What is Matchpool?
Matchpool is a unique matchmaking protocol that makes use of the blockchain principle of decentralization and group dynamics to allow users to connect and get in touch with their lovers. Simply put, this is the blockchain equivalent of OK Cupid and so many other dating apps that have become famous in recent years.
However, unlike these dating apps, the potential for Matchpool is not just limited to finding love, but it is all about establishing a need and creating a community around that need.
By design, Matchpool is meant to be a generic platform upon which a community can be built, especially communities that require paid membership plans.
As long as the communities can clearly identify both sides of the market or their interaction, Matchpool can be a useful tool to make this a thriving experience.
The vision behind Matchpool is to establish and allow all users the chance to use matchmaking tools that do not just connect them with people around the world, but also incentivize quality interactions while at it. To incentivize the communities created, Matchpool uses cryptocurrency payments, hence providing value for everyone on the network.
What is the problem that Matchpool Solves?
A lot of those who have used dating apps in the past will admit that even though they managed to have fun using them, or even ended up meeting their soulmates, there were challenges that need to be addressed. There are two basic challenges that these apps seem to be struggling with.
One of the first concerns is the dehumanization of the strategies used for profiling users. As a result, these platforms end up putting very little effort towards using forms of matchmaking that are more effective and/or efficient.
Subscription money is the second challenge that these platforms grapple with. Everyone seems to be very keen on cashing in on the innate desire by people to go online and find a match. In light of this, a lot of the apps will intentionally establish and work towards maintaining a demographic imbalance, so that they can cash in on the user experience.
Relevant studies into the use of these apps suggest that more than 60% of people who use dating apps are men.
Other than that, there is the fact that we end up with a lot of social apps that are aimed at matchmaking.
However, the real picture on the ground is that these are people who barely have some social cues or real-life social experiences with people around them.
This abundance of men on social apps and an obvious shortage of women ends up in an environment that is neither successful nor fun to engage in.
In the long run, a lot of users are disappointed and disgruntled at their experience with these apps, and some even end up turning into predators. To be honest, none of these apps or companies, if any, ever truly care about what their users feel. For them, it is all about getting money through subscriptions, and bombarding you with ads where necessary.
How does Matchpool Solve the problem?
Matchpool is different from all these apps. In design and application, Matchpool uses game theory.
To do this, it allows users the benefit of creating their own pools to meet their unique demographic requirements.
The design of the pools draws from some of the most useful collaboration platforms out there, Meetup and Slack. Matchpool, therefore, has successfully designed the pools to look like a perfect blend between the Meetup groups and Slack channels. These are invite-only pools, which are federated and operated by matchmakers who are devoted to their course.
What makes Matchpool better than the competitors?
In a market that is already filled with apps and websites, each trying to carve a niche out for themselves, Matchpool’s biggest challenge is to come up with a unique proposal for their target market.
Unique
Uniqueness is not one of the easiest points to achieve in this market. Matchpool, however, has managed it by introducing a matchlock feature. This is a unique feature that strives to keep the ratio of x and y at 50:50. How does this happen?
Matchlock actively monitors the population in the Matchpool ecosystem. Whenever a given number of x have joined the network, it stops more x from joining that particular pool until a similar number of y have joined the pool.
X and Y here are used and do not necessarily signify men and women. This is because Matchpool can be used as a means of social interaction between different people, or people who share different common goals.
Assuming a dating context, for example, if a given number of men join the pool, matchlock makes sure that no more men will join the pool until a similar number of women have joined the pool.
This is, of course, in a pool that is specifically created for men and women to meet and interact with one another, and in a dating context based on gender.
In other parameters, x and y can be used in any situation where there is a need to establish an arbitrary market polarity. By design, there is no restriction in the structure of matchlock to warrant that x and y must always be opposites.
In the case of an entrepreneurial matchmaking, or in any other use, for example, x and y can be the same, or unset altogether. In an LGBT pool, for example, the gender demographic or configuration for either side might be the same. Therefore, it is up to the founder of that specific pool to determine what the composition of x and y will be, in order to meet the unique demands of the pool they created, or the community they have a vision to establish.
Strategy
In order to connect users, social networks employ one of two or both strategies, pooling, and profiling. Before social interactions went online, a profiling strategy would involve creating a classified in one of the local newspapers.
This is a very clear means of going about things, given that both sides of the divide are clear about what they are looking for. One user advertises what they want, the other user responds to that demand.
In terms of pooling, one social network that has perfected this is Twitter. While profiles are important on Twitter, most of the interaction comes from spontaneous human interaction.
Therefore, Twitter is a social platform that is geared towards pooling. In the real world, some of the best examples of pooling include interactions that happen in nightclubs, bars, concerts and so forth.
Others that are more direct include speed-dating.
Matchpool has managed to combine profiling and pooling effectively. Those who join pools have profiles, but these are only useful in sorting out the pools. After that, they can engage one another in different pools they belong to, through chats, attending events or playing dapplets.
The events are often organized by the persons in charge of the pools for the entire group. Pools essentially create an enabling environment wherein nature can take its own course, and people can interact with one another freely.
The pools are designed to create as many matches as innately possible. There is also the natural motivation by singles. Intentionally, the pools created in Matchpool establish a community high on trust. There is a lot of pressure for the pool members to behave well towards one another, avoid spamming, or sending mass messages of low quality.
How can Matchpool be categorized?
Matchpool is a social networking project. It is a project that is built and leveraged on the benefits of the blockchain, such as decentralization and the use of Ethereum smart contracts. This matchmaking blockchain project is not just one of a kind, but a champion, given that it does not restrict the type and number of communities that can be created.
What’s Matchpool’s vision on Security?
Like any other platform that brings together different people with different interests and creates communities for them to fit in, security is one of the prime concerns of Matchpool. Matchpool uses smart contracts. Smart contracts are unique lines of code that are written to perform a specific task upon execution. Apart from that, the use of smart contracts also makes sure that there is a trustless and automated interaction without having to concentrate power in a central space.
Matchpool is an Ethereum-backed project. Because of this, all users are in full control of their security, their data, community management, and identity management. This is one of the features that inspires a high level of trust among Matchpool users.
Transparency of the blockchain is another factor that has made it easier for a lot of people to venture into Matchpool. Given that Matchpool runs on a decentralized platform, it is very difficult and expensive to orchestrate an attack. There is no central point to target, so for anyone to make an attempt, it would take a lot of effort and in the long run, this would be very expensive for them, hence a deterrent.
Examples of Matchpool use cases/applications
Bloggers
Content curators and bloggers can use Matchpool to establish communities that are passionate about the topics they write about. This is a good way for them to create and sustain exposure, while at the same time driving traffic to their pages.
Startups
In the case of startups, using Matchpool is all about creating organic communities like what we find on Telegram and Slack. These ventures can benefit from using pools to interact with like-minded persons.
Recruitment
Recruiters can also use Matchpool to link people with the right set of skills to the right employers who would appreciate their services.
School Communities
Learning institutions are often focused on creating communities that share a common goal or objective. More often, these communities will include faculty members, professors, students, and at times the wider community around the school, especially for corporate social responsibility purposes.
Through Matchpool, it is possible to enhance the activities of people who share objectives in this manner. There are specific, user-defined matchmaking and reputation scores which apply, and it is through these that Matchpool is able to connect like-minded persons. Deploying Matchpool on different mobile platforms has also made it easier, and increased the reach potential for Matchpool.
Students
There are several ways through which Matchpool has been an innovative product, and applications vary, given the kind of community that it is being used in, or for. Let’s take the case of the student population, for example. Matchpool has made it easier for students to monetize their talents in the following manner:
- Success Fees
Until a match is confirmed, it is barely a match. The pool owners can put a price on matches. For each match they facilitate, they can earn monetary rewards. This, in the student environment, can have a wide range of applications.
The pool owners can simply create a platform that matches students with classes that they feel the users should consider taking, match them with sports teams which would be a good fit for the students, or even link students with tutors.
- Pay Walls
It is up to the pool owner to decide whether or not they must implement a pay wall. Pay walls simply require members to pay a fee before they can join a given pool. The good thing about this is that it creates an element of exclusivity and clout, which can be leveraged by the pool owners or members, and used as an income-generating venture.
This can be used by students to create a unique pool that allows them access to a special or unique society like a sorority or a fraternity, access to a special or extremely talented group of tutors, join a club or sport or something of the sort.
- Subscription
Using a subscription model for pools is another way to generate money out of this for students. This is not just for the student population, but learning institutions can also implement this. They can create pools where members pay a subscription fee to access certain classes directly.
Resources
https://coincheckup.com/coins/Matchpool