I still consider myself very new to the crypto game, especially here on Steemit. I realize I make a million mistakes but I also try to learn from those mistakes. Today, I am going to reveal the biggest mistake I believe I have personally made when I initially joined Steemit.
UPVOTES…
Initially, I admit to the joy knowing I could finally get paid for my writing by upvotes. I have written for a very long time--Fox News, Huffington Post, Brietbart, several military blogs, etc. Never once did I get paid for my work.
Discovering Steemit appealed to me because of, in part, the potential to get paid.
I remember writing my first couple of posts and going back specifically to check and see how much money I was making. Sometimes I was elated while other times I was furious. Needless to say, I was looking for the wrong thing.
While I was looking for upvotes, I completely neglected to look at the actual views let alone the comments. I guess you can say I was a greedy bastard. For my initial ignorance and greed, I apologize.
Why the apology?
Here is the long hard lesson I hope every single newcomer to Steemit realizes and truly grasps.
Money will come but it should not be your reason for posting anything here on Steemit.
So many who have been here since virtually the beginning will tell you that Steemit is about the community. Few ever focus on the profitable earnings. Yes, we read a lot about Hardforks and where our upvotes came and went, etc but those types of posts only come about when Hardforks take place.
The majority of Whales try to influence every single one of us about the importance of the community and not the payout.
Why?
Without the community, you have ZERO payout!
For approximately two months, I have been here on Steemit. I should have well over 200 followers yet I am just around 160.
Did I engage my followers?
Did I respond to comments?
Did I follow them back?
Did I provide them with anything meaningful?
I can unequivocally state to every single aforementioned question that in the beginning, the answer is a huge big fat “NO!”
This means, for the initial several weeks, I failed not only those who peaked some interest in me and my writings, but I failed myself as well.
This is something I can admit.
It is a very rude awakening when you reflect on your successes and failures. More often than not, we fail much more often then win. But what we do to correct ourselves and how we create executional plans of actions so not to make the same mistakes over and over again is where we win.
The first step however is looking deep in the mirror and ask yourself a hard question and become brutally honest in return with an answer you may not want to hear or accept.
My question: Why was my followership so low?
My answer: Because I was a greedy bastard failing to accept the reality of this glorious platform and "know- how" to truly utilize it for its intended purpose-- which is to create a community.
A little note about myself and why I have been relatively successful in this thing called life: I am an observer.
I observe people, successful people. (Of note, success is subjective, very.)
But here on Steemit, I gauge success with followership. And based on my observations, the most successful people on here have huge followership and that is because they engage those who seek interaction.
So, for those who were once like me solely thinking about the potential monetary gains here on Steemit, I ask you consider this.
Would you rather 100 followers where less than 5% ever read your thoughts or would you rather 1,000 followers where 5% read your work?
I know the answer and I also know what rewards come from my answer.
Think about it.
You want to know why I don’t seek upvotes on Steemit? I just told you.
I seek followership. I seek engagement. I seek friendships and support from folks willing to resteem my work.
Payouts will come--But, the payout should not come first.
Seriously, please, if you are new to Steemit, DO NOT make my initial mistake of being in this for the potential monetary gain--be in it for what it is truly intended for--community based content engagement.
Excellent post, sadly you will get my upvote from it even though you didn't ask 😉 Haha how did that happen but seriously it's a great post for beginners. Will be keeping an eye out for some good content from you
Manually 40% UpVoted & Re-steemed! Yes, I do this personally, and not with a bot!
More about the Initiative here...
Remember To Vote
blueorgyfor witness!I truly appreciate it. Means a lot! Thank you!
thanks for the advice, it was really helpful
upvote yes or not, as you think, but steemit is becoming famous only thanks to this.
Unfortunately, I believe in large, you are correct. However, I also believe that is because their are some flaws within the system built which I believe may sooner or later get rectified down the road if the creators truly wish to see this as a community based platform.
Followers are the most important asset we have on this platform. Social "capital" is also a part of your net worth. A few good connections can do way more for you than a few dollars in your bank :)
It's also so much more fun when interacting with people! I think there's also a lot to say about "quality followers".
A follower wont do anything for you unless they actually interact with you :)
Rather have 100 engaged followers than 1000 unengaged ones :)
I like the honesty, this post is on point!
Thanks @znaffe!
Like your authentic comment. Following you too. :)
Good points and as a beginner I'm trying to interact with all of my followers and answer their comments. I also only follow people that I truly like their content. It's going to be slow for sure but eventually I know I will get there.
100% agreed. Its not a sprint but a marathon. and that is what people need to understand. Steemit is a long term commitment for those who truly wish to embrace what Steemit is really intended for.
Thanks for the post! It's really easy to get sucked into the habit of checking your last post and how many upvotes it got or didn't get. I know I've done that too. Steem on!
I hear what you're saying about not doing it for the likes/upvotes. I see lots of small, silly posts that feel like they've been posted just for the sake of it. You have to sift very carefully through the piles of new posts to find something that's not just another image from 9gag, or reading through replies that are just a robot saying the same thing on every new post. Here's to following real people with something interesting to say.
Thanks for the follow! What you say is true. And, unfortunately, it is the posts which you mention that actually have the potential to destroy Steemit. People dont want to have to sift for 30 minutes to an hour just to find something on here worthy of reading. Its a tough nut to crack.
@moderndragon following you too now. I appreciate people that actually care and take the time for authentic comments. :)
Ah thank you :)
Well too bad man, because good content gets upvotes (: upvoted!
Hahahahaa!!!! Thanks!
Hello ! I am @minnowhelp, nice to meet you @Kerp14,
I do track some @booster upvote runs and try to figure out, if this booster upvote really giving a value.
With this upvotes you can earn some money here, if they provide a value. That's what I am testing for new Steemians !
Im my session#1 I tracked amongst other users the upvote boost of @mahdiyari, he boosted his post value to $6.63 , which was $5.08 more than before the booster upvote !
And that with just an investment of $1.96 !
So if you want to see the results of my work, feel free to follow me @minnowhelp
Welcome to Steemit @Kerp14 !
Hello @Kerp14 - welcome to Steemit ! i am @digital-gypsy - nice to meet you and all the best !
Hi @Kerp14 ! Nice to see more people like you - here joining steemit!! Becoming a steamian is a great adventure !! Here you can win money while bloging! At the beginning it wouldn't be easy, but it isn't impossible. So just write from your heart and everything will be allright. Wish you much luck! Cheers! Greetings, @mekong !
Hello @Kerp14 its good to see more people around. Have fun in this community. I wish you many followers and new friends :-) Cheers @chrisx
Thank you @Chrisx !!!
Your post was very good @kerp14 and i strongly agree to you. Thank god i read it this early and thank you!
Thank you @Olivercuico !!! I am trying to just take a moment to see where I am at here and where I would like to be and just wanted to share this milestone of an awakening with others who may be new here.
well observed and analyzed :)
nobody is free of making mistakes but everyone can improve !
Cheers nice post STeemOn
Steeming On!!!! Thanks!
Good thoughts and well said. Agree wholeheartedly. But I also think it's pretty cool that as I'm writing this, you've made about $59 for this post! Congrats! Upvoted & followed :)
Thanks Denise! Yeah, one thing I noticed is when you seriously write for the intent of creating decent content, you actually reap the rewards much better than when you just put something out there for the sake of it.
"And based on my observations, the most successful people on here have huge followership and that is because they engage those who seek interaction."
I saw some accounts who have over 1000 followers and this happened only in one or two months but still their posts make only pennies, so I will disagree with this point. We should focus more on the quality of our content. Having thousand of followers doesn't mean that they all are interested in what you write. A few followers who really want to read your posts are better than the thousand of scraps who followed you on "F4F" rule.
And you abused yourself so many times that I have stared feeling sorry for you :P
Never feel sorry for me. I am one of the most confident individuals you will ever meet willing to publicly accept my flaws. How do people make thousands of followers in only a couple of months? Sorry, that is hard to understand, especially when one believes such individuals are not interested in what they write. Do you gauge interest off of payouts? I don't. I gauge interest based off comments and interaction. I don't know. Maybe I am wrong. But the key which you and I agree 100% on his quality content. That is huge.
Willing to agree to disagree and still be cordial. :)
"How do people make thousands of followers in only a couple of months? "
Let me answer this question. Once an Asian signs up on Steemit, he/she thinks of ways through which they can earn money asap. So in order to achieve this goal, they start playing "F4F" means follow for follow game. You follow other's person and that person will follow you. So that's how you make huge following in just a month or two. I will definitely show you some examples whenever I come across such account next time.
And I agree to this "I gauge interest based off comments and interaction."
Its crazy! I thought the entire follow 4 follow thing was just trolls but people actually believe that approach works? Crazy. Thanks for the feedback my brother.
No problem bro!
I think you are doing a good job @kerp14 and maybe a little too hard on yourself, like me.
I've been repeating the same mistakes in life for so long now, I think I'll start calling them traditions.
HAHAHA!!! Traditions!
Trust me, I wasnt beating myself up over it. I just self reflect very seriously. About the only thing I do too serious in my life other than take care of my little ones. I laugh at myself more than anything :)
Amen ! Gotta laugh in life - it's far too short !
You just earned a fellow observer and follower. I try to read everything that comes from those I follow and I try to keep my posts to minimum with some value to readers. Followed!
I appreciate it!
Very well written. I had not followed you and now i am.
I am very happy to see more quality come to steem and look forward to reading more from you!
I appreciate it. I am doing everything in my power to recruit more and more to join the community. But, I want to also ensure I assist them as best possible upon their joining.
@Knircky...just an fyi...didnt realize you were a Philly guy! Born in Frankfurt Hospital, Raised shortly in Port Richmond then ran across the river to South Jersey! Go EAGLES!
Totally agree, just been here about 45 days... Been on the grind making tons of relationships. You got a new follower :)
45 days and you are already ranked at 58? WOW! Good on you! You are doing something right!
Where is this so called ranking? I am still learning everyday haha
He is referring to your reputation score indicated by the number in the bubble by your user name.
Opps my bad... still don't know how to raise it. I thought 58 was low lol
Reputation score is based on upvotes and the weight of the upvotes in terms of payouts.
im still searching what the people of steemit like alot of the posts i see are about bitcoins dodge coins and the high and low of the value of that specific coin. I really dont follow that kind of thing. Im only 2 weeks on steemit but i got to admit i really like it its better then facebook because its not a populairity contest and like you said you can interact with people that share the same feelings about a subject like you do. I hope that you get a huge following base that appreciate your work. Btw im still stunned that you wrote articles for big names and didnt even get paid thats insane. I hope that you will not do that in the future and if you do it you need to get paid for it because they earn more than enough to give you some for your effort and soul poured in those articles
Unfortunately MSM rarely pays contributors...i was a Fox News radio terror analyst for years...never paid. Its just how they operate. Its nonsense and while they treated me well, i was used.
I know this is how the world is but a little less profit from the companies that dont even know what to do with the money anymore and a little more to the lower ranks would change the world and the economy blooms but thats my opinion i can just give a cent but its still more than nothing hope to read some good stories
Welcome and Thank You for being with us!! Following your Blog now
Congratulations! Good points to think about.
Now I'm following you and upvote :D
Great post. Good to see it getting attention and support.
I wrote about the real importance of Steemit many times and have been trying to help all the $$ greedy noobs figure it out. Glad to see you have.
SteemoN!
totally agreed, the focus needs to be on engagement and making posts that are actually interesting, I learn so much here it is crazy. Thanks for the post!
Weird...doing the right thing brings others value and you get rewarded for it. Stop overcomplicating life everyone :)
I keep bumping in your posts and comments... weird
The same happens to me ...even weirder
Weird or perhaps destiny...Haha...na, just kidding. Keep bumping and the bruise might be something you come to love :)
Hi @kerp14 I really enjoy what you wrote last night and I believe that my friends needed to be informed and will enjoy reading your post that the reason why I resteemed this post of your in behalf of me and my friends thanks for the post hoping to be your friend.😊
I'm a super-new minnow and your post was helpful to me! Thank you. I'll resteem so others like me can see it.
Great post. Very well said. I just wrote a post the other day about how annoying the generic comment bots are. That's not what Steemit was created for. We are a community here and real human interaction and engagement is what real Steemians seek. The monetary gains are just a bonus. Resteeming your post. Good luck for the future and Steem On! 😉
https://steemit.com/steemit/@donnaincancun/is-anyone-else-getting-really-irritated-with-the-auto-bot-comments
The bots annoy the living daylight out of me as well.
Absolutely powerful! Thank you for writing this! @kerp14
I love how you showed your vulnerability. You made yourself relatable in a lot of ways. And thank you for the heads up. Keep it up @kerp14!
Very good point @kerp14.. I am a newbie to this thing as well and I came to share some of my funny pictures because they are to good not be shared with a community who appreciates creativity. This was my main goal... i am happy already to have about 100 followers in about 3 weeks @dragonator... I will follow you and look out for interesting content ... sorry I upvoted you ;-)
welcome to steemit @kerp14 I hope we become a successful member in the future, there is no other platform like this. It's time to change our world. Visit and follow my account --> @rizalsipil. I hope it can be a great partner afterwards
@kerp14, great post! I think you are little hard on yourself. You did hit the nail on the proverbial head. As a new Steemian i think a post like this should be manditory reading. Find your niche and do it for the joy and iteraction with the wonderful community. Keep going and keep in touch. I've followed and upvoted.
Love the honesty, great post.
Thanks for the post. I am new here and learning. I have been looking for this type of community support for writing and glad that I found steemit.
@kerp14 hey buddy! absolutely wonderful content! I followed you and upvoted since you really deserve it!
If you have spare time, check out my profile :) fetmom - real estate investor and donator!
Thank you for pointing this out. It is true indeed what you wrote.
You got the point sir @kerp14 - as a newcomer myself it helped me a lot really understand what's steemit's all about. Many thanks.
I have been just focusing on posting my own quality content and comment on people with my niche. I looked at my post's view and I realize they are really low, I wonder if you have any tips to get people's view. I hope any Steemian at least click-in to take a look at my posts.
This is a great realization and this mindset will help you focus on giving value in your writing. Besides, begging for followers doesn't work on Steemit anyway.
It takes time to build your social currency on this platform but it's worth it in the long run because not only will rewards come in a financial sense but also you'll become a better writer tuned to the needs of your readers.
Welcome to Steemit ! happy to have you here. Followed. Follow me back 😘
100% true! Passion should always come first!