Hello people,
Recently I've been thinking about STEEMit and its model...
I've told you many times that this platform is the best way to make money online and that it is so easy that people who can't make it here can't really make anywhere else as far as blogging is concerned.
However, the dynamics here aren't based on your post's quality too heavilly but on networking.
You see, I've talked about the Gifting Economy and how it's the key to rise among the ranks of STEEM.
This explains why some people do so well... They do the things I always recommend them to do:
- They help others;
- They leave lots of meaningful comments;
- They do nice things;
- They virtue signal;
And much more...
Having said that, if you work HARD you can write whatever content you'd want to write... it would still earn reciprocation rewards.
This lead me to consider another experiment... the "Blank Page" project.
What's the "Blank Page" Project?
So, what's this project I'm talking about?
Basically, I'd create a new account and work hard on it, doing the same things I've done here and making sure to be a hard working and civil steemian...
...BUT!
My content would be adding no value. Just random stuff I'd feel like writing with no value whatsoever.
You'd see strange "poems and haikus" where I just type random words.
The odd picture, some meaningless vid.
I'd just publish crap.
Then I'd see how it performed and I would accompany that account growth.
This experiment would test whether people care about your content at all or just choose to help you out based on your interaction with them.
I'm fairly convinced I'd still be able to grow an account to a good size publishing only crap, but I'm not sure of it, hence the experiment.
Question: Is This Something You'd Want Me To Try?
Of course, I am curious, but are you?
Throughout this experiment I'd dedicate quite some time getting data, analyzing it, and trying to go over it.
I'd post some content dedicated to that experiment and that would replace some of my usual guides and articles so I need to ask...
...is this something you'd like to see as well?
You guys are the reason for my growth here, and as such you have the last word.
The Token Content Factor: Is It True?
Some people argue that what we publish on our page is just token content for other people to vote.
They say people don't care about your content at all, and don't even read it unless they have to. They just come to participate to fish for networking ops and votes.
So... is that true?
This experiment would document that.
Is STEEM a blockchain where a page with with no content can get a killer rep and rewards as well?
This could be interesting.
In Conclusion
Is the Blank Page experiment something you would find value?
What do you think about this idea? Worth doing?
Let me know in the comments below...
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if you really want a good test, you make 2 new accounts, post at exactly the same times.
then compare.
I believe they will have the same result unless done some networking. Nobody notices you here unless you are friend with someone, you are a whale, you are going to be downvoted.
Well, I don't have that much time to really handle another account with the best content I can make.
I would definitely be interested in the results of such an experiment.
Just to clarify: you would interact like you normally do, but won’t let anyone know you’re actually @spiritualmax, right?
I’m a bit afraid of the results, though, as I like to think that ‘SteemIt success’ is a combination of both good content and networking. (If I’m beeing honest to myself, I do know better than that, ...)
Yeah, I wouldn't be saying it was me, or even post about it here, just when I considered the experiment worth sharing. It would be undercover for now... Heck I may even have already started it.
You make me want to go search for crappy posts right now... ;0)
Wouldn’t be able to find which is yours, though, ‘cos there are so many of them... lol
I’m so curious about the outcome...
As an experiment it would be nice.
But biased ))
Why biased?
It would be interesting to see as it would provide thought on where this platform is going towards.
Although it is not something I would support myself because I see the need for myself and some others for Steemit to remain true and that their blogs and mine as well are appreciated for many different reasons. If there are people on here that do not read, doesn't want anything to do with it, only have a tit for tat kind of attitude, then I think they should be removed before Steemit becomes completely ruined.
I am finding that making the money out of it is an added bonus, but what I enjoy the most is the supporting people that I have around me and the people that I support as well is the more rewarding part. And by supporting I mean in an authentic way, not in a currency way. I enjoy learning about people and their ways, their beliefs and and culture and more.
I have learned some things about cryptocurrency and yes I am still learning and only have a foot in the door per say, about it. But why should this only be about the money making?
It boils down to the same thing in real life. What pleasures do we have if all we are doing in life is about making money, getting paid and being alone with no one to really share the joy with? As to if we were to share everything, every moment, good and bad, with other people and be happy and great.
This just a personal opinion in all honesty, as to where I stand with it. Personal experience really.
All in all, I am excited to go on the computer in the morning, going through my feed to see what @eaglespirit, @earthmother, @dawnsheree, @derangedvisions, @lynnecoyle1, @maverickinvictus and more ( I can't name them all there are so many that I enjoy following), have to say and what is going on. I am glad to think that maybe what I have to say to them in a reply is uplifting somewhat and puts a positive impact, even a little to them. That's what gets me going.
Thank you so much for including me here @foxyspirit! I feel the exact same way as you! <3
Bingo baby ;) Life is all about people not things !
My husband has always told me time is money. I dislike those words very much. Time is not money. Man, I could write a entire blog about those 3 words... I just might. :p
I think you just came up with your next blog ;)
Yeap! Empire peeps are the best... we're tight :D
Earthmother and Lynne aren't "Imperials" but they can always join :D
The empire people are all awesome! So many of them I could name here but the list is long lol. @earthmother and @lynnecoyle are good friends and earthmother is family to me. Just wanted to name a few outside of the empire ^_^ Too many to name :p
Thanks @spiritualmax! Pretty sweet offer, even if I won't be an "Imperial" :)
After reading @foxyspirit's comment, I'm going to leave mine here for you as well!
I hope to hell you're wrong! No disrespect intended, but I am an eternal optimist who believes that in any ecosystem in this world, there are givers and there are takers. So I would expect to find the same on steemit; but I must believe that the scale weighs heavy with the givers. Of course we all know the people who "rape the reward pool", and we know those who support them; from the beginning, I chose to steer clear of it all and instead, like @foxyspirit, focus my attention on the givers. Yes, networking comes into play, but I prefer the idea of developing genuine friendships instead; I refuse to see this platform as a place of business where networking, advertising and public relations is key, because those things suggest manipulation and falseness to me and nothing genuine whatsoever.
When I started, I searched out good people (like yourself) and read their posts, decided if they were someone that I could communicate with and develop a relationship with. Their reputation score was irrelevant to me. I have seen people with big, small, medium reputation scores who post 'crap', and I ignore all of them, just like I would in real life. I refuse to spend my time with people who are selfish, rude, disrespectful, negative, and valueless, who add no value to life or the world in general; instead I seek out those who are kind, helpful, positive, decent human beings who add value and contribute to a better world. I feel the same with steemit. I hope to one day make money, like everyone else here, but I refuse to sacrifice my principles to do it.
Anything of real value takes time, commitment, and nourishment to grow, and that's how I think of my steemit account. Like real life, I hope to meet people here, help them, make them laugh...really make genuine connections, and make a difference in their lives. Whatever money I make doing that is a distant bonus.
This turned out a lot longer than I'd expected; @simplymike talked about your post in one of her's, so you can blame her haha
In my case and in most cases with smart people, those are two terms for the same thing.
I disagree, I see where you're coming from, but I take great pride in proper advertising, public relations and networking. I'm a Marketing professional and I know good marketing is indeed Key, and doesn't have to be dishonest.
Not all marketers are liars, contrary to proper belief ;)
Point taken! I really didn't mean to suggest that Marketers were liars, or that the process is dishonest, and if I did, then I apologize. Like any occupation, I'm sure there's good and bad out there, and I trust that you're one of the good guys:)
I meant that the whole idea of networking and marketing suggests that we have to present ourselves here with some kind of agenda attached to it; that we're trying to convince others or sway them for our benefit, and that some could very well present themselves falsely, or simply create a perfect package that doesn't really exist.
I'm smart enough to understand where you're coming from too though, and perhaps it's all just a matter of word choice and semantics;)
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
You know it's all about the bots and upvoting. You are even doing it yourself. So with all this vote buying, content is secondary. To say it is "token" content reflects how banal and superficial Steemit is becoming. I'm an old school Livejournal blogger back when attracting followers was all about the content and dialogue. And I had hoped Steemit would be the same. But when I see posts like this dominating the trending page, I know Steemit is basically a joke. Sure money can be made by playing the game and investing hundreds on bots. But content is secondary and if that's a reflection of our digital age, then we are lost in a web of superficial crap. Eventually it'll just be bots writing posts for bots to vote on .. automate the whole process for your cryptogame, but nobody is going to read it.
I'm a full time blogger myself, on "mainstream" blogs, and I earn a salary that's not too big but it is bigger than most. Of course I have to write quality every time.
I try to do it here too of course, and I succeed, but I think I'd still get success if I didn't and just worried about reaching out to people and "playing the game"... that's the thought that led me to think about this experiment.
Wait, you can't think of any living examples of anyone that posts (relative) crap? (angel-face).
I remembered that guy when I was writting this :D
There are certainly multiple problems with the way steemit is organized at the moment.
I remember showing steemit to a fried and seeing a borscht recipe as the most upvoted post at the time with like 400 bucks lol
The concept is great though and I hope the community will manage to organize itself outside of the vicious circle of profit runs and bots and etc.
Very similar issue with crypto and the hundreds of terrible coins, projects and scammers.
One has to hope for the best though and support the good projects!
I don't know how that could be fixed... This platform works this way, and fixing that kind of stuff would take razing it to the ground to build anew I'm afraid.
I also don't know how it could be fixed. I do not think it necessarily needs to be remade. I think it does need a organized effort from the community.
A meeting where people discuss what they think is wrong and give ideas on how to change might be a good start. Can be organized online. With a few members. I am sure someone has experience at organizing these kind of forums.
The community could issue suggestions and ideas to be voted upon upon for example.
It is sad that something with so much potential is used so improperly. It would be great to have a joined effort of people willing to loose some profit in order to build something good.
What do you say spiritualmax? I see a lot of people trying to do good actually but I feel they are all rowing in different directions.
That you're describing is kinda what witnesses do.
Maybe I am not as informed as I should then.
But i do not see those concerted efforts being communicated. Hoppefully things will evolve
If you could redirect me to information about efforts being made to improve app functionality It would be nice.
The issue I see is that deciding on "crap" is kind of subjective; your 'crap' and my 'crap' could be very different. Instead of focusing on "fixing" what we see as wrong, I'm a firm believer in focusing on the pockets and groups of people who are making a positive difference on this platform, and purposefully growing those communities with like-minded individuals. That's what we try to do with @newbieresteemday, @asapers, @helpie and @greetersguild (and probably a lot more that I'm unaware of). Perhaps by changing or forming that mentality at the foundation, this platform will continue to grow with that same mentality as well. It's just a more proactive attempt at 'fixing' things, because really, I think those who are selfish and try to take advantage of things here, can never really be "fixed", but new and not-so-new people joining can be "taught".
It all comes down on why people are here... some for money, some for community building, some for friendship and on and on... in the end, some kinds of people can clash like we're seeing, but mostly they gravitate towards likeminded invidivuals and form their tribes, which was what human beings were doing since the dawn of history.
Agreed! And I guess none of us really have the right to decide whether or not another person's reason for being here is right or wrong. It's their choice.
I think you could easily get a following posting crap but it'd have to be a rather high SP account since people won't bother networking with a new shitposting account.
Well, the comments would be good, only the content would be shit.
I would like to see that and I think it would work. There are so many automated votes, and folks who bought steem when it was worth pennies, useless memes getting $$$$ ... that quality of content is not the biggest factor in success here, I am sure of it.
I'm seriously considering it!
Steemit reward works:
There is no research or real example to prove this theory, this is just my own observation here.
Wouldn't it be cool to be able to point out to a case study on that?
interesting , i think on steemit quality content is required but its percentage in success is low and communication and your relation with others affects much means how much you are famous in community with your meaningful comments on their posts and with your gratitude too.!
Gratitude goes a long way indeed!
Well if the account allows you to express yourself freely yes, but if you will excplicitlty provide low quality content, it seems like a drag to maintain 😅
Nice to meet you on that photo mate!
i think the content actually does matter. most of the time i only visit the art section in steemit because i love art and all post related to it, unless sometime i want to know some things about steemit or photography or cryptocurrency. thats why the tags are here for right?
now personally i wouldn't vote my friends for posting craps, i mean the posts need to have at least some effort?
Some people say it does, some say it doesn't... I wonder...
Would be an interesting experiment but it all will depend if you are going to promote it our. By promoting I means, will you place genuine comments under this account to other posts? Will you upvote your own lower content post with this account or not?
Regardless the above I am sure that you will get some value.
I would make no connections with this account and act as a newbie, but I would comment on other posts and talk to people. That's the point of the experiment, to see if content matters or if it is only circle jerk voting between friends.
I’m very curious how it will evolve.
I’m thinking more and more that Steemit is a friends circle. I know for sure that some of my follower do use automatic voting. It’s only 1 cent but every penny counts. Other are upvoting my post manually but always as long as it is crypto related.
People just don’t want to search for new content anymore. They are just following their whales or dolphins.
But because I like to be different I try to do the opposite! Trying to find interesting articles and try place genuine comments. Not hoping on an upvote (which I don’t mind) but hoping on some kind of interaction!
You're doing the smart thing... in a world of fish be a turtle!
And that's why I like you @fullcoverbetting ;)
Sounds good to me, that would be interesting to watch, and would say a lot about the way the platform works.
Would be nice to point out - look, I only publish crap and I made it!
haha, I have seen a lot of accounts on here publishing absolute shite, and boosting it up with bots, some of them do not even write single real word, just lhh;uiigiyighk and then send a bot for $30 or more, it is insane, though the way this place works.
Really? Can you point me out to one of those posts?
No, not now, seen others writing articles on it, seen the posts, though not the sort of thing I save in my memory or really want to, if you look you will find them.
I guess if we consider 'making-it' to mean making money only, then the experiment's conclusion could mean some very different things to very different people.
Indeed.
This is more an experiment in human nature.
we Ned to setting yourself first. One must take care of themselves before we can care about others. here its more obviously
because of the money.
but its the same in Facebook etc. all the thumbs up we get form friends etc, its matter but a think maby 30% of them are here for me and the rest its just going to the motions.
so lets say 80% here try to make your life better by making more $$$
am think is OK %. am super happy if a can find the 20% Who is interested in what I have and say.
I think both users can be as success
but a think Ur alter ego is going to have a lot of People who do not care about you, and are ass holes. just there for the big $$$. and then the alter ego is allshow going to be A hole. a see a lot of this around.
The question may be, people are willing to sell their identity to get more money
Good point, I guess you're right, it's a human nature experiment... a social experiment!
What do you think the conclusion would be... would the account grow in reputation and earnings even with just random words posted? Or would it get flagged...
oo ye flagging...if the account survives from 0-500SP its going to be ok.
a think its going to be super hard to be a
blank page account when the upvote is weak. because the audience is there only gets the money.
but if the blank account is not commenting just posting a lot and promise upvotes. and doing it.
its going to work. its ned to fly under the radar of the big ones.
I think it could be interesting. It is all about networking, so even if you have no content, but if you're nice and engaging, you should still be able to get a decent following. I'm curious to see what happens.
Exactly, this is what I think as well.
So then that means I could post 'crap' and you would still be following me? I'm not trying to be funny here, just curious:)
Because this describes me I think,
I'm an eternal optimist, and like I said to @spiritualmax in my longwinded comment, I must believe that there's enough people on here who are not like that.
Yeah, I'd probably still follow you. Even if you just posted random pics or something, I'd probably still follow you. I tend not to like following people who resteem all day because then my feed gets clogged with stuff that I'm probably not interested in. But you're nice, so I'd probably still follow you. :)
But what kind of "conversations" would we have over random pics?
"Nice pic!"
"Thanks"
... haha Seriously though, think of all the stuff we've talked about and how our relationship developed based on that. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. It has been known to happen plenty of times in the past :)
Even if it's just a simple picture, I still try to come up with something to say about people's posts.
That's true though, we're covered a lot of ground. And it's often easier to connect with people who have things in common with you. We have things in common and by posting on them, it makes more sense that we would get along. If we didn't, we might still be acquaintances, but not friends.
That make me smile...right back atcha buddy!
I like your idea. It will be a very interesting experiment that documents the fact about the importance of content. Whether the quality of the message plays a role or the quality does not matter if you are supported by users with high voice strength. I think for users who have been here for a long time this experiment will not be surprising. Although ... Personally, I liked this idea.
It is really bad when the biggest amount of people on here believe the experiment would prove content doesnt matter - it really shows what people REALLY think about the blockchain.
I think this is a great idea Rukka. I'd love to know how you'd go posting such but I bet you have some loyal followers here and will support yah all the way. ^^
I would never tell them it was me... the account would be disconnected from my own.
I think this is a great idea, becuase people can tell by you're comments if there legitimate. If you speak with passion and honesty and if they feel you're transparent there's usually a connection.
But will a loyalty from that connection arise, meaning poor content will be overlooked because of sympathy and disability maybe.
I think the results will be fascinating...
Like the previous commenter said, it will be a bit like a social experiment I guess.
I wouldn't mind. I hope people don't shame us with the results. Networking is key. I hope people just think you are a little slow and vote for the posts. We must consider that factor. Great idea @spiritualmax. Can't wait for the results. :)
Joy
Well, if they would vote thinking I was slow and do it out of pity then it proves content doesnt matter that much doesn't it? :)
No!! The old man down the street goes to the library to learn how to read now. But he's a comedian. I think if he told his jokes...they'd be funny( great content) but not shall we say fast...lol.
JMO
Dude, do what you feel you should do here, but if you ask me, it sounds like a lot of work. Especially if you intend to maintain this account, too.
I know personally I wouldn't vote for any of the blank page posts (because they're not worth the vote), but I don't doubt that if you were networking and so forth that I would be in the minority and you would grow the account.
As you say, content is not king here. Networking is. But some level of networking is going to be necessary, regardless. Even so, most brands or products that endure have some value to them, even if it's not at first.
While there might be some growth in this experiment, you'd probably just bring down the spam police eventually, or be derided endlessly in the comments (unless people knew it was you and that you were just doing it as a fact-seeking experiment—even so, I'd bet you catch some grief for it).
For what it's worth, if it were me, it would grate on me. Knowing I wasn't even trying to bring an A game, let alone achieving it.
So, do what you got to do. I believe there's a chance you're just throwing this out here for fun even though you are truly interested in seeing how people react to it. I can't wait to see how you proceed. :)
Hey @glenalbrethsen, I'm with you here, and left a long comment as well! I won't repeat it all, but I too have to have integrity here, and I'm hoping that the majority of people feel the same way. The one's who don't will always be here, but my focus won't be on them, it will be on those people who feel the exact same way...people like you:)
I went and read your comments. This is another comment of mine where I probably could have worded it better. I meant to tell spiritualmax what I felt but I think it came out more direct than I was wanting it to.
Yours on the other hand was much more polite. :)
I am here for the money-making aspect of Steemit. That was the initial attraction. In fact, it was really the only one presented to me. Which will probably prove to be a good thing, because had I known then about the extent of all that goes on here (I knew some of the surface things), I might have not joined.
Now that I'm here, making something is still very important to me, but the other thing that is still important is having an ever widening audience reading my posts because they like what I'm writing, not because I've become their friend or networked with them or marketed it to them in a way that connects with them.
Ultimately, what I write should be what connects. The creation, not the sell.
Building relationships, making friends, etc., is another great benefit to being here, that may have even greater effects on our lives that go beyond the reward pool. But as I said above, I don't expect anyone to upvote everything I post because they know and like me. I'm trying to do my upvoting based on what I find as valuable in the content and I'm hoping that others are doing likewise.
Now with comments, I'm probably more liberal with rewards, because I think the interaction is rewardable just as much as the content of the comment.
So, I'm happy to build relationships, and I'm hoping that people who like my work will upvote it, and if it's not up to whatever standard they hold, then I would hope they would not feel obligated to, because I'm trying my best to do the same.
Yeah, I hear what you're saying Glen; your comment here regarding readers connecting to your writing is where I was trying to go to,
Exactly!
I read your original comment as well, and for what it's worth, I didn't think you were being "too direct", and I'm glad you think I was being polite, because after @spiritualmax's comment to me, I was really second guessing myself last night and truthfully, being my own personal whipping boy because of it. The last thing I ever want to do is offend anyone, his comment made me think I had. It was still bothering me this morning, so somehow you knew to write the perfect response here for me. Thank you for that.
Well, maybe we're our own worst critics, then, but as you can see, I got a similar response. All we can really do is offer an opinion. He might also be in the same about as we are, thinking maybe he came on too strong. Who knows. Words are great, but there's so much being missed out on here. I know you know what I'm talking about because I think you've said it yourself.
Anyway, I'll be very interested to know what happens when if he does go through with it. I'll be even more interested if I find out I actually upvoted some of his undercover posts. After this, wouldn't that be something?!
Yes that would be funny. We'd have to help each other pull our feet out of our mouths haha
I would never disclose it was me, and I would only do it until I felt like I had proven my point... once that point was reached I would share my conclusions and analysis with the community...
Still considering it.
Sir, there are many people who are adding some random stuff and other people upvote but in my case I can definitely say that my content has been valued by others.
You got a 7.53% upvote from @postpromoter courtesy of @spiritualmax!
Want to promote your posts too? Check out the Steem Bot Tracker website for more info. If you would like to support the development of @postpromoter and the bot tracker please vote for @yabapmatt for witness!