Personally, I don't think Hive has the user base to support paywall content right now.
Very likely not.
The majority of content on Hive doesn't make your life any better or any worse for having read it (no offense), as long as that is the case, I don't think there is going to be a lot of demand for a paywall.
I agree with this. Most is just content filler, with little thought behind it in terms of what the audience gets out of it. DiY stuff is a bit different, but then, it is also niche considering the size of market here.
Yeah, the DIY stuff is a little different. Some of the TA stuff might bring people in, but a lot of it is just recycled from other places on the Internet. Your stuff is thoughtful and makes you think, which might create some draw. Besides the personal satisfaction, I think many of us just keep posting for the upvotes, not because we think it is actually making an impact. I honestly like the idea @dbooster has floated for a while now about allowing people without Hive accounts to comment on posts. It might drive in more engagement and ultimately lead to more users.
Yeah, the idea of opening it up to comments from outside is a good one, and then each comment could provide some info on earning potential and account signup etc. The problem might be trolling?
I think there would definitely be some issues with unwanted comments or things like that. Perhaps the OP could be able to delete comments like that since they aren't written to the blockchain by an account with keys. Anyone who takes the time to get an account is censorship free. That could be a way of selling the benefits of membership.