Improving retention is the key. Recent pump is working wonders, and people will break all their personal bests for money, but I don't expect that to continue indefinitely.
There were folks that stealthily encouraged the new cohort that jumped into Steem back in summer '17, and perhaps a more formalized mechanism would be beneficial on Hive today.
The reason I suggest something less covert is that many folks being encouraged then later were shocked when that support was revealed to be temporary. Something that overtly stated newbs were being encouraged as they revealed ability in order to give them time to create a network would help prevent the shock when the support moves on to new newbs.
Let's hope there will be new newbs, too. Insofar as an influx is beginning due to the pump, that is unrealistic. Retention of newbs that come because of the pump will be limited when it returns to normal pricing. Certainly I hope this isn't merely a pump, but is a recognition by the market of value.
Experience limits my expectations in this regard, however.