Here's what it comes down to. On Steemit I can earn money, that's revolutionary and awesome, however the amount of money I can earn (for most people) is peanuts so getting a few cents a week to be on a platform that isn't fun, isn't a wow factor. Fuck I pay Youtube $10 a month for Youtube red because its an awesome platform.
I feel like many of us come on Steemit not because we truly enjoy the content and platform but to "play the game" and try to grow on here. That's cool, I do it too but let's be honest, most of us won't succeed, the platform is stacked against the new guy and the little guy and the money isn't that great.
Facebook, Instagram, Youtube have a much larger reach so for marketers or people trying to build an audience even if they don't get a direct payout from the platform they will earn a shitload more money from teh attention they get from people on the platform than they will ever earn on Steemit.
I love it here, I have some great friends here but I dont come on here and spend hours of enjoyment like I do on Reddit and Youtube, I come here to "work" essentially.
There's no denying retention on this platform fucking sucks, its a joke. New people think its stupid here and honestly I can't disagree with them. Had I not gotten on here during better times and committed to this place and goten established, if I was new I'd come here and never come back as well. This platform is definitely on a decline more than becomming better. We also have competition from smoke and weku and whalesshares as well. This platform better get its shit togetehr or its gonna get overtaken, its no longer the new kid on the block or the only social earning platform.