Generally speaking, you are right, but the problem is deeper.
Steemit is such a bad product, that people are not willing to use it even if you got paid for it.
Would you buy Yugo:
No? Ok, would you drive it if it's given to you, for free?
Still not?
If you get 100$ per day - ok, you would.
Now you can see how badly made this product is.
Just as Yugo, it was fine several years (decades) ago, but today - no