I've wondered something similar. When I first visited before I signed up, and read the messages about authors getting paid, and saw comments getting sizable payouts too, the site looked so simple to understand. Then once I actually signed up, and saw cryptocurrency, blockchains and a whole strange system/culture were involved, and you were better off here if you were a computer expert, I also questioned how the system worked. Answers weren't easy to come by, either. After familiarizing myself with the basic concepts, I put together a guide for new users out of the information I found. I've gotten many positive replies of gratitude because simple "getting started on Steemit" information isn't that easy to come by. Then being successful here beyond getting started is also a subject in itself, too.
I'm not sure about the answers to all your questions. But for the time being, I'm proceeding on the thought that this is something new that could really change many things, everything from the currency system to how the internet is used, and to put more of it in the users' hands. I believe those would be good things. My first general opinion of Steemit once I came to understand it a little more is that it's a bit like Linux (which may be why so many things are off-site) and we're all helping develop it. It's just getting started. And maybe even it will be bigger than Linux. It has a new money part, a computer software part, and the content part to develop - and the content part is huge. It could be part Facebook, part Reddit, part Blogspot, and even more. No system is perfect, though. I think it may remain to be seen what Steemit is all about. I just happened to look back on some old posts from about 8-10 months ago of a few people who have been here a long time, and those posts made around 0-10 cents. Now these people appear to be dolphins and whales. So there are a lot of elements to finding success here, time being another one of them. Overall, then, I see this as a work in progress - and quite early in it too. But the actual users are largely developing it, and not having all the decisions made by corporations. The actual users also can make at least some money off of what would be their normal internet use.
That makes sense and adds a bit to the charm of this site. Part of me wishes they'd sell out and make the whole process easier/commercialized but I doubt that's what the community who developed it wants, which I respect.
I'll check out your guide, thanks for the link.
For now I'll try to be consistent, and if anything comes of it I'll worry about how turn the magic internet dollars into USD when the time comes.
You're welcome. Being consistent is the way to do it, from what I've seen. Sooner or later what you're doing will start to click. I was so discouraged at first from actually spending quite a bit of time on some content and then getting 0-1 cents that I had to leave for a couple of weeks. But then I came back started to pick up a few things. I've seen that many new comers have done a lot better than I have in a short period, but also that most don't but keeping moving along and keep moving up steadily. There are little tricks to everything, like in where to post, how to comment and upvote, who to follow, using your feed well, etc., and nothing works quite the same for everyone.
On my FAQ, I have two links that were helpful to me at first. The first one is the Steemit tags page. It tells you how different tags are doing in terms of number of posts, comments and their payouts. If I'm not mistaken it used to be on the main page but I don't think it is anymore since they put a drop-down box on the side instead:
https://steemit.com/tags
From that page, I made up one that has most of the most popular/highest paying tags, and will try to use one of them as my initial tag, though I also post much in #christian-trail and I know #pizzagate does well too and both have little communities. I would say it's good to pick some tags and get to know the communities that are there, and let them get to know you.
Now about turning those magic internet dollars into USD, and I haven't had that problem quite yet, either. I'm hoping to soon, though. I know it involves getting a wallet, and I believe in my FAQ somewhere there's an article I included about how it's better to take an intermediate currency exchange step because steem itself is worth I think $2 or something, maybe $3 now. I'll have to try to find that information and see if it applies in my situation.
I understand about it being frustrating that this place isn't more user-friendly in some ways. I've certainly experienced that and some other negative things, but I believe the ways in which it is good and user-friendly can really off-set that. This site really breaks the mold on what the internet has been, I think, allowing the actual users to be part of the whole process from beginning to end - the tech part, the user interface, content, and social media parts, and the financial part. And it's much better for free speech. You see much more dialogue here. So overall it's something I'm glad to be involved in. I think if you stay consistent, as you said, that you should do well pretty quickly, given that you have already have an audience outside Steemit.