SEO for Web3: How to Make Your dApp Actually Rank in the AI era
You spent months building your dApp. UI's slick, tokenomics tight, tech solid. But if no one can find you, none of it matters.
Everyone's fighting for eyeballs on X, Discord, and Telegram. But here's what most projects ignore: SEO still drives serious growth. And it's not just Google anymore, AI engines like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Perplexity, Manus etc. are the new gatekeepers.
We've seen it firsthand. ChatGPT ranks in our top five traffic sources. You want your dApp showing up when people ask, "best DeFi wallets" or "how to stake ETH." Not buried under meme coins.
TL;DR:
- Own your keywords
- Stack backlinks like partnerships
- Fix your tech
- Write content worth reading
- Tap into Reddit + AI-driven search behavior
Let's break down how you actually win this game:
Step 1: Lock Your Keywords Before Someone Else Does
People still search like it's Web2. They Google "best Solana wallet" or "how to bridge ETH." If you're not ranking, your competitor will.
Action:
- Find the keywords tied to your product and chain
- Add Web3 terms: wallet, bridge, DeFi, staking, zk, NFTs
- Write pages or blogs for each, clean and simple. No keyword stuffing. Speak human.
Pro Level Up:
- Use tools like Ahrefs or ChatGPT prompts: "List niche DeFi questions users ask"
- Target long-tail opportunities: "how to bridge ETH to Arbitrum with low fees"
- Create keyword clusters: "staking ETH," "ETH staking rewards calculator," "how to stake ETH on Lido vs. Rocket Pool"
Step 2: Get Backlinks That Actually Matter
Forget spammy blogs or sketchy directories. Crypto is about trust. You need links from:
- Major crypto publications (Cointelegraph, Coindesk, Decrypt, etc.)
- Ecosystem blogs (L1s, exchanges, tooling platforms)
- Partners, DAOs, hackathons, every collab's a backlink opportunity
How to actually get them:
- Pitch guest posts to ecosystem blogs (e.g., Solana’s blog for Solana-based dApps)
- Submit to crypto directories like DeFiLlama or DappRadar
- Use hackathon partnerships (e.g., ETHGlobal) to co-publish case studies
- Partner up with crypto PR agencies
Backlinks are like on-chain partnerships. Stack them.
Step 3: Fix Your Tech. Period.
No one cares how "decentralized" you are if your site's slow or broken.
Basics:
- Fast load times (optimize assets)
- Mobile-friendly (most users scroll X on mobile)
- Clean URLs
- Meta descriptions that don’t sound auto-generated
Web3 Technical SEO Hacks:
- Schema markup for crypto assets (e.g., CryptocurrencyTradingSignal schema)
- Ensure your dApp’s IPFS-hosted content is crawlable (many bots still rely on HTTP)
- Fix broken wallet connection modals that cause high bounce rates
Make it easy for crawlers and humans.
Step 4: Write Content That Doesn’t Suck
No one wants to read a corporate whitepaper. Crypto readers have zero patience for fluff. Keep it tight:
- Guides: staking, bridging, minting, swapping
- Updates: explain why it matters
- Thought leadership: not the “we’re early” type. Real opinions
Writing for AI Crawlers:
- Use clear headers and bullet points (AI models prioritize structured content)
- Include FAQs in your guides (e.g., "What is zkSync?") to target featured snippets
- Embed interactive tools (e.g., a gas fee calculator) to boost dwell time
- The goal? Shareable. Indexable. Easy for AI engines to crawl.
Step 5: Don’t Just Focus on Google
Here’s the shift no one talks about: AI engines like ChatGPT are now where people go to search. And they learn from the web.
How to get recommended:
We've cracked part of it: Reddit Ads. Every time users engage with your Reddit ads, they’re creating content AI models scrape. It boosts visibility, creates conversations, and drives people back to your site.
Our platform lets you target the exact wallet holders, token communities, or DAO members that’ll engage, making sure you show up in both Reddit feeds and AI recommendations.
We’re literally seeing Reddit → ChatGPT → wallet connections loop happening in real-time.
How it actually works:
- AI models scrape Reddit threads; if your ads spark discussions, your content gets associated with high-quality answers
- Target subreddits like r/CryptoCurrency or r/DeFi with hyper-specific ads (e.g., "Best zkSync wallets for layer 2 staking")
- Addressable connects the dots: We track wallet activity + social engagement, so you’re not just targeting blindly, you’re reaching wallet holders most likely to engage, boosting both ad impact and visibility in AI-generated answers
The game isn’t just ranking on Google anymore. It’s showing up wherever users search, AI included.
Tools & Resources
- Keyword Research: Ahrefs, Semrush, LunarCrush, Kaito, Addressable for crypto trends
- Technical SEO: Screaming Frog for crawlability checks, Schema.org for markup
- Content Optimization: SurferSEO for AI-friendly content structure
- Backlink Building: Hunter.io for finding crypto publication contacts
One last thing, at Addressable, we’ve seen firsthand how search behavior is shifting. Reddit ads, wallet data, AI visibility... it’s all connected. If you’re serious about making every click and campaign count, start thinking beyond just SEO and into where your users actually spend time. That’s where we play.
Wondering how Polygon, Algorand, Polkadot, Base, and 100+ other crypto brands are blending wallet data, social targeting, and AI visibility? You know where to find us.
