHAT IS MINTING?
Minting is the process of tokenizing a digital file with cryptography. Tokenization is the process of turning an asset into a digital token that can be moved, stored, and recorded on the blockchain.
Simply put, it is the process of creating or producing something. When you mint an NFT, you are creating a new block and recording that information into the blockchain.
STEP 1: Decide On Your NFT Concept
What do you want to express or share through your NFT: are you wanting to share your creativity as an artist, sharing an interest through your NFT, or even just a kind of illustration you enjoy?
You need to decide what your first NFT or NFT collection will be about or what the story behind it is. It is important to know WHY you want to create something before starting the process. The fact is, your project will be more successful if there is mindfulness and purpose behind it, and NFTs are the most innovative and buzzy way to promote a good cause or an issue you are passionate about.
Kinestry’s Marketing Director, Jay Velasco, did exactly that with his upcoming NFT launch Cool CryptoKids, where the focus is on raising money for charity and the community, not on profits. The team behind the project wanted to use NFTs not as an end but as a medium for social good. With Jay being personally affected by the issue of high costs in medical care, the CoolCryptoKids NFT project is positioned to be part of the solution. The project will feature digital art across all mediums for folks to support CHLA and the families in its care.
STEP 2: Choose Your Platform
When it comes to selecting where to mint your piece or collection, there are many NFT marketplaces to choose from. Each marketplace has its pros and cons for sellers, so make sure you do your research before making a choice. Two of the most popular are OpenSea and Rarible.
OpenSea, based on the Ethereum blockchain, currently boasts the biggest user base and trading volume and is the top choice of many NFT creators and buyers. Rarible lets you mint your works on blockchains including Ethereum as well.
They both offer the option to create and list your NFT for free, in which case it will only be minted on the blockchain once it is sold. In these cases, the buyer pays the “gas fee”, or the transaction amount required to write data on a blockchain network, after the first sale of a specific NFT collection. Some platforms, such as Foundation and SuperRare, only let you join and create your own NFTs if you have received an invitation, by comparison.
STEP 3: Install and Fund Your Crypto Wallet
The next step is to create a digital wallet where you’ll store your cryptocurrencies and NFTs. An important consideration to make while selecting a wallet is whether it is compatible with the blockchain and NFT marketplace you intend to use for minting your NFTs. Crypto wallets hold the private keys to your crypto assets, including cryptocurrencies and NFTs, and let you receive and send crypto with your wallet address.
MetaMask and Coinbase Wallet are popular choices for marketplaces, as they are easy to set up and connect to most blockchains used to create and trade NFTs, including Ethereum.
You can set up a wallet — typically done through an online platform, browser extension, or app — without owning any cryptocurrencies. Later, you can buy cryptocurrencies from a crypto exchange or use services that allow you to buy them directly with credit cards.
It is important to not lose the login password to your wallet and what is called the “seed phrase”: a series of simple words that give you access to your wallet, as platforms cannot help you recover them. In that case, you will lose access to your crypto assets.
STEP 4: Upload and Mint
Once you have a crypto wallet ready, you can start creating.
Let’s use the OpenSea marketplace and the MetaMask wallet as an example:
- From the menu options at the top of the OpenSea page, click “create” and proceed to connect your MetaMask wallet with the platform. A pop-up will appear for you to complete the connection.
- Then you can upload the file you prepared, add a name and description, and choose whether you want it to be minted on Ethereum or Polygon, the latter being a related but cheaper alternative to Ethereum. (Be aware of Gas Fees)
- To finish up, click the blue “create” button at the bottom of the page. Your new NFT will not be minted on the blockchain until after it is sold.
STEP 5: Connect And Share
This step is where most people and projects fall flat. It’s also where Kinestry can provide our expert support to ensure your success.
When creating your first NFT project, it is vital to promote it properly. Community building is key. If you want to start making NFTs, Twitter is one important platform to leverage so get ready to tweet.
Discord is another space you cannot miss: it is the major chat platform for gamers and crypto lovers. Through this communication channel, you can build authentic relationships and gain critical knowledge about the crypto sector to build visibility and a network. You will not be successful if you jump in with no experience and expect the committed community to support you. In the same way that you need to respect other countries’ manners, you have to respect what the crypto community expects to succeed.
Once you have immersed yourself in the culture, jargon, and flow of attention then you are ready to sell your NFTs. Why? Because your community is your primary marketing resource.
There is so much noise in this space with so many new platforms and you need your project to stand out. What separates projects that succeed from those that don’t are 1) community management and 2) the reason you are creating in the first place: profit vs purpose-driven. You need to think about what this can bring to people and not what it can bring to you.
You can always reach out to Kinestry and have a conversation with us through this link.
This guide is here to help you realize that minting your first NFT isn’t as hard as you might think. Follow these simple steps and you are prepared to start your journey in NFTs. Think you still need more resources or any extra help? Get in touch with us on our website and let’s chat!
