Proof of attendance protocol, often shortened to POAPs, function as digital badges you can collect at events, both to prove that you were there and to remember the occasion.
The NFT idea, which has been endorsed by Ethereum Founder, Vitalik Buterin, was conceived at a hackathon in 2019 where hackers who had taken part were given tokens specific to that event.
In addition to carbonvotes, I'd support POAP votes and gitcoin quadratic votes.
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 24, 2020
How POAPs Work
POAPs are nonfungible tokens (NFTs) created using Ethereum’s ERC-721 token standard, even though not every NFT will be a POAP.
POAPs are supposed to be collectible so they all conform to a standard visual format and protocol. To qualify as a POAP, a token has to be minted through a POAP smart contract protocol, and in addition, must have a cryptographic record of the time or date of the event it was created for.
At the event, attendees get to scan a QR code that unlocks their NFT which is not only unique but also immutable and can be a memento of having been at the event, besides being used for provenance.
Besides their artificial uses, POAPs bring several benefits to event organizers as well as individuals, as highlighted below:
1) POAPs in Place of Mailing Lists
Writing out newsletters for a mailing list can be a cumbersome process that can be replaced by a more effective POAP which quickly delivers a message or point.
With POAPs, event organizers will spend less time on administrative tasks associated with events and more time spent on creating great experiences for the audience.
2) More Engaging, More Responsive Events
Since POAPs come in a mobile application, organizers have the opportunity to communicate with their guests in real-time, as the event takes place.
Some of the things that organizers can communicate in real time include:
- Sending out updates about schedule changes
- Announcing the start of a performance
- Sending out live votes that guests could respond to
- Making the event an interactive experience
As a result, organizers can create more responsive and agile events for their attendees.
3) Managing Fan Relationships and Loyalty
Since attendees will keep their POAP NFTs for life, event organizers can reach out even past the event for more activities and even build loyalty.
Since attendees will keep their POAP NFTs for life, event organizers can reach out even past the event for more activities to build fan loyalty. #NFTs #POAP pic.twitter.com/tKDy3uHMbP
— BitKE (@BitcoinKE) October 19, 2022
For example, say you’re a touring band or DJ and want to communicate a message to your fans. Using POAPs at every event will allow event organizers to identify their most dedicated attendees and offer rewards or unique experiences in return for their loyalty.
Finally, for individuals, POAPs give them a chance to save mementos of memorable moments, even those worth bragging about, by collecting these NFTs that are saved on the blockchain, hence they won’t share their data with anyone, for example, social media companies.
POAPs can also be used professionally to signal the experience of having attended certain professional events, classes, or events. In this respect, fans can also be ranked based on their closeness to artists based on their collected POAPs which could help artists and creative companies offer rewards.
POAPs can also be held for limited-edition events.
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