The Ultimate Guide to $FOCUS | Decentralized Social Media

How crypto social media will radically transform the digital landscape, and a deep dive into the industries leading token launch.

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Today, we're embarking on an exciting journey into the decentralized realm of social media, exploring a platform that mirrors the look and feel of Twitter (X). It's called $DeSo and comes with its groundbreaking token, $FOCUS. 

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For those unfamiliar, $DeSo was formerly known as BitClout, and I previously covered it in The Ultimate Guide in March 2021. If you missed that, you can catch up on my YouTube channel. As an early adopter, I was captivated by the platform's unique approach to social interactions. 

Paradigm Shift

I was heavily invested in the platform as one of its pioneering users. I loved the experience, finding it truly groundbreaking. If you've ever played poker with friends using fake or no money, that's akin to the feel of traditional Legacy Web 2 social media like Twitter. It's free, lacking an economic basis for the activity on the platform.

BitClout (now $DeSo) changed this dynamic. Being on BitClout is like playing poker for real money. Once you've crossed that threshold, returning to the superficiality of fake money on platforms like Twitter is challenging. 

On $DeSo, you're not just building followers, but monetizing them. Each user has a literal Creator Coin on the platform that people can buy and sell. This transformative shift is similar to play-to-earn games.

In conventional video games, all the money goes to the creators and owners. With a player-to-earn model, the end user retains some of that value.

Users own the NFTs, skins, swords, shields, and tokens they earn. Experiencing this shift firsthand is profound, much like the difference between playing a traditional game and a play-to-earn one.

As an early user of $DeSo, I was lucky to build a following. The platform's concept resonated with me, and I admired what they were making.

The experience was fantastic, and I connected with some amazing people who, like me, were early adopters and crypto enthusiasts and shared a common vision. Networking and connecting on the platform became remarkably easy due to this shared passion and vision.

$FOCUS Token

$FOCUS is built on the $DeSo blockchain, which is both fast and efficient. The unique aspect here is the low cost of content storage on the blockchain—just 1/10,000th of a cent per post. That's an impressive affordability factor.

One fascinating strategy that $FOCUS employs to drive adoption is the referral-based program. They have gamified it, allowing users to check how much they could earn by referring someone on their platform at focus.xyz.

Referrals receive a 10% share of their joining bonus and a 5% cut of all the revenues generated by that person on the platform. 

This kind of incentivized referral program reminds me of the early days of online poker, where I used to earn bonuses by getting people to sign up on PartyPoker.

The beauty here is that it costs nothing but your time, and with a percentage of the revenue stream from significant creators joining the platform, it could become a substantial affiliate program.

What's also commendable about $FOCUS is the team's incentives align with the everyday user. They have a one-year cliff and a five-year vest, meaning team tokens are unavailable for one year and become fully available after five years. 

This means that the team will not get a single liquid token until every reservation and bonus token is fully liquid. It aligns everyone's interests and avoids the concern of the team immediately dumping their bags post-launch.

Post to Earn

Now, let's talk about the concept of "post to earn," where top creators earn $FOCUS tokens based on their posts. It is gamified, too, encouraging people to refer others from different platforms to focus. 

Additionally, creators can maximize their returns by posting exclusive content on Focus. It creates a unique value proposition, fostering adoption as users seek exclusive content on the platform.

Based on my experience on BitClout, content on DeSo often revolves around crypto alpha and strategies for growing an account. The direct monetization of followers on this platform makes growing an account more lucrative than on other platforms.

As Charlie Munger wisely said:

"If you show me the incentives, I'll show you the outcome."

Focus has a great incentive scheme with unique content and referral-driven adoption and is promising for the success of their native token.

Bot Protection

Focus boasts a distinctive feature in its arsenal – bot protection. By integrating crypto wallets into every user account, the platform claims to have found an effective method to identify and combat bots. 

The inherent link between accounts and crypto wallets makes it difficult to fake legitimacy. This strategic move addresses a pervasive issue on other platforms and adds a layer of authenticity to the user base on Focus.

Paid Posting

Focus is transforming advertising into a peer-to-peer model through "paid reposts."

Here’s how it works: users submit offers to creators for reposting content. For instance, if you're a direct-to-consumer beverage company, you could say, "Hey, Alec, I want you to repost this new drink we just promoted." 

The company submits an offer directly to me. As a creator, I can accept it, receive instant payment, and repost it with a promoted tag. Or, if it's not relevant, I have the option to reject it. This approach empowers personalized and targeted advertising because users can choose the creators they want to promote their content.

What’s more, users can set a minimum threshold. This helps avoid lowball offers, saves creators the time of vetting numerous offers, and prevents them from dealing with posts where the price doesn't meet their expectations.

Focus takes a 10% fee from each accepted offer, distributed directly to $FOCUS token holders. 

The Focus tokenomics are designed to incentivize people to hold the token since they receive fees. This unique incentive structure aligns the interests of creators and token holders, creating a symbiotic relationship within the ecosystem.

Paid Content

Unlike popular platforms like Patreon and OnlyFans, Focus introduces a novel approach to content monetization, allowing creators to embrace anonymity and low-fee cryptocurrency payments using the $DeSo wallet. 

This built-in wallet operates on the blockchain, providing users with a secure and private means of monetizing their content without the burdensome fiat processing fees associated with traditional payment methods like PayPal or Stripe.

One of the critical advantages of Focus lies in its commitment to user privacy and eliminating Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements. By storing all transactions on the blockchain, Focus ensures transparency and security that traditional platforms struggle to achieve.

Its minimal 1% transaction fee sets Focus apart, starkly contrasting the high fees imposed by mainstream payment processors. This fee is competitive and forms the basis for a unique distribution model. 

Instead of retaining the fees for the platform or team, Focus redistributes 100% of these fees directly to its token holders. This unprecedented approach establishes a transparent and community-driven ecosystem free from hidden charges or unfair practices.

The platform's vision extends beyond mere monetization; it aims to undercut existing platforms and create a sustainable environment for creators. 

The heart of Focus's strategy lies in its understanding of the pivotal role creators play in the success of any social media platform. Recognizing that users are abundant but exceptional creators are rare, Focus seeks to attract and retain the best talent by providing an unparalleled experience and significant earning potential.

In a testament to its commitment to creators, Focus introduces a crypto-based token system designed to incentivize and reward content creators. This innovative approach ensures that creators have a superior experience on the platform and the potential to maximize their earnings through the native token.

As described by Focus, the flywheel effect relies on securing the participation of influential and top-tier creators. 

By providing a platform where creators can flourish financially and artistically, Focus anticipates a ripple effect where followers gravitate towards the platform to engage with their favorite creators.

Tokenomics

The $Focus token has a total supply of 100 billion tokens, with a 5-year unlock schedule, meaning only 28% or 28B tokens are available at launch. At an initial price of 0.01, the market cap kicks off at 28 million, setting the stage for an exciting journey.

For context, $DeSo’s market cap peaked at 1.5B during the last cycle. If $FOCUS can repeat the same trajectory, that’s 50x from here. 

The enthusiasm is not unfounded. $FOCUS is touting fundamental value driven by platform fees.

A unique approach is taken here – a whopping 100% of the fees generated on the platform are utilized to buy and burn $FOCUS tokens, directly benefiting the creators. This symbiotic relationship between platform success and Token value is the cornerstone of $Focus's strategy.

Betting on the $FOCUS Token

Personally, I see the $FOCUS token as a leveraged play on adopting and utilizing the $Focus social media platform. The $FOCUS token could rise if the platform gains traction and becomes the next Twitter. However, the flip side is a stark reality; if adoption falters, the token could be rendered worthless.

A notable distinction is that $FOCUS is backed by $DeSO, not Bitcoin. The rationale here is to keep money within the ecosystem, providing more exposure to the overall network. This strategic move adds an exciting layer to the dynamics of the $FOCUS ecosystem.

As someone who rode the early wave of $DeSo, I’m excited to have a second go around with $FOCUS. The narrative here isn't just about trading tokens; it's about backing a platform that could redefine social media and, consequently, the value of its native tokens.

Fair Launch and Reservation Period

$FOCUS, the upcoming decentralized platform, will introduce a fair launch with a reservation period to level the playing field and provide a transparent investment opportunity for all.

The reservation period for $FOCUS is scheduled to begin on January 11th and will continue for a week. This strategic move allows prospective investors to make a refundable deposit during this timeframe, ensuring a fair and accessible opportunity for everyone interested in participating.

One notable improvement over past launches, such as BitClout, is the departure from the bonding curve model. In the BitClout launch, early adopters reaped substantial profits, creating an uneven distribution of Tokens. 

$FOCUS seeks to rectify this by offering a reservation system that allows investors to all participate on the same terms, ensuring a more equitable distribution.

During the reservation period, investors can capitalize on a discount for early reservations. Those participating in this phase will secure their tokens at a fixed price of $0.01. Moreover, the early birds stand to benefit from additional discounts, potentially receiving up to 50% in bonus, paid in $FOCUS tokens. 

Investors can choose two options to participate in the $FOCUS token launch. The first is purchasing Tokens using stable coins for an exact fixed amount, providing a straightforward and stable investment avenue. 

The second option is to invest using $DeSo tokens for a leveraged bet, adding an element of flexibility for those seeking a more dynamic investment strategy. This will give investors exposure to the price of $DeSo, which could be a benefit if it goes up, but a negative if it goes down.

For more detailed information and to stay updated on the $FOCUS token launch, you can visit focus.xyz. 

Final Thoughts on $FOCUS

In conclusion, $FOCUS presents a compelling case for the future of social media. $Focus has positioned itself as a potential game-changer in crypto by addressing prevalent issues such as bot protection, revolutionizing advertising through paid reposts, and introducing a fair and inclusive tokenomics model. 

As we eagerly await the app launch and witness the unfolding of this potentially wild ride, the $FOCUS platform's unique features and user-centric approach leave us intrigued and excited about its prospects.

I’m excited to be investing in this round and to continue using the platform.

Alec

Disclaimer: I was an early adopter of $DeSo and am a prospective investor in $FOCUS. I have no affiliation with the company and am not endorsed nor paid by them.

I encourage everyone to conduct their research and make informed decisions. This is not financial advice, but an exploration of a fascinating project in the ever-evolving world of decentralized social media.