I'd like to take a few minutes and go over some things that I've really begun to stick to, and which some of you might consider trying if you want this place to work in your benefit.
1. First and foremost - FORGET ABOUT THE MONEY.
This part might be hard. Let's face it - that was the premise that led us all here.
If you're looking for a job, you should probably just go get a job. Steemit might not be everyone's best bet as a substitute for a good ol' fashioned, steady paying jobby-job. For some it might, but for the majority of us, don't quit that 9-5 just yet. BUT...don't let that be a reason to dislike Steemit, because there's a different mindset that seems to work better for it.
Here's the way I look at it:
It's Christmas.
We have the option to enjoy the experience of the whole day, have fun with friends and family, make great new memories with them, share great stories, look at funny pictures....OR...we can be whiny babies who decide we don't care about any of that stuff and just "Gimme my presents! Right now! I wanna open presents!"
Please don't be that bratty kid. I know it's tempting, but it's going to spoil Christmas for everybody.
I promise you don't want that.
I know some of you have said that you seem to get paid more when you complain about stuff, but that seems to be a rare phenomenon as far as I can tell.
2. DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT THE WHALES ARE DOING.
This is it folks. This is what we have. The platform is here, and I think we should embrace it and do what we can with it by creating a positively thriving community that is able to successfully run the system the way it was designed to be run.
The whales are going to do what they do.
Just like you are going to do what you do.
Just because you're both in the same room doesn't necessarily mean they're obliged to interact with you. They created this place, and suddenly 40,000 people showed up. Don't expect them to go around shaking hands and sticking wads of money in everyone's pockets. That's not how this place works. If they see something you posted and believe that it's worth that upvote, trust me they'll give it to you. Or they'll give it to someone else. Whether or not you agree with what they upvoted is irrelevant. Just like it's irrelevant whether or not you agree with what any other person on this site upvotes. It might be worth checking out what many of them seem to like to upvote and consider catering to those interests. Don't expect them to automatically like something you posted which you think is hands-down the most awesome awesome thing ever. That's all subjective. You will never please 100% of everyone, even if you try giving away free money (which has been proven).
3. SPEND TIME CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY.
This doesn't just mean posting content, but also mingling. That's what community does, they get to know each other. Get involved and start conversations and ask questions to learn things about each other so we can all grow together. There's more than enough topics here to find out your commonalities. Make friends, FFS.
For some of us - such as myself - this may involve switching gears from old social networks to this one. I used to spend hours a day on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and G+, and I can do the same thing here!
Think about that for a second.
If you already spend a lot of time on social networks as it is without compensation, then you're already doing the thing which is the FUEL that runs Steemit. Don't let the idea of money corrupt that existing thought process or you're just going to leave quickly with not much to show for it besides disappointment.
Don't forget to be genuine when you post, too. That's important. Don't just pop in and say,
"Awesome post! I agree! Very informative! Keep up the great work!"
It's robotic and very impersonal.
4. STOP SPENDING TIME IN THE TRENDING PAGES.
If that's where you're spending your Steem time, it's no wonder you're getting disappointed. You're drooling over the biggest success stories of Steemit. Those are the posts that get that bump up to Steemit virality, and if you see it in Trending, you might have missed out on any good curation rewards because the piranhas have already skeletonized the cow. Probably best just to move on.
I tend to spend most of my time in the "Home" page (which are all people I've decided to follow), and I like to browse the "New" page as well. The New page is kind of the raw source for all posts, chronologically. Think of it as the proverbial Steemit ticker. It keeps you on the forefront of what's going on.
Sometime's I'll go to "Hot", but on the majority I don't go there, and I also don't go to "Promoted".
I wrote this blog post 2 weeks after I joined Steemit last July. Going back, I found that a lot of it is still relevant and felt that it needed to be reposted for the current wave of new users...with a few minor edits for present-day relevancy.
Nice writing! I am just new to here and feel good to see your advice. But I would wonder how can I meet friend here? As we cannot send any private message to people here. All the conversation is public, it is not a good plan to meet new friend.
It is great post and advice for me to think about how to contribute in Steemit. I think the first point is important, it is not the matter of money. Spending time on Steemit could gain knowledge and meet new friends. These benefits are far more than rewards. Contributing in Steemit could learn more and explore more.
Nicely said @winstonwolfe It's about community spirit and inspiring good in others. I was delighted to see some great crowdfundings and amazingly fast responded charities since I joined Steemit 20 days ago. I also met a lot of interesting people who share the same ideals as I do, and many good bloggers. This community is a treasure to guard for years to come. Hope I see all of you and me there. Cheers!
Thanks for the kind words. :)
A perfect example of someone who embodies what I'm talking about is @papa-pepper. The stuff he posts is awesome, and you can tell by looking at it that he's a genuine human being doing this because he loves it.
Totally agree.
Here Steemit is a community of people from all over the world, experting in different kind of knowledge. Beyond from the money earning, we should take the chane to explore the others world and learn much from everyone here. That's the reason why we gather here.
Agree on the trending pages, but damn, Steemit really - really - really needs some Reddit.
Very true and very good tips. The part about contributing back to Steemit is so true.
WOW, love this post @winstonwolfe ... It's a good way to look at STEEMIT!
I enjoyed your Christmas analogy :)
I'm enjoying it very much here and agree 100% with you on most points, thank you.
@winstonwolfe ! I believe you've nailed it ! Great take 'n tips for all !
The whales are going to do what they do.
Just like you are going to do what you do. nice advice i like it.
SO important! I really appreciate this, it's sometimes difficult to keep your eyes on the content but that's what really matters. Keep sharing, this is great! Followed!
Great tips and advice. I especially enjoyed the bratty kid on Christmas comparison. It gives one pause on how they're interacting with the site and helps in managing expectations. Also the building community aspect which is something I think is sometimes undervalued, especially given as you've pointed out the propensity to do so elsewhere for absolutely free! Great point.
Oh, and Whales gonna whale... I love it. That could be a post in itself. How I learned to stop worrying about the whales and love the platform.
Anyway, you've gained another follower. I look forward to seeing more content like this. It's helpfyl and a benefit to the community, newbies and those of us that need a reminder from time to time.
Awesome! I'm glad you enjoyed the post! Followed back :)
Great post! I solely came here because this is the only social media I found thats decent whether its privacy, content or organic chemistry without it being a echochamber. If I could make money for art thatll be great as an addition too lol
I can't begin to tell you just how relevant this information was to me when I was starting out last August, and how relevant it remains today. This is particularly true about the community portion. You, @sykochica, @jedau, @kryptik, and others have all made this a place that I call home. This isn't just a site. It's where I go for friends and for fun.
As always, keep up the good work boss.
Very cool, I'm glad to have had a hand in helping to make this place home!
This place has changed my life in more than one way!
Great tips @winstonwolfe especially the issue of trending section . As a new member, I spent time there checking out successful posts which dd not add value to my time and energy...your advice here is helpful to new and older members..great guy, thanks for sharing
I too foud that it is more interesting to browse through "new" page than "hot" and "trending".
(But I do come to this post through the "hot" section. LOL)
And yes, it is important to forget about money.
Very good!
Pursue your bliss and be passionate about it!
Put in your two cents, like you did on other platforms.
And maybe you will find out that it was worth far more to someone else.
Don't focus on the money.
Focus on your passions!
🤠
Namaste
winstonwolfe, I am new to Steemit. I appreciate your post and feel that it will obviously help me to navigate it in time. However I seem to have a moral delema. To me it appears that the vast majority of the comments are being posted for the sole purpose of patronizing in order to climb. Sincerity is very hard to find as is integrity. Am I wrong or am I just expecting to much from us humans?
I think you have expressed more simply than I did the same sentiment. Those that are more interested in money than any other truth will sometimes abandon integrity just in order to fawn on those able to pay them.
It is a problem, and you have expressed it well.
Here's a kitten, since I'm not a whale and can't throw Steem at you:
Thanks!
good example! How could anyone not enjoy the affection show by this kittens' parent, compared to $ you can't place $ value on love. Thank you for your reply and gift.
@winstonwolfe Interesting post, great way to show support to the community. Thank you for repost your work from 1 year ago.
I have found that this platform challenges me become a better blogger. I am sharpening skills that I didn't know I had. The community is building daily and I get to contribute my little part of it. Thanks man. Look forward to your next moment video. I send a vid of my bike. Followed and upvoted.
Awesome post! I agree! Very informative! Keep up the great work!
Haha, just kidding. I agree that steemians especially the new ones like me should not think about money that much. Not everyone can become rich by just writing posts. If it was that easy, then probably no one would be doing jobs. After all we need those 9-5 working guys too!! As for not recommending trending, promoted pages, from my point of view it is wrong. We should surely visit the trending pages, to learn more about the steemit news, crypto trends, entertaining posts etc. Most posts in trending section are high quality and worth to be read and upvoted. Also we should visit promoted section and surely upvote, comment good posts. Promoted posts really help to increase the Steem price and in general make steemit self sustainable. Of course new posts should also be noticed and good posts upvoted.
P.S. Just my opinion, but still nothing wrong in your opinion also.
Thank you @winstonwolfe !
Interesting post thanks for sharing. 100% upvoted from @chanthasam
Nice tips!, this is a really addictive platform, there are many ways to approach it :D
Nice post.. Good tips... Upvoted
Some very good advice.
Ever since I walked in, the world of Steemit felt different, almost as though I belonged here. And your words "it's Christmas" make this entire experience festive. I signed up after hearing stories of the thousands of dollars people were making. I comment on stuff that interests me and upvote Steemians I find interesting, but earning some STEEM is definitely at the back of my mind.
The first category I check is "trending" followed by "hot." I do that because the posts in these categories get the most views and I hope my tiny contribution will catch a teeny bit of attention. But there's definitely something about this place that gives me a good feeling. My very first comment was on @darthnava's blog and I was amazed at how the entire Steemit community helped him.
Thank you for your post. It definitely gives me a new perspective on improving my interaction with this wonderful community. I'm here to stay and provide value. :)
Upvoted and followed.
Excellent information. I am still finding my way through all the 1000s of posts. This gives me some sense of direction.
yea support the community.. nice post
I love the community spirit here and I am finding myself spending a lot of time here, trying to join in and help where I can. Really good advice. Definitely Steemit advice to live to. Just because we are here doesn't mean we are automatically entitled to anything.
This is such an impressive post, I always feel that I am not good enough but I like writing about things I love so thank you for inspring us it really means a lot to me as a beginner.
This platform is like real life, some are clever and they know what and how to do, and some just cant make it. For me this place is much better. It is not simple to become a voice but it is posible. If you deliver good quality post and comments succes will come for sure. Nice work @winstonwolfe.
Very great post. You were right in reposting it. I agree. don't worry and have fun!
Great advice. it can be frustrating sometimes but with a combination of quality content, a good attitude, and engagement with the community, you can't be ignored for long. The first week was rough, but now that I'm almost at the month mark, I have a bunch of new friends to help me.
Very helpful post. I am new to steemit and am modeling what works for others. However sometimes I will go into the hot a promoted as well the keywords on the right.Like this article. I am commenting not just because it is good information but because if furnctions as a bookmark. and shows up in my comments. I can find it later when I want to reference it.
very informative article. just written this motivational post that could be useful to newbies and indeed anyone that takes time to read it.
https://steemit.com/motivational/@darkerhorse/what-if-it-works-the-million-dollar-question
Be Original. That's the key fellas.
Don't follow the crowd. Stand out. Share what you believe in. Peace.