Next Steps After Publishing your Project

Congratulations on successfully publishing your project on the SubQuery Network!

Your project is now visible on the SubQuery Explorer, and Node Operators can begin syncing it. However, publishing is just the first step. To ensure your project gains traction, you must take proactive steps to encourage Node Operators to sync and consumers to use your data. This guide outlines a comprehensive approach to maximising your project’s visibility, usability, and success.

Addressing Challenges to Project Adoption

Publishing a project on the SubQuery Network introduces it to the ecosystem, but several factors may hinder its adoption. These are common issues that may prevent Node Operators from syncing your project or consumers from using it:

• Insufficient Project Boost: Your project may not offer enough incentives for Node Operators.
• Lack of Awareness: Node Operators might not know your project exists.
• Inefficiency or High Costs: The project might be resource-intensive, deterring Node Operators.
• Low Consumer Demand: Without consumer interest, Node Operators have less incentive to sync your project.
• Consumer Unawareness: Potential users might not know your project is available.
• Communication Gaps: Lack of coordination between publishers and Node Operators can hinder success.

Optimising Your Project’s Presentation

The first step in ensuring your project is attractive to Node Operators and consumers is to refine its metadata. A clear and compelling project description helps convey your project’s purpose and value. Including a high-quality image or logo can make your project stand out visually on the SubQuery Explorer.

Provide a detailed description of your project including what data it indexes and what it’s used for. You might want to include how to get in contact you as the project author.

For each deployment, provide a detailed technical details for Node Operators running your project, including how to run it, breaking changes, any system requirements (e.g. database size), and even rough indexing time. This transparency enables Node Operators to better evaluate the effort involved and prepare accordingly. Ensure that your contact information is readily available so Node Operators can reach out with any questions or issues.

Attracting Node Operators to Your Project

Once your project is published, your next challenge is to encourage Node Operators to sync it. There are some strategies here:

Project Boosting

One effective strategy is to boost your project by locking SubQuery Tokens (SQT). Boosting increases the rewards Node Operators earn for running your project, making it more appealing to them. This approach is particularly useful for larger or more resource-intensive projects, as it offsets the additional compute and storage costs. You can evaluate how much to boost by looking at metrics such as the 20th percentile (p20), median, and 80th percentile (p80) boost levels across all projects. Detailed information about boosting is available in the Boosting Guide.

Flex Plans

If you are open to wider consumer use of your project, setting up a flex plan can help indicate to Node Operators the price you are willing to pay for access. A flex plan allows you to establish a starting price point before any Node Operators begin indexing your project. This approach is particularly useful when there is no price discovery yet for your specific project, as it allows you to leverage pricing trends from similar projects across the network. More information on flex plans can be found in the Plan Guide.

Closed Price Agreements

For projects that you plan to use exclusively, you may consider setting up a closed price agreement. This establishes a predetermined SQT payment between you and a Node Operator, creating a direct commitment. Closed price agreements are an excellent way to ensure your data is indexed and ready when you need it. Additional guidance on setting up closed price agreements is available in the Plan Guide.

Promoting Your Project to the Community

To ensure Node Operators are aware of your project, you should actively promote it.

We recommend posting your project in the SubQuery Network forum, you should do so under the SubQuery Mainnet > New Projects category. Include information about your project, why Node Operators should run it, and even perhaps something about yourself.

You can also post in the Discord Node Operators channel (#network-indexer-general). This is a direct way to inform Node Operators about your project’s deployment and share why it is worth syncing. Provide a summary of your project’s purpose, its potential consumer base, and any technical details that might help Node Operators make their decision.

Additionally, reach out to the SubQuery team to request promotion through their weekly Node Operator newsletter. This newsletter highlights new and noteworthy projects, offering another channel to boost visibility.

Continuous Improvement and Collaboration

If you find that your project is not attracting sufficient interest from Node Operators or consumers, consider revisiting your approach. You may need to adjust your project’s boost or refine your pricing plans to make them more competitive. Review your project for inefficiencies or high resource costs that might deter Node Operators, and provide guidance or support to help them overcome technical challenges.

Remember that success on the SubQuery Network depends on effective communication and collaboration. By engaging with the community, responding to feedback, and adapting to market dynamics, you can ensure your project is well-supported and widely used. If you encounter difficulties, don’t hesitate to reach out to the SubQuery team or the community for assistance. Together, we can help your project thrive in this decentralised ecosystem.