Sandbox Bites: Bite-Sized Sandbox Onboarding for the Web3 Generation

The Sandbox DAO Grant Program OPEN: Education, Onboarding, Tech
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1. Project Overview

This initiative is designed as a “zero-to-hero” onboarding course for newcomers to gaming in The Sandbox especially those curious about the platform but unsure where to start. With each new Alpha Season, The Sandbox delivers incredible experiences, but many gamers still miss out due to lack of awareness, exposure, or clear onboarding pathways. As other blockchain ecosystems continue to grow in visibility, there’s a real need to help players discover the unique value The Sandbox offers.

We aim to close that gap with bi-weekly game highlights and short-form educational videos on TikTok that break down everything from how to play featured games to how to create your own assets or experiences. This content will reduce onboarding friction, spark curiosity, and show users how to go from “just heard about Sandbox” to “active player or creator” in under a month.

All content will be cross-posted to YouTube, X, and TikTok to meet users where they already spend time. Each month, we’ll also publish a blog post summarizing key games, tutorials, events, and community highlights giving users a recap of what’s happened and what’s next.

This funnel-style approach bite-sized, consistent, and community-centered, will make discovering and engaging with The Sandbox feel fun, easy, and worth returning to every Alpha Season.

2. Problem Identification

While The Sandbox is a frontrunner in virtual world creation and tooling, a large portion of potential users especially casual players and independent creators face a steep learning curve. They often lack curated, lightweight educational content or community touchpoints to help them confidently enter the ecosystem.

This friction leads to lower retention and missed opportunities for deeper engagement. Our community has voiced the need for better onboarding experiences, clearer guides, and gamified participation that make learning about The Sandbox feel less overwhelming and more rewarding.

3. Solution Approach

We will deliver a three-part onboarding and engagement funnel:

Educational Content:

  • Short Step-by-step tutorials on sandbox games (per alpha season new ones)
  • or Weekly highlight videos and short-form walkthroughs
  • or Platform navigation and tips for creators/players

Community Engagement:

  • Monthly game nights with Interactive bounties and giveaways

Multi-Platform Distribution:

  • Consistent presence on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, TikTok, and Telegram
  • Designed for maximum reach across casual and creator audiences
  • Bite-sized, mobile-friendly formats optimized for each channel

This approach turns onboarding into an accessible, ongoing journey rather than a one-time push supporting new and existing users as they explore the ecosystem.

4. Impact Measurement

To evaluate the effectiveness of this project, we will track:

  • Engagement metrics: Views, likes, shares, and comments across X, YouTube, and TikTok
  • Community interactionParticipation during AMAs and game nights
  • Audience growth: Telegram group activity and follower growth
  • Survey feedback: Participant responses post-event to assess onboarding impact

5. Technical Implementation & Timeline

Milestone 1 – Launch Preparation

  • Finalize content calendar and visual assets for contents
  • Channels set up with content structure (X/YouTube/TikTok/Telegram)
  • % of Grant Request: 35%
  • Completion Proof: Published content plan, setup screenshots, early teasers

Milestone 2 – Content Rollout Begins(Month 1)

  • Deliver first batch of short-form game content + 1 community game night with prize pool
  • Begin publishing monthly blog recap posted on medium
  • % of Grant Request: 70%
  • Completion Proof: Links to content, analytics, attendance screenshots

Milestone 3 –Month 2

  • Deliver first batch of short-form game content + 1 community game night with prize pool
  • % of Grant Request: 100%
  • Completion Proof: Giveaway results, video proof, community testimonials

6. Team Qualifications

Shelley Mae – A seasoned content strategist and host within the Web3 gaming space. Shelley has led educational and community-centric initiatives across Polkadot, Avalanche, and other gaming ecosystems. Her work combines storytelling with utility—offering newcomers a smooth and engaging path into web3 games. Her content spans POV playtest series, explainer videos, and community threads with an emphasis on user-first design.
Socials: https://www.youtube.com/shelleymae
TikTok - Make Your Day
https://x.com/shelleymaeph
TG Group: Telegram: View @inanutshellcryptos
Blog: Shelley Mae – Medium

The project will also include:

  • A Community Manager to coordinate events and moderate community channels
  • A Social Media Manager to schedule and cross-post content
  • A Video Editor to produce Shorts and tutorials

7. Budget Allocation & Sustainability

Total Request: $3,000 USD (2 months)

Category Details Amount (USD)
Educational Content Creation and Development Production of 8 short-form tutorials or game highlight videos (under 60 seconds each) focused on Alpha Season content or platform navigation tips. Each video will be cross-posted to X, YouTube, and TikTok for maximum reach. $2,500
Community Engagement Includes interactive bounties or giveaways for game night designed to foster participation and build a deeper sense of community. $500
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Great to meet you and thanks for submitting this idea! :slightly_smiling_face:

  • Short Step-by-step tutorials on sandbox games
  • or Weekly highlight videos and short-form walkthroughs
  • or Platform navigation and tips for creators/players

A vast number of community-created tutorials and walkthroughs are available to the community. How will yours differentiate from the ones already created?

Monthly game nights with Interactive bounties and giveaways

Which community or audience will you be drawing from?
Where will the funds to do bounties & giveaways come from?

  • Consistent presence on X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, TikTok, and Telegram
  • Designed for maximum reach across casual and creator audiences
  • Bite-sized, mobile-friendly formats optimized for each channel

Would you mind expanding on how you will differentiate from the many community members who are already posting consistently on social media?

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Q1: A vast number of community-created tutorials and walkthroughs are available to the community. How will yours differentiate from the ones already created?

Absolutely valid point! The Sandbox community is incredibly creative, and there’s already great content out there. But with Sandbox Bites, I’m building a clear, structured onboarding funnel tailored for complete beginners, especially those coming in from outside ecosystems who may not know where to start.

The difference:

  • Fresh with every Alpha Season: Unlike evergreen tutorials, my content is always aligned with the current Alpha Season highlighting what’s playable now, what’s new, and how to dive in today.
  • Bite-sized onboarding journey: Each short is part of a larger “zero-to-hero” path. From learning how to log in and play your first game to eventually exploring the Game Maker or owning assets, it’s all step-by-step and approachable.
  • Mobile-native format: All videos are under 60 seconds and made for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and X, snackable, scroll-stopping, and highly shareable.
  • Personal POV & storytelling: I create from the lens of a gamer and creator learning alongside my audience, mixing narrative and utility so it’s not just a how-to, it’s a why-to.

Q2: Monthly game nights with interactive bounties and giveaways which community or audience will you be drawing from? Where will the funds to do bounties & giveaways come from?

The community I’m activating is a blend of:

  • My existing Telegram group, which includes defi, gamers, and curious web3 explorers from different ecosystems like Polkadot, Avalanche, and more.
  • New audiences discovering The Sandbox through short-form content on TikTok, YouTube, and X.
  • Returning Sandbox players looking for fun, social ways to re-engage during Alpha Seasons.

As for the incentives: the proposed $3,000 budget includes a line for community engagement, covering small bounties, NFT giveaways, and fun in-event rewards. I keep it lean but impactful and I’m also open to partnering with other creators or brands to co-host or co-sponsor future game nights to ensure sustainability.

Q3: Would you mind expanding on how you will differentiate from the many community members who are already posting consistently on social media?

For sure and I really respect all the creators already putting content out there.

Here is something i differ:

  • Alpha-driven content: Every new Alpha Season brings new games, quests, mechanics, and partnerships and my content evolves with it. I’m not just repeating old tutorials; I’m offering live, relevant, timely guides that reflect exactly what’s happening in the platform today.
  • Focused onboarding lens: While many creators showcase what they’re building or playing, I guide newcomers through their first steps bridging the gap between discovery and participation.
  • Cross-platform storytelling: It’s not just reposting each video is crafted with the tone and pacing that works best for TikTok, Shorts, and X. Plus, I release monthly blog recaps to extend visibility and SEO.
  • Community-first: I don’t just publish as I host. From Telegram conversations to game nights, Sandbox Bites is as much about interaction as it is about education.
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Could you help me understand the relation between the zero-to-hero and the onboarding journey? I understand zero-to-hero as story concept where a seemingly insignificant character at the start of the story becomes an important character by the end.

Seems like a good strategy to use. I don’t think Sandbox has a large presence on TikTok or other short form content. I did some for SANDDAO and Kunta has done some for DiTS, but I don’t think either of us has done it extensively.

Interesting. That seems pretty unique. Can you link some content you’ve creating in the past?

Okay, I think this is starting to make sense now. Are any of your community members SandFam?

I…I actually think what you’ve laid out is a pretty comprehensive and effective strategy. Nicely done. You seem to have really thought out how you would support the Sandbox ecosystem.

I’ll reserve judgement for now but do please help understand some of the other things I asked. I’m liking what I’m seeing. I think something that could be a big addition would be adding metrics and numbers to how many you expect to onboard

Also, how long have you been SandFam? Your DAO profile says you joined 20 hours ago.

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WHOOPS!!!

@Money Lol I’m so sorry man, I only JUST realized this was posted in SDGP. Here I go thinking this was a SIP Idea, my bad, I totally jumped in your lane :slightly_smiling_face:

@smph I leave you in the very capable hands of Money, who is the Domain Allocator for this Domain (Education, Onboarding, Tech).

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okay lanzer!

waiting for @Money verdict

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Hi @smph ,

Thanks for applying. And thank you @Lanzer for doing some great groundwork for me.

I appreciate all the information provided. Metrics are important to include. Currently my domain has a much smaller fund available than other domains.
The target grant amount would be up to $750 USD and so initially the current application does not meet that parameter and is unable to move forward.

If you’d like to take some time and reapply with a better fitting grant proposal please do. I would love to review and discuss it with you.

-Money

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would it be best to move it on Community @Lanzer ?

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@smph , Money and I just finished discussing this.

If you would like to move your application to Community Engagement & Charity, I will happily receive it. I need you to agree to 3 things for me, please

  1. Will you agree to integrate your native language in the content you develop for us? I noticed in your YouTube profile you write in Cebuano. I would love to see some Cebuano content, as a number of SandFam are from the Philippines region. The amount requested here is within the acceptable range for Community Engagement domain.
  2. Please start over (sorry) with your application and submit it in the format I describe in INFO THREAD! Lanzer's Domain Update Thread for Community Engagement & Charity
  3. In your new application, please paste a link to this threat in Q8 Disclosure. And once you submit your new application, please return to this thread and link it here. That way it will create a circular loop that we can easily reference.

Thoughts?

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Hi hi lanzer, what do you mean integrate? You mean that i make videos not in english but for philippines language? is that it? My audience is global though and if you want that I will happily do so but im just saying.

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Integrate in this case means put in some of your native language. Whether it be speaking English with Cebuano subtitles, you speaking Cebuano with english subtitles, or doing some of the videos in Cebuano. I’d like a mix, please.

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Alright, copy. Will be putting this on shorts a mix of both and I already have my thread on the forum, please do check. Ty