Introduction

Most of the apps in the Kin Ecosystem use Kin as a way to create better experiences and increase engagement. One of the things that became clear in the past few months is the fact that Kin can provide unique value for peer-to-peer experiences. In this post, we will be looking at tipping as one way that Kin can be used for this purpose.

Appreciation — To Love and be Loved

When I started designing Tippic, which was recently released on Google Play, I tried to find a story that would help orient the idea, and lead to the right design for the user experience. I tried to think of the situations where I appreciated something beyond likes on social networks, and then it came to me. On my last trip to Lisbon, my friend and I sat in a bar above a shopping street, and heard the sounds of a saxophone wafting up from the street. We decided to pay the bill and follow the music. After a short walk we came across a group of street musicians performing familiar songs. They were so good that we listened to them until they finished their set, and then decided to show our appreciation.

We expressed our appreciation in several ways:

We clapped and danced to their music

We tipped them

We shared their performance with others on social networks

We tagged them so they would get recognition for the value they gave us

When I began working on Tippic I thought back to this experience and began to break down our actions and try to understand the reasons behind them.

We clapped and danced to their music — we showed them our appreciation

We tipped them — we supported their work

We shared their performance with others on social networks — we wanted others to admire them too

We tagged them so they will get the recognition for the value they gave us — we wanted others to support their amazing work

True appreciation is not only recognizing someone’s efforts and contribution. The term actually means to recognize and enjoy a person’s value or good qualities. It means showing respect and understanding, as well as gratitude.

For many in my generation, appreciation in digital life is little more than likes, hearts, or clapping. And in some platforms you also find subscription fees as appreciation.

Hardwired to reward

Countless studies have shown that our brains are hardwired to reward us for acts of giving. The motivation to give is deeply rooted in our desire to find meaning and value through our social relationships, something that helps to explain the proliferation of social platforms. But, while current social platforms provide immediate feedback and a place to express yourself, it is not always experienced as filled with real value or meaning. We have each become so accustomed to “cheap” likes that they no longer deeply resonate.

There is something amazing about the immediate feedback you see through social likes; it is a delightful moment of giving to others that appears on your screen. But, the question becomes: how do we maintain that immediate enjoyment while infusing it with a deeper and richer meaning?

Tipping with Kin is different than just liking something. While there is real value embedded in the interaction, this also means that, like all blockchain-based transactions, there is a small delay in the background that can take ±20 seconds. In order to share real value, while still offering immediate feedback, we realized we needed to find a new way forward.

The Tippic Experience

In Tippic, we chose to start with photographers.Instead of just giving them another heart or thumbs up, users get the chance to tip and support them for their work and the value they create online.

Everyday users will be presented with a different photo from people just like them, and they will get the chance to directly tip the photographer for their incredible work!