AdaLink: Affiliate Marketing Hub

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Natalia Rosa

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

Entity (Incorporated)

[GENERAL] Requested funds in ada

150000

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

8

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language

No

[GENERAL] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

We will prepare the AdaLink Affiliate Network for launch, to provide SPOs and Cardano businesses with a powerful platform to attract new users, form partnerships, and drive long-term growth.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

No

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

No dependencies

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

No

[GENERAL] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

While we value the principles of open source, AdaLink will initially keep core components proprietary to establish a strong brand identity and ensure platform stability. We plan to gradually open source certain elements, such as specific smart contract modules and APIs. This phased approach allows us to refine the platform while contributing to the Cardano ecosystem, balancing innovation with strategic growth.

[METADATA] Horizons

Marketing

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

AdaLink is a partnership and affiliate management platform designed specifically for the Cardano ecosystem. It connects Stake Pool Operators (SPOs), Cardano businesses, NFT founders, creators, and marketers, enhancing their ability to promote products and services. Leveraging blockchain technology, AdaLink ensures transparency and accuracy by tracking affiliate conversions and distributing rewards.

Platform Overview:

AdaLink is an affiliate marketing platform that allows sponsors (SPOs or businesses) to launch marketing campaigns, track conversions through affiliate links, and automate reward distribution.

• How it works:
• Sponsors create marketing campaigns and fund them with ADA.
• Affiliates subscribe to campaigns and receive unique links to promote.
• Delegations or purchases made through these links are tracked, and commissions are calculated and distributed automatically.

Scope of the Project:

This project will focus on improving the current AdaLink MVP (Minimum Viable Product) by introducing new features and functionality that enhances its accessibility and value to the community.

1 - New Marketing Campaign Type: Commission Scoring System for Rewards Sharing

• SPO Campaign Launches: SPOs will be able to create marketing campaigns with smaller amounts of ADA, allowing for increased participation and more flexible campaign funding.
• Affiliate Commissions: Affiliates will continue to earn rewards as long as the delegations they attract to the pool remain active, ensuring ongoing incentives.

2 - Platform User Interface (UI) Enhancements:

• Overall Platform Front-End Design: Enhance the platform’s interface for a smoother and more intuitive user experience.
• User Profile Optimization: Affiliate profiles will be made public, allowing them to invite their followers to engage directly with their partnered programs.
• Tipping Mechanism: Users will be able to send and receive donations directly through the platform via an integrated tipping feature, offering more flexibility for creators and marketers.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

AdaLink will play a pivotal role in expanding Cardano's user base by providing essential tools to attract new users. 

Impact Measurement:

1. Community Growth: We will track the increase in the number of new users and affiliates entering the Cardano ecosystem through AdaLink. Metrics such as user registrations, affiliate sign-ups, and active engagement will help gauge the platform’s effectiveness.
2. Ecosystem Strengthening: We will monitor the volume of transactions and the number of businesses implementing affiliate programs via AdaLink to assess the broader impact on Cardano’s adoption. This will help us understand the platform’s contribution to ecosystem growth.

Sharing Outputs:

1. Community Engagement: AdaLink's progress, milestones, and impacts will be shared regularly with the Cardano community through social media platforms, forums, Medium articles, community spaces, town halls, and GitHub. Transparency will be maintained, and feedback will be actively encouraged to ensure ongoing improvement.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

The AdaLink team is well-positioned to deliver this project successfully, thanks to its diverse skill set and extensive experience within the Cardano ecosystem. We have a proven track record in managing high-value media production and NFT minting services, demonstrating our capability to handle complex projects and financial resources responsibly. You can view our ongoing developments and MVPs here: AdaLink Platform.

[PROJECT MILESTONES] What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Milestone 1: Pre-Production and Planning

Milestone Outputs

• A finalized platform architecture document that outlines the structure and flow of the platform, including:
• Comprehensive details on protocols, logic flow, and their integration into the platform.
• Detailed database architecture design, covering table designs, relationships, and data storage requirements.
• A new marketing campaign type, specifically the Commission Scoring System for Rewards Sharing, will be designed.

Acceptance Criteria

• Completion of a PDF document titled "Platform Architecture" that is publicly shared, containing:
• A clear and structured explanation of the platform’s architecture, including the relationships between different components.
• Detailed breakdown of database architecture, demonstrating efficient data management and retrieval.

• A well-documented design for the new Commission Scoring System for Rewards Sharing marketing campaign type, detailing how:
• SPOs will be able to create marketing campaigns with smaller amounts of ADA, allowing for increased participation and more flexible campaign funding.
• Affiliates will continue to earn rewards as long as the delegations they attract to the pool remain active, ensuring ongoing incentives for participation.

Evidence of Milestone Completion

• A downloadable "Platform Architecture" PDF document that includes all of the above details.

Milestone 2: Platform UI Redesign

Milestone Outputs:

• Creation of platform wireframes and mockups related to User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX).

Acceptance Criteria:

• Completed wireframes and mockups for the UI/UX design. A comprehensive set of wireframes and mockups will be developed, demonstrating a clear understanding of the platform’s design and functionality. These assets will be compiled into a PDF document that thoroughly showcases the UI and UX design.

Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Link to the “Wireframes & Mockups” PDF document.

Milestone 3: Platform Development

Milestone Outputs:

• Completion of the user interface based on wireframes. Wallet integration, user accounts, and database integration are successfully completed with the frontend. Full implementation of the protocols used in the backend.

Acceptance Criteria:

1 - Completed user interface, including:

• Overall platform redesign.

• User Profile Optimization: Affiliate profiles will be made public, allowing affiliates to invite their followers to engage directly with their partnered programs.

2 - Functional backend with successful integration between backend and frontend, including:

• Tipping Mechanism: Users will be able to send and receive donations directly through the platform via an integrated tipping feature, providing greater flexibility for creators and marketers.

Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Published URL providing access to the finished platform.

Final Milestone: Final report

Milestone Outputs   

1. Final close-out report
2. Final closeout video

Acceptance criteria 

 1. Final closeout report is publicly available: The Final Report must cover all aspects of the project, including initial objectives, an analysis of the outcomes and any unexpected challenges.

2. Final closeout video is publicly available showcasing the platform's features.

Evidence of milestone completion

1. Link to the Final close out report.
2. Link to the Final close out Video showcasing the platform's features.

[RESOURCES] Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

Team

Our team comprises experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds and skills, each contributing to different aspects of the project.

Lead Developer: Mahmoud Nimer, a Mechanical Engineer with a Master of Science degree in Control Systems and Robotics, has extensive experience in industrial automation engineering. As a Plutus Pioneer, Mahmoud has been an active builder in the Cardano ecosystem and is the founder of Shrooms, a platform that provides specialized services for non-fungible token projects (NFTs), including non-custodial staking, raffles, and token ATMs.

Project Lead: Natalia Rosa, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Film, brings over a decade of experience working, directing and supervising production departments for various film, television, and multimedia promotional campaigns. She has worked on award-winning projects and with renowned artists. Natalia will leverage her expertise in project management and multimedia production for AdaLink.

Website

Project Lead and Community Manager: Gisela Rosa is the co-founder of Blockverse Media, Inc., a company that develops various crypto products, including AdaLink and La Cryptoría. Since epoch 259, she has been a strong supporter of multiple projects built on Cardano, consistently promoting Cardano's values within the community.

Known as Arcella on CT, Gisela is not only a professional musician with over 10 years of experience but also an educator who has collaborated with world-renowned and emerging artists. Her profound understanding of the Cardano ecosystem enables us to cultivate a welcoming and inclusive environment. With her guidance, AdaLink can become a platform that truly comprehends and serves the needs of the Cardano community.

Socials

 

Technical Advisor: Keith Hedges, brings a wealth of experience from his time as a software engineer at a Fortune 500 company, where he honed his technical skills for four years. Seeking to immerse himself fully in the blockchain space, he transitioned to a startup, further expanding his expertise. In addition to his professional roles, Keith has been an active participant in the Cardano ecosystem, operating the Hedges Stake Pool since epoch 254. His hands-on involvement in Cardano, makes him an invaluable asset to our team.

LinkedIn

 

Project Advisor: Bryan Hernández is a software engineer with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico. He co-founded Blockverse Media, the parent company of AdaLink, and has extensive experience in the aerospace manufacturing industry.

Currently, Bryan serves as a Software Automation Engineer in the healthcare sector, where he continues to leverage his technical skills and problem-solving abilities. His passion for emerging technologies, including cryptocurrency and video games, as well as his love for the arts, music, and anime, fuels his innovative approach to challenges. With his guidance, he will assess and provide expert advice as needed, ready to contribute to the successful completion of the project.

LinkedIn

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

Total Budget: 150,000 ADA (~$52,000)

1 - Platform Development: 110,000 ADA (~$38,000)

This is the largest allocation, covering the complete development of the platform. It includes front-end and back-end development, design, coding, and testing. Key expenses include:

• UI/UX design implementation
• Database and wallet integration
• Back-end protocol and logic flow design
• Quality assurance and bug testing

2 - Project Management: 25,000 ADA (~$8,600)

This budget is allocated for overseeing the project, ensuring deadlines, milestones, and deliverables are met on time and within budget. It includes:

• Salaries for project managers
• Management tools and software subscriptions
• Reporting and documentation efforts to keep the community informed

3 - Basic Marketing & Community Engagement: 10,000 ADA (~$3,500)

Marketing is essential to promote the platform and onboard users. This will include:

• Digital advertising (e.g., social media, forums)
• Content creation for outreach and tutorials
• Public relations efforts
• Community engagement activities, such as town halls and events

4 - 1 Year of Server Costs: 5,000 ADA (~$1,700)

This covers the infrastructure costs for maintaining the platform’s stability and availability. It includes:

• Server hosting expenses
• Maintenance and monitoring to ensure continuous uptime

This budget ensures the platform is developed, managed, and promoted effectively while staying aligned with the Cardano ecosystem's needs.

[VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The AdaLink platform is designed to provide significant value to the Cardano ecosystem by enabling seamless collaboration between SPOs and Cardano businesses with affiliates, ultimately driving adoption and economic growth. Through AdaLink, businesses and SPOs can attract new users and incentivize affiliate participation, helping to expand Cardano’s ecosystem. Increased user adoption will contribute to more transactions and a broader utilization of Cardano's dApps and services, which in turn strengthens the entire ecosystem and ensures long-term sustainability.