WOM Protocol Roadmap: 2022 and Beyond

[Jobayer Hasan Rahi]

WOM Protocol Roadmap: 2022 and Beyond

As we close out this eventful and exciting year, we’re looking forward with anticipation to the coming year and the next phases of the WOM Protocol. The development roadmap is chock-a-block with new features, upgrades, and expansions including support for expanded content types and AI integration.

Check out the highlights below:

Phase 3a:
Promotion Channel
Advertising Channel
Upgrade affiliate linking facilitate new Channels
AI for fraud detection
YAAAS beta + mobile app launch

Promotion & Advertising Channels
The Promotion and Advertising Channels will build on the current Channel Viewer to offer additional outlets for advertisers to promote authentic word-of-mouth recommendations about their products.

When a platform implements a Promotion Channel, they specify which products they wish to show in the channel–similar to the Product Viewer but with the ability to display multiple specific products. An advertiser may then use the Campaign Manager to promote one of the products in the Promotion Channel to show recommendations for that specific product more frequently.

The affiliate links remain controlled by the Promotion Channel owner.

The Advertising Channel is configured using topics or hashtags. Therefore an Advertising Channel could feature multiple products (#BTC, #WOM), multiple brands (#nike, #adidas), and/or multiple categories or interests (#running, #crypto). Video recommendations that have one or more of the chosen hashtags or topics will be displayed in the Advertising Channel.

Advertisers can then promote videos that match any of the Channel settings. The affiliate links are controlled by the advertiser.

AI for Fraud Detection
We’ve made great strides to date in mitigating fraud within the WOM Protocol. The next step is to take our fraud detection and prevention to another level by implementing AI to identify and stop fraud more quickly and efficiently.

YAAAS Beta + Mobile App Launch
Since our testnet launch in June, we have made huge upgrades to the YAAAS NFT Marketplace. The beta launch will also be accompanied by the launch of the YAAAS mobile app–the first NFT Marketplace app to allow creators to mint NFTs directly in the app. Creators will also be able to choose various blockchains to mint their NFTs.

Phase 3b:
Influencer academy
WOM Protocol reward algorithm update
Automating captioning in various languages

Influencer Academy
The Influencer Academy will level up the quality of the videos created on YEAY, BULLZ, and other creator platforms in the WOM Ecosystem. The Academy will feature a series of instructional videos for all creators, as well as improved capabilities for team leaders to create their own exclusive educational videos for their team members.

Reward Algorithm Update
Since the launch of the WOM Protocol reward algorithm in 2020, we have made numerous updates to improve incentive mechanisms and benefit the participants in the WOM Ecosystem. We are currently designing a revamp of the incentive and reward mechanisms for Authenticators that will better align Authenticator incentives to increase the quality and authenticity of WOM recommendations which will be implemented in the first half of next year.

Automating Captioning in Various Languages
This feature update will automatically add captions to a video in a user’s target language which will enable users to view and benefit from recommendations in foreign languages and allow brands to reach a wider audience.

Phase 3c:
New video format options
Text & audio recommendation formats
AI-enabled automatic summary graphics

New Video Format Options
We are currently planning a host of new video formatting options with the related infrastructure that include landscape as well as different resolutions for various aspect ratios. The number of display networks in the WOM Ecosystem is increasing and with this increase comes various size and formatting needs.

We will enable users to submit high-resolution videos and the system will then extrapolate as many aspect ratios as possible. This includes portrait-to-landscape conversion and vice versa, using AI to determine the focal point of the video.

Additional support for stereo videos will also allow for an immersive experience when using VR viewing equipment.

Text & Audio Recommendation formats
Also in this phase we will expand the types of WOM recommendations to include both written and audio formats. While video is an incredibly popular content format, adapting WOM Authenticator to also authenticate the hundreds millions of text and audio recommendations made online each day will bring huge value to brands and platforms that operate across all mediums.

AI-enabled Automatic Summary Graphics
In order to make the recommendations more accessible and engaging, we will implement speech-to-text to extract the message from the video recommendation. Then, using AI, we will determine the main points of the message and capture a still image from the video that best represents the product. A graphic will then be created with the image and main points.

Phase 3d:
Long and multi-product recommendations
Additional channels

Long-form and Multi-product Recommendations
In Phase D we will expand WOM recommendations even further by enabling long-form and multi-product recommendations. Supporting long-form recommendations will allow creators to make tutorials, “top 5”-esque videos, and other styles of content that delve deeper into why they are recommending a given product, service, etc. The longer-form content will be supplemented with the ability to add multiple product links.

Additional Channels
In-store displays and additional support for digital channels will further expand the WOM Ecosystem and give greater flexibility and value to brands.

These additional channels and channel support include:

In-store video wall using the WOM Channel Viewer
Open API to allow existing service providers to request a playlist that adheres to their submitted configuration, allowing recommendation injection into user feeds and streams
Open channel to allow an organization to use long- and short-form content that functions similarly to a TV channel with the long form content serving as the “programs” and the short form service as the “commercials”
Influencing the playlist of the in-store and open channel by the proximity of a YEAY user

We’re excited to open this next phase of the WOM Protocol. Let us know what you think and what features or improvements you would like to see.

Happy holidays and happy new year!