Promoting Steemit: You're Doing It Wrong!
So, what is it about Steemit that makes it so hard to promote, and why isn't this platform more established in the crypto world?
Finally, what are you doing wrong when promoting it?
These are all questions I plan on answering on today's post.
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You're Thinking of Competition Again: Don't act on a Scarcity Mindset
First things first, let's tackle the number one issue with Steemit not growing more.
The number one problem is that most people don't promote it. I can name you a lot of users on Steem today simply because of me and how I explained how great the platform is. Sure, I'm a blogger, so I know people interested in maintaining an audience here, but what I also am is a noob - I am roughly 13 days old.
Having said that, it is important to note that there are a lot of people out there keeping themselves quiet because they want to have an edge!
They don't want others to discover how to make money with this new order of things, and they are holding on to their secret.
This is a result of the Scarcity Mindset. People are afraid of STEEM running dry, but fail to understand that this platform is all about the users in it, and that growth is useful not only content wise but for everyone's goals as well.
Don't hang on to a "secret" without actually thinking about it. The scarcity mindset clouds your judgement and makes you unaware of the fact that there is room here for everyone, and that more people means more everything, and more everything for everyone.
Think in an Abundant way!
You're Not Explaining the Difference: This is not an HYIP
I'm a full time blogger.
Having said that, you now know that I am experienced when it comes to the Internet, and as such I know all about HYIP (High Yield Investment Programs), Bubble Games, Ponzi Schemes, Pyramid Scams and MLM (Multi-Level-Marketing).
When I heard about Steemit, that was just what I thought this whole thing was, just the latest scam, a crypto blockchain version of your old Ponzi-like HYIP.
I'm pretty sure Im not the only one, and do comment if you felt this way when you heard about this platform to justify my suspicions.
So, explain the difference, it is vital! Don't focus on grabbing the audience you're promoting Steemit to though greed alone... or you'll only attract SHARKS and greedy people.
But, how do you start by explaining the difference? Well, you can explain everything about the blockchain, how the voting works, rewards system and STEEM doubling down moments, stuff like that.
But here's what's important: Explain Steemit isn't a company paying people money... and this takes me to the following paragraph.
You Don't Earn Money: You Earn Tokens!
One of the first things Internet Marketers and Bloggers like me do to understand a system and figure out if it's a scam or not is to "follow the money".
Does the company earn more than it is paying out? Does the company earn enough to pay everyone and still make a hefty profit?
When I first looked at Steemit, I didn't know where all that money came from. It was only then that it dawned upon me Steemit doesn't reward you with money at all - it is all TOKENS.
Bear this in mind when promoting Steemit. The tokens have dollar value, but you get rewarded in tokens, not dollars.
Having said that, the "$" next to every post and comment doesn't help to create the right mindset. And people who are passing by simply think "Money" and try to follow it to take their own guesses on if the "system" is legit or not.
Another thing to add is that you have to point out there's no STEEMIT inc company ruling the whole thing, and that this is ours! Decentralized.
As such, do yourself a favor and tell everyone to save their passwords with their lives. The first users I got here didn't do that, now I press that issue often.
Give it Some Context:
Remember that most of the time, people have their minds set to CENTRALIZED FIAT MODE and simply cannot grasp everything you're trying to say.
I tend to break it all apart and give context to everyone I promote Steemit to.
I do this by explaining 3 Layers:
1st Layer: CryptoCurrency - Explain how Cryptocurrency works.
2nd Layer: Blockchain and Decentralization - Explain how decentralized, open-ledger, open-sourced projects and blockchains run and work.
3rd Layer: Explain that the universe of apps working on a single Blockchain is usually proportionally big to its value, and that the universe around STEEM is huge: D.Tube, Steemit, DMania, DLive etc etc....
Now, you need time to go though all of these things, but remember that you are helping to change mindsets, and that is extremelly valuable.
Change the mindset of those around you, red pill them and show them that the FIAT CENTRALIZED System is a slaver, a cesspool full of SHARKS (see my definition of SHARKS at my recent post).
Don't Preach: Do Reach!
Finally, have in mind that while most people who promote Steemit preach about the system, few reach out and actually lend a hand.
I usually reach out to those I preach to, and I onboard them, help them to create their accounts, to understand about STEEM, Steem Power and SBD, voting and their limitations and all of those concepts that scared me at first.
This is vital, because many people give up right at the start - a lack of proper onboarding.
Cooperate, Brainstorm: Collaborative Thinking
We're here to cooperate, and one of the ways we can apply that cooperation to Steemit promotion is to collaborativelly think and create onboarding plans.
There's a contest going around in SteemitBC for onboarding pitches and ways to promote the platform to more users.
You access that contest right here.
So, what do you think is the main mistake people make when promoting Steemit to others? And how do you feel we could improve the way people see the platform?
If you have a strong plan, then be sure to compose it and participate on SteemitBC's contest.
Who knows, you may win!
Cheers
I want to translate your great articles in Korean and Japanese with my opinions . Is it OK? surely with your post link in article as original post.resteemed !!!
Hello @steemitjp
Nice to have you here and I'm so glad you liked my articles!
Yes, if you think there's value in them you can use them :)
Cheers!
Wow! Someone has a new friend! eheh :)
I think for those who are willing to try this new thing, a lack of effective on boarding and tutoring is the biggest barrier right now. Many curious new users get lost and frustrated, and they give up.
For more experienced users, it can be hard to find the time to help with onboarding. I suspect, though, that doing this at a community level would be very helpful-actually meet and blog together.
For those people who aren’t willing to take a chance and try something like this, no amount of explaining will help. They’re just not ready.
Exactly my opinion as well... some people just need the masses to test the waters first. Once they hear everyone raving at it, they'll come.
And you, thanks for coming too :D
It’s happening. People just have to figure out how to appropriate the technology and the various platforms for themselves (businesses and communities too). I find another big challenge is labeling Steemit. Is it a blogging platform? Is it social media? Is it for investors? Is it for artists? Does it promote quality content? Does it tolerate and reward short, crappy posts?
The answer, of course, is Yes, Yes, Yes, but that answer isn’t particularly helpful to new users who want to be able to quickly conceptualize and understand what they are getting into.
Great post, aligns with how I think about it. But I would say it's still possible to onboard without them understanding blockchain/crypto at all. The property they care about is the detail for how to exchange the token to Fiat as well as the fact that it is completely free to try. That usually does the trick of getting started.
I had my own thoughts about onboarding as well, and I think the trickiest part is about the willingness of the new user to build their community/connections. That's what keeps me around anyway. And sometimes they just don't want to put time in for it. Maybe they are waiting for the critical mass to hop in first....
Some are trailblazers, some are followers.
Glad you came to comment. Since you have your own thoughts you can always enter the contest :)
Cheers!
I was trying to convince my friend Gary over lunch today to join Steemit and I think the Tokens, rather than money explanation might be just what I need to get him aboard.
I also didn't know answers to questions like, what if the US dollar price falls, what if bitcoin falls. I just write content and get steem, I don't 'understand' the mechanics of it (yet).
The value of Steem is related to these things in so much as markets are connected. Just because the real estate market crashes, that doesn’t mean that the tech market will crash as well, although the two could coincide. Many currencies are expressed in US dollars, but they can also be expr seed in other currencies. If the value of Steem is expressed as $3.00 and the dollar weakens, the value of Steem would appear to rise.
Basically, what it comes down to is, what have you got to lose? Instead of watching TV, write a post, leave a few comments, and slowly accumulate something that has value. Or don’t.
I find that people are either ready to try this or they aren’t. For those who aren’t, it doesn’t matter how much explaining you do, they won’t join or stick with it.
me too, but am trying to
That's something you have to work on @hopehuggs
This is the future :)
@spiritualmax I've been promoting steemit with my frets and don't understand how it really works.
You just saved me from explaining to them how to do it. Thanks for this Rukka. ^^
I think that the explanation of TOKENS rather than Money is a good one, and when those who are interested ask what the token value is at the moment, for instance right now I can say $3.25 and my friend Max just earned nearly 4 steem tokens on that post...
Another thing I like to highlight is that many folks will be flocking in from FB once this goes "Full Public Release" after Beta. Also that Steem Blockchain is the #1 transaction capability system on the planet, at this time ;) ETH is being maxxed out with Krypto-Kitties and Steem is not even breaking a sweat when our blockchain is passing them up almost DAILY! ;)
Great Article, Max. You have outdone yourself yet again!
SALUTE! ;)
Thank you very much man, I would upvote you 100% for this great comment, but it is my understanding you want me to charge the VP up xD
YES! Charge UP!
I suggest only running it down to maybe 80% at the lowest, so it can recharge within 24 hours. Or at least in your "off time" cycle, and some just run it down to 90% so it can recharge within 12 hours. That seems to work really well for about anyone except the Insomniac SteemerZ :D
You know, the ones that stay on here 24/7 LOL!!! :D
Yeap, I was an Insomniac Steemian on my first 4 days.
so professor, did you share to your students about steemit? you could have them to write materials here as assignment =D
Yes I did @asianetwork
Some are already here :D
So gladed you stopped by
Cheers
That was an interesting post out there, I was pretty new to this platform and I'm still on the learning (I am such a noob in here!)
I am too... 14 days old I think.
Nice to hear optimistic advice from a young person. What is the best way to promote your posts outside of Steem, can you explain what you specifically do to promote what you do?
I don't promote what I do, I promote Steemit as a whole to try to get more people using it!
I'm really liking your post here, I've come across the same ideas however you've put much more thoughts into it. i've resteem this, thanks for this article full of good arguments.
You're welcome @blacksheepblog
Thanks for the Resteem
Hmmm, you seem to have something here, Max! :D
BAM!!! Here's your ^U^V^ if I can get the darn thing to register it! lol
Thank you for your support Lord Stacker! Cheers :)
I'll make ya proud.
You already are, keep it Up! :D
mehn this sunk, like deep deep deep
Ride it out man. hehe
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by Rukka Nova from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews/crimsonclad, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
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Hi 👋 you write down about the methods and mindsets for promotion of steemit. Thanks . I have to do support to start more easily. Thanks.
No problem mate ;)
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