Embedded Web3: How Micro-Experiences Can Drive Mass Adoption

Remember when commenting on a blog meant creating a new account every single time? Then came widgets like Disqus and Facebook Comments, and suddenly your social identity became portable across the internet.

These micro-experiences changed how we interacted online without us even realizing it.

Currently, Web3 is at a similar place. Using a dApp needs a user to go to a website, sign a transaction to connect their wallet and then start using it. For a new user, this step is even more complex as users have to create a wallet, purchase ETH/SOL/Native Token to pay for gas and then figure out all the subsequent steps. There have been some improvements in the space, particularly with embedded wallets like Privy which make it easier for users to onboard and start using a dApp.

But what needs to happen in order for Web3 adoption to truly explode? That's where innovations like Farcaster Frames, Solana Blinks, and Telegram Mini Apps come in.?

Let's explore how these are creating micro-experiences that could drive Web3 adoption by meeting users right where they are:

Shortening the Onboarding Distance

Imagine scrolling through your social media and interacting with a dApp without ever leaving your feed. That's what Farcaster Frames enables! Frames embed interactive Web3 experiences directly in social posts and allows users to engage with dApps, play games and mint NFTs without leaving the interface.

However, Farcaster/Warpcast doesn’t completely simplify the experience. Users still have to connect a Web3 wallet to make the most use of Farcaster Frames and a lot of the functionality is still external to the platform. It requires users to start using a new social app in order to experience the benefits of Frames.?

Bringing the Web3 Experience to the User

Instead of requiring a user to download a new social app or figure out complex onboarding processes, Solana Blinks and TON Mini Apps bring the Web3 experience to where users already are - without requiring them to switch apps or go through complex setup processes. The PayPal “Buy Now” button is the closest Web2 parallel I can think of where paypal took off because of its presence on eBay and the ease of use for marketplace purchases compared to other solutions at the time.?

Solana Blinks use the wallet extensions to layer additional context in the browser when a Blink is detected. This reduces the number of clicks that a user takes to carry out an action without the need for context switching between apps/websites. Similarly Telegram allows users to interact with Web3 through Mini Apps built on TON. The native wallet feature within telegram makes Web3 feel like just another feature in a familiar app. By integrating Web3 into an app used by millions of people, TON Mini Apps could normalize blockchain interactions for a massive group of people.

Why This Matters for Web3 Adoption

These innovations are crucial because they're tackling Web3's biggest adoption hurdles:

• Removing friction: No more confusing interfaces or complex wallet setups.?
• Familiarity: Making Web3 feel as natural as any other online interaction
• Accessibility: Bringing blockchain to platforms people already use and love

Web2 widgets made social interactions seamless across the internet. Similarly, these Web3 micro-experiences could make blockchain interactions an effortless part of our digital lives.

The Future of Embedded Web3

As these technologies evolve, we are looking at a future where Web3 interactions are seamlessly woven into our daily digital experiences. Here’s what I think that could look like:

• Embedded Commerce Everywhere: Imagine scrolling through any website and seeing a product you like, with a single click, you can purchase a digital or physical product, with the transaction happening onchain. No redirects, no complex checkout processes.
• Governance at Your Fingertips: Liking a tweet or a thumbs up in a telegram groupchat could directly connect to a DAO’s voting mechanism. Your response to a casual pool can trigger a smart contract for a specific project, multisig wallet, etc.
• Frictionless Content Monetization: Imagine a world where supporting your favourite content creator is as simple as watching their video/reading their post. An embedded blink could allow users to tip creators directly in crypto or even purchase exclusive NFT collectibles that unlock specific perks without leaving the site.

The key is creating these micro-experiences that allow users to interact with Web3 without even realizing it. Imagine a world where interacting with Web3 is as natural as liking a post or making an online payment. It's not about replacing the current internet - it's about enhancing it, making it more open, more user-owned, and more interconnected.

By meeting users where they are and simplifying interactions, we're paving the way for mass adoption. That's the promise of embedded Web3. And with innovations like Farcaster Frames, Solana Blinks, and Telegram Mini Apps leading the way, we're closer to this future than you might think!

Thank you to my friends Eshita Nandini, Alex Yao and zkCyborg for their thoughts on this piece.