You nailed all the points and I couldn't disagree with anything mentioned here. These things are the stuff every new comer sees and asks. I like to think skill should determine the value of the post but then the social aspect of the blockchain weighs more than skill. You may produce the best works but if you don't know how to market a personality that sells your post is just like advertising in the dark.
I used to give some hours trying to figure out how to improve my content. That helped me get some new names upvoting but not really meaningful interaction. It just feels fake that most supporters an author can get from this place are programmed auto upvotes. I don't mind it though, I follow trails and only a fraction of my attention is spent viewing my newsfeed and commenting on people's post. Everyone is busy minding their own business.
It's hard to explain to the noobs, especially if they want to earn and really grow as a provider of things some people like, but take a standard social media-like approach. Your friends and family already know you and are supportive, by default. Creating content for a new audience is completely different. Writing a speech is one thing but gaining applause at the end is a whole new world.
Even in wrestling. The best wrestler is nothing without a personality. Oftentimes people cheer the loudest for a personality that steps out from behind the curtain, yet that's one of the shittiest technical wrestlers on the card. Look how popular Conor McGregor became. That wasn't only because the dude could fight. That personality made him millions. Yet when he's chillin at home, he's nothing like that. But you still need some skills. Can't get lazy.
I get a lot of autovotes as well but I have met a lot of these people. Some roll in that seem new. It would be nice if they stopped in to talk as well. But I've spent years as a consumer on Youtube, rarely left a comment. The quiet part comes with the territory as well. Not everyone yells at the TV.
I don't let my friends and family know I blog. Either they become supportive or ignore what I do, both have their own pros and cons but I'm happy not dealing with any. I noticed having a list of friends to populate your initial fan page helps you gain some footing on the algorithm over social media. I still think content and personality conveyed through content matters more over the long run.
If an artists loves to draw porn, they have a lot of competition but if the same artist get into a controversial stance over something that undoubtedly can increase their site views and convert to long term subscribers.
I used to mind the auto upvotes. How can my post get some much upvotes and still nobody bothers to drop a comment (exclude the bots). My content just survives the visibility threshold because I got auto upvotes. Well most of the auto upvotes are from people I frequently interact with on Discord so that counts for off the blockchain engagement.
I always use youtube but never bother to click like, subscribe, and the most engagement a creator can get from me is me sharing their video somewhere else. I can't expect people that like my content or follow me to go the extra mile when I'm too preoccupied and lazy to do the same for strangers in general. I just make in a practice to browse my newsfeed, see people I follow, if I dig their content for that day, I get to put some effort into dropping a comment and say something nice.
One of the things that I underestimate about saying simple words of praise is that it can uplift some people's spirits over a small gesture. Sorry if I ramble. Thanks for taking the time to read and reply :D
That Discord thing interferes a lot with what could be potential engagement on chain. The entire time I've been here, I've avoided Discord. There was a chat with Steemit I used, but rarely. If people really need to chat, I'm right here, not hard to find. I don't really care if someone leaves 'off topic' remarks under my posts. People can just chill and do whatever.
As for friends and family, sometimes I'll pull up some old stories I wrote, read them aloud at gatherings. I share with a select few on Facebook, and ask that they pass it along if possible.
I miss Stumbleupon. Used to get a lot of outside views using that service. I'd have hundreds of views, steadily increasing, and eleven cents. LOL
Rambling is cool. I do it, too.
Discord is appealing because it has a lot of side utilities available and people want that immediate gratification of seeing responses (user typing...) notice. I agree with it interfering interactions. Most empty posts here have the authors and supporters interacting mostly on discord and it leaves an illusion of lacking engagement.
It's the first I heard about Stumbleupon and based from the description, it does have a lot of use driving traffic to content. We don't have a lot of content creators that can thrive on other platforms. It's quite the opposite when content creators from outside jump in the Hive platform. I realized that while I do get some appreciation votes from the platform, I'm just one of those lucky enough to be doing content in a noncompetitive scene.
The growth here as a content creator is just an illusion and people fall for upvotes as if it's = the value they churn out. I think some of my posts are overvalued and some undervalued based on effort but that's just being entitled.
Platforms outside have have more competition and growth opportunities that's why I took the next step of creating other social media accounts to expand. As expected, I'm barely holding my candle with my current skill level but it's all good. I got to love this blockchain because it just gave me confidence to blog as a stepping stone.
Better when drunk and let the conversation's story walk on its own.
Beautifully well described and eloquently well expressed. Isn't this what everyone, and I mean everyone really does?
Most people just like to lurk and consume things from the shadows. Basically without leaving the slightest trace of what they do or have done. And especially if they have nothing to receive or gain in return.
Well, all that, unless that through your content you have touched a nerve with a controversial topic or have piqued the curiosity of your eventual audience enough about some extremely interesting topic that they would like to know more about and they assume and trust that you as a qualified author on the subject could have the knowledge enough to give them an answer that clarifies their doubts and concerns.
Otherwise, everyone will be always too preoccupied and lazy to do shit for strangers in general. And therefore, you will never have a chance to even know that they exist. :)
That applies to most anyway. When there is a content creator that pique my interest and almost values the same ideas I do, I wouldn't mind doing the extra mile because I want to do it.
The moment you watch a video on youtube, access any site, your activity becomes part of the statistics that affect the algorithm for the site display. What this means is that while on an individual scale, your actions may seem negligible but as a collective unknowns watching the same video, you generate enough push to have youtube AI feature your video for more reach especially when there are likes or dislikes on it.
Our activities online affect some algorithm somewhere whether we like it or not and by simply watching ads or clicking certain links, we give out more than what we intend to give. While I don't consciously believe my own viewing experience on certain youtube channels greatly impact their popularity and chances to be more visible, I still believe that my small viewing time contributes to the cumulative data that can convince the AI to boost the channel's visibility.
That's why it takes great skill to be a content creator and know they are in the right place to make themselves be valued. Sometimes it's just right content wrong platform. The fastest way to be noticed is just not doing what the average content creator does and ask for drama, any publicity just to be noticed and one can actually build their name from that drama or have their name destroyed.
I always tell people, "Never sell yourself short." Even with book and music sales, the creator never knows how well or how poorly the product will sell. I don't think people expected to go viral with cat videos. Someone else comes along and pumps all kinds of money into producing a documentary; 2000 views. Some movies even get hyped up for weeks and come out losing money, then you get a Blair Witch low budget production that turns out to be worth millions. It's a funny business.
We do though. And even in the past, over the years. Plenty of talent. Look how well some of the artists are doing with NFTs elsewhere. Some are making thousands per unit, hundreds. And some struggle but that's life.
I'm most likely looking at the wrong market when I made that statement. Cryptoart is in its own genre away from the mainstream types I want to get into. You're right about having content creators can do well on Hive in regards to that content.
This place is all just a hobby that I can potentially earn from and maybe that's the reason why I still fail at investing my time here properly. I think that buying your own stake rather than having it freely upvoted to you gives you a sense of empowerment and will to keep the value higher than when you bought it. I see a lot of potential for this platform and the tokens that come along with it. But this is all just hobby that I can potentially earn from and not a lifeline.
What do you think Hive is missing that makes it fall short on other tokens? I think this place is undervalued for what it potentially can do. I don't really care much whether the price is goes up or down, I'm just happy this one is relatively stable that it gives me enough time to buy more and accumulate.
Half of my stake was purchased, the other half earned. It's good to have some skin in the game. The content generates value, half that goes to consumers, but I can earn some back being a consumer.
We don't need to be attached to the hip with the crypto market. Hive offers an actual product and that product often generates revenue from consumers. This platform doesn't focus on attracting dedicated consumers, or their disposable income. You see all that money exchanging hands on other platforms. People love throwing their money away to support content now. If they did the same thing but staked Hive instead, their money goes a lot further, plus they can even have it back and then some if they decide this isn't for them. That's incredibly disruptive in the entertainment industry if you think about it. So rather than focusing on the crypto crowd for investment, I always point out that other, much larger market, driven by consumers. They need a good product to buy or support though, which is why I suggest people here break free of their shackles and really make their content pop.
It's missing those consumers constantly purchasing and driving the token value up consistently, even during market crashes. The lack of dedicated consumers is obvious when one publishes their work and doesn't get any visitors. Content creators can't play both roles forever. With dedicated consumers being attracted to the platform, the money coming in the door and being locked in far outweighs the potential money that can leave.