I think anything that elevates the crypto/blockchain public conversation is good for Steem at this point. There's plenty of room for competing currencies, and I think generating interest in the concept is always a good step. I actually stumbled upon Steemit while looking to buy into BTC as an asset, so this speaks to my experience personally :)
I'm a developer and kind of techy and dabble in the market. My wife is an artist and writer. One of the trickier things about BitCoin and other cryptos is simply participation, which is intimidating for many people ("it's for nerds and investors, right?"). Steemit, however, has a strong leg up in getting people active in blockchain and NOT thinking about the underlying technology or theory.
Blockchain doesn't come up in typical conversation, but "did you see x on reddit?" is reasonably typical. It's the practical application that makes blockchain real for my wife or non-techy friends.
I think you're right and it helps add a level of legitimacy to investors who were maybe weary before.