Unconventional Uses of Blockchain: Building a Binary Marketing Model on Solidity

Binary matrix via solidity code

Blockchain has gone beyond just cryptocurrencies and DeFi, opening up paths to new, unconventional applications. One such case is binary marketing on the blockchain, where a network of users fills a binary (two-branch) tree structure. Building a binary model with Solidity — Ethereum’s smart contract language — adds trustless automation, transparency, and security that traditional network marketing often lacks. Let’s look at the basics of building a simple binary marketing model using Solidity.

Why Use Blockchain for Binary Models?

Binary marketing models on traditional platforms often suffer from trust and transparency issues. By moving to the blockchain, payouts are automated and tamper-proof, and users can observe the entire structure on-chain. Blockchain creates a level playing field, where rewards follow pre-set rules encoded into the contract, eliminating central control.

Building the Binary Structure in Solidity

Below is a basic structure for a binary marketing contract. Each participant has a “left” and “right” position, and we’ll set up simple functions for new member registration and rewards.

Step 1: Registering Users and Assigning Positions

Each user has an ID and two positions for “children,” left and right. We use mappings to organize user positions in the binary tree.

// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
pragma solidity ^0.8.0;contract BinaryMarketing { struct User {
address userAddress;
uint256 parentID;
uint256 leftChild;
uint256 rightChild;
} mapping(uint256 => User) public users;
mapping(address => uint256) public userToID; uint256 public lastUserID = 0; function registerUser(uint256 parentID) public {
require(userToID[msg.sender] == 0, "User already registered"); lastUserID++;
users[lastUserID] = User({
userAddress: msg.sender,
parentID: parentID,
leftChild: 0,
rightChild: 0
});
userToID[msg.sender] = lastUserID; // Assign the new user to the left or right position
if (users[parentID].leftChild == 0) {
users[parentID].leftChild = lastUserID;
} else if (users[parentID].rightChild == 0) {
users[parentID].rightChild = lastUserID;
} else {
revert("Parent already has two children");
}
}
}

This snippet handles user registration and assigns them to a binary structure. Users choose a parent, and the contract assigns them to the first open position (left or right).

Step 2: Basic Reward Distribution

Binary marketing models commonly provide rewards when certain conditions are met in the tree structure. Here’s an example where each user receives a reward if both of their child positions are filled.

uint256 public rewardAmount = 1 ether;
mapping(address => uint256) public rewards;function distributeRewards(uint256 userID) public {
User memory user = users[userID]; // Check if both child positions are filled
if (user.leftChild != 0 && user.rightChild != 0) {
rewards[user.userAddress] += rewardAmount;
}
}

For larger structures, rewards could be based on depth in the tree or branch volume, though this is a basic setup to demonstrate the principle.

Key Considerations

Implementing binary marketing on blockchain raises a few notable challenges:

1. Scalability: Binary structures grow exponentially, requiring contracts that can handle large user volumes.
2. Security: Smart contract vulnerabilities can lead to exploits that drain reward pools, so code must be airtight.
3. Compliance: Binary structures often fall into regulatory grey areas in many regions, so awareness of local laws is essential.

Blockchain opens a world of new possibilities, with binary marketing being just one unexpected use. Solidity has also seen applications in decentralized finance, gaming, and beyond. What other unconventional applications have you come across in Solidity?

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Unconventional Uses of Blockchain: Building a Binary Marketing Model on Solidity was originally published in The Capital on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.