I don't know. I don't follow for follow. I don't beg upvotes. I do comment on quite a few posts a day in the topics that interest me. I think out of my 200 (ish) followers I have 10 "good" followers that actually routinely read my blog. Honestly, I'd rather have 10 followers that read my blog than 1000 followers who don't care what I have to say.
I put quite a bit of effort into my blog. I take more than 50% of my own pictures, I share knowledge that I have spent years acquiring, I write on topics that I have passion for, and I help other people find a path to success.
Part of my problem growing on Steemit is that I attract the minnows. Mostly because I like to help people. I'll occasionally get a $5 or $10 comment payout because I said something about cryptocurrency, but that's not so much my thing (it's a side hobby that I happen to have some knowledge in).
It also isn't that I (or many other minnows) lack upvotes. We get upvotes, anywhere from 5 to 20, on many of our posts. Unfortunately, the upvotes we get are from other minnows. When a person is friends with a whale or invited by a whale, they get a HUGE advantage! Immediately they get a $5 or more upvote pushing them into trending and burying all the minnows (regardless of post quality) deep into the abyss of the "new" thread.
Reading this makes me sad. It's been the story of my blog too (except for a few posts which did reasonably well). I attract minnnows quite a lot because I solve their problems and teach them and guide them.
I have followed you without even looking at your blog (which I know I have to). My request to you would be to keep blogging despite no votes or a pile of tiny votes. The following and the credibility you now build will help you greatly in the longer run. I have posted 60 times in my first month here and I will keep posting regularly. Let's keep our heads down and our focus on our work. Results will come!
I wasn't referring to you specifically @timeshiftarts. I just meant that it seems to be a common tactic lately. I've seen so many posts bragging about reaching 500 followers and then I look at their profile and they are following 3000. It's not going to help in any way to do that.
I totally get it. I try to encourage people against those tactics too. (Sometimes my anxiety gets the better of me and I unintentionally personalize things and think later)
I try to tell people they should keep their following list to about 200 (give or take) because after that you might as well just be reading "new" for as much as you're gonna see what interests you.