I wouldn't be the right person to ask as my highest reward is only about $120 for a single post lol. But that is a huge improvement from two months ago when I started and I was super happy with a $20 valuation for my introduction post.
What helped in the improvement is constant engagement, comments on posts also joining contests and being active on discord channels. I haven't tried hanging out on steemit chat but they say it pays to spend time there too as it is a good venue to present yourself and let others see your personality :)
These is fantastic advice. Thanks for your ideas and help. I havent had anything close to a $20 valuation for a post but I've only just started to get my bearings. I will keep engaging and trying to build a following and probably explore the chat as well. Ive followed you and will be upvoting your posts! Take care.