If you’ve not noticed a shift in the way social content is being monetized, then you’re getting late to the party. With the help of blockchain technology and tokenization models, innovative social platforms are springing up which allow real users earn from sharing and interacting with content they love. The interesting part is that you don’t have to be a celebrity or garner a ton of followers to benefit from these SM apps. You earn by sharing posts you love, liking, commenting; basically, stuff you would normally do without an incentive. Enter WhatsAround.
WhatsAround is a social media platform we are building right now that allows you to share amazing pictures and lovely videos of their environment and activities around and rewards you with cryptocurrency for that. The app is great for anyone looking to earn a little money on the side while having fun with social media.
Here a simple scenario: A user shares pictures a beautiful fishing area, or a special hike trail or an event, other users interact with the picture through likes, bookmarks, and comments which serve as real reviews for anyone interested in that spot. Another user who wishes to visit the location can seek directions from the user that shared the picture and reward that user with Shotcoin. The poster, as well as other users who commented on the picture, also get rewarded with ShotCoins for upvotes on their contributions.
WhatsAround seems to be very similar to apps like SweatCoin, which rewards users with cryptocurrency for walking outside, and STEEMIT, which similarly rewards users for creating and curating content on the platform. In the case of WhatsAround, users are encouraged to take fun pictures and videos of their environment outdoor places and engage with others by rewarding users with cryptocurrency known as ShotCoin.
Built Around the User
A striking characteristic that makes the app stand out from a host of similar social media apps is its user-centric approach. By default, content is arranged to suit each user’s preferences making it more relevant and interesting for all users. For instance, a user is treated to interesting shots taken recently at the user’s current location, nearby locations or other locations the user is following. The app also allows you to make friend with people from around the world who have similar interests as you.
Usability and Design
We have a fairly simple design and is intuitive which is good because it allows users to focus on capturing great moments and interacting on the platform. It has five tabs; fist a home which displays recent pictures taken around you and other locations you’re following. The second tab is a world map where you can view shots taken from all over the world. Then the camera tab which allows you to take and post shots or videos of your location. The others are the notification and the profile tabs. In operation, WhatsAround app is fast and responsive until now.
Fun Features
The WhatsAround app spots quite a number of interesting features that will impress not only outdoor loving persons but also anyone who enjoys interactions on social platforms. It builds on the regular features or social apps like the like—in its case upvote, dislike, comment, and share, then introduces some other creative features that make it much more fun creating and engaging with the unique content. I will describe a few features that caught my delight.
Shotcodes. If you’ve ever thought that hashtags are overused (or misused), you’re probably in the majority. It seems there’s a hashtag for almost everything and sometimes it gets a tad corny. While users can always add hashtags of their choice to pictures and comments, WhatsAround uses shotcodes to categorize content and determine how other users interact with it. Some of the basic shotcodes are #Earthpix, #LifeEvent #Private, #Report, #Selfie and #VLog.
Another set of shotcodes, more like sub-categories, makes it easier to determine how users interact with the content. The #nocomment shotcode, for instance, bars other users from making comments on the post while #directions allows one to share exact coordinates of where the shot was taken. Interesting users can unlock more shotcode with xp points as they enter higher levels.
The WhatsAround map is another equally fascinating feature I noticed. Maps and tags are nothing new, but having interesting pictures and short clips pop up as you zoom into your location of interest is a lovely spectacle. So maybe, you’re new in town or curious about a particular area, these pictures of interesting spots, reports or activities taken by regular persons like you can be a real help. You can gain more insight from the comments or start a chat with the person who made the post.
Earn for Fun
Probably the most interesting aspect of the WhatsAround app is that it lets your earn actual money from doing what you love. Travelers, photographers, and lovers of the outdoors can earn ShotCoin (a cryptocurrency) by sharing their photos and experiences with friends, family, and individuals around the world.
The Shotcoin earned, can then be converted into USD, Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other currencies. You can buy PayPal cash, Amazon, Goole Play Store, App Store, Starbucks gift cards, or spend your coins stores around you. Users can save their Shotcoin, trade with friends, or make in-app purchases.
There are many ways to earn Shotcoin by simply using the app. A user can earn when posts get upvotes, bookmarks, and comments or when they are shared to other social platforms. Users are also rewarded for voting and contributing to posts from other users.
Requirements & Fees
WhatsAround is currently available for Android and iOS. The app is free to download and use; as I mentioned before, users get paid for using the app. It contains some in-app purchases which can be bought with Shotcoins earned while using the app.
With the success of this beta version, we are expecting newer versions to be better as our developer team is working on the feedbacks we receive from our users.
Sign Up Now To Get Started: WhatsAround
