What is a POAP? A Beginner’s Guide

Every time I go to a fun event or an important experience in my life, I always enjoy collecting a little piece of something that serves as a reminder of my experience. Now with POAPs, this is a lot easier.

A Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) is an NFT minted on the xDai sidechain and is used to track and prove your attendance to both virtual and real-life events. POAPs are free to collect and create and lower the barrier of entry into collecting NFTs.

Below is a complete guide to what a POAP is, and why you might want to collect one.

What is a POAP?

A POAP provides a way for hosts to reward attendees with a badge proving their attendance at a particular experience or event. Additionally, creators of these tokens have the ability to add special perks to the POAP as more of an incentive for collectors. 

Imagine if you received a digital ticket-stub when you purchased tickets to watch three nights of your favorite band in your favorite venue, which proved you were there on that date, and that you could carry with you in your digital wallet for the rest of your life.

Furthermore, POAPs can be bought, sold, and traded on various NFT marketplaces. However, POAPs are intended to be personal collectible items that aren’t usually sold. But, that doesn’t mean that people aren’t already selling these digital collectibles. 

How does a POAP work?

For some people dealing with virtual currency can be a headache. However, as the market fluctuates on bigger blocks, POAP resides on an Ethereum sidechain called xDai, where the gas fees are non-existent. So, what can you do with a POAP NFT?

A POAP can be used in a variety of ways. As an event planner, you may provide POAPs at your events to supply value to your community and promote participation. As a collector, your POAPs are digital proof of your life’s most memorable experiences that have been transformed into a valuable and traceable token.

Event organizers may use the POAP platform to construct their own event, as well as modify the themes and commodities they want to give participants and their community.

Collectors must keep an eye out for specific QR codes at POAP-incorporated events in order to acquire this special NFT, which can also lead to special perks.

Some things that you could get when collecting a POAP NFT include:

• Releases: In general, a POAP may be released to you as a collector at special events, experiences, and other outings.
  
• Designs: POAPs are an easy to customize token and you can make any type of design you desire as long as it’s within POAPs specifications. Unfortunately, the design has the unintended consequence of making collectors swarm for them. Use style when creating the badge, and people may go wild for it.
  
• Events: If you and your significant other are tying the knot, it would be a great time to create a POAP. It would be a keepsake for your friends and family to remember your special day, and it could even increase in value. Ultimately, POAPs can be collected at both physical and virtual events.
  
• Gifts: Gifting a one-of-a-kind POAP for Christmas or a birthday is another excellent use. These tokens are outstanding as gifts because they have sentimental and potentially monetary value.
  
• Collectors: Believe it or not, people will collect anything. POAP NFTs provide an excellent way for people to keep record any event, experience, or special moment they attended.

A POAP is a novel way to connect your fanbase or your family.

Whether you are a brand trying to spread your message and provide something special to your community, or if it’s your birthday, a POAP NFT can be used to prove attendance at any event, any day, and at any time.

Why Collect a POAP?

You might want to collect a POAP to keep track of your life experiences, events, and certifications. Furthermore, holding certain POAPs can make you eligible to receive other perks that can come with holding a POAP, which means your POAP may be worth some money.

Some of the perks you may obtain when collecting a unique POAP can include a number of specialized services such as private chat rooms, airdrops, giveaways, VIP access, and more. 

Additionally, the POAP team said that these NFTs have various use cases, including the potential to organize community polls for a group owning a specific POAP, and allow Decentralized Automated Organizations (DAOs) to vote on proposals. This means that holders who possess more POAPs have stronger voting power.

The money in POAPs, while there is some, is nothing compared to the leading bluechip NFTs and what they have done for others. Having a POAP from an underground hackers convention or blockchain trading meet-up is fun, but may not be worth much to someone else, and that’s okay. 

Overall, the main reason for collecting a POAP is the memory that is attached to the token, which is forever recorded on the blockchain.

How to claim a POAP

To claim a POAP, login to the POAP app and select the Mint button. From there, you will either input the Secret word, Scan QR, or Enter code. Another option for claiming a POAP is by clicking on a direct link where you will enter either your ENS name, ETH address or email address to claim.

If you don’t have your wallet address handy, you can just as easily enter your email address to claim your POAP later.

Keep in mind that claiming a POAP using your email address will not result in the POAP being minted immediately. Using your email address will reserve it for later so you can claim it using your ENS name or Ethereum address.

If you’ve used your email address to reserve and you’re ready to claim it, go to POAP Scan and input your email address. You will be able to see your POAPs after inputting your email address. Then, select the one you want to claim and then press the Claim POAP button. You will subsequently receive an email with a link to enter your Ethereum address and claim any pending POAPs.

Also, you can view publicly-listed POAPs on the POAPs event page, but you may not be eligible to collect many of them if you aren’t on the list to claim the POAP.

How to view a POAP

In order to view your POAP on your desktop, simply go to POAP Scan and enter your Ethereum address or connect your wallet. Trying to view your POAP on mobile? You will need to download the POAP App on iOS, Android, or use the Metamask mobile app. To view your POAPs on the MetaMask app, follow this guide created by POAP.

If you would like further assistance viewing your POAP collection, check out this in-depth guide from the POAP team. 

How to create your own POAP

To create your own POAP, go to the POAP event panel and choose Create new POAP, there you can create a POAP event. After completing the form, you will receive an email with the following steps in order to distribute your POAPs. You will get your claim numbers within 24 hours (an exact number of claim codes can be requested in the event creation form.)

If you do not receive your codes, you will need to fill out this form and someone from the POAP team will be happy to contact you regarding your issue.

How to transfer your POAP to Ethereum Mainnet

If you desire to transfer your POAP from the xDai sidechain to the Ethereum mainnet, simply go to POAP Scan, choose the POAP you would like to transfer, then continue to the Migrate button to begin the transfer. When you click Migrate, you will be prompted to verify the transfer.

Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay any associated gas expenses in order to move your POAP NFT to the Ethereum mainnet.

POAPs are meant to be treated more like stamps in the passport of life that gives you a reminder of where you were and what you were doing on a specific date. Overall, POAPs are versatile and an absurd amount of fun to create and collect.