Steemit Top 500 users analysis: Do they post? Do they upvote? Are they rewarded for their activity?

in #analytics8 years ago

Two weeks ago I proposed to you the analysis of the top 300 users, this time I added 200 users.

Some of you may have already seen my work, but here is a quick reminder.
I gathered the data from the top 500 users on SteemWhales.com. Same thing as last week, I deleted the row of the account Steemit, which is only used to create new accounts on Steemit.

Number of posts vs posts rewards distribution

The average number of post increased since two weeks ago. It goes from 122 to 150. The number doubled in a month, it was at 77 in my first analysis.
On the other hand, the cumulative post reward keeps decreasing, from 8 070 840 two weeks ago to 6 806 335 this week.

As we can see, a lot of people are above both of the average.
This week I tried to highlight the difference between the categories of users. In dark blue we can see the top users, whom own together 50% of the total value of the sample. In orange, we can see the middle users, whom own the next 40% of the value. And in grey, this is the rest, whom own the last 10% of the value.
Lets put this in data: 50% of the value is owned by 18 users, the next 40% is owned by 153 users and the last 10% is owned by 329 users.

If we put this chart at a log scale, we can see a pattern.

Same as last week, the more the user post, the more he earn. This time, with the segmentation, we can see that if you are a top user (in the top 18) you will earn more than a standard user if you post a lot. This is represent by the blue dotted line, which is the polynomial trend-line.
To be clear: if you owned a lot of the platform value, your posts tends to get a better reward.

Here is the chart with the names of the top users.

Curation rewards vs posts rewards distribution

This chart is very interesting because it show many things.

First, we can see that the only difference between the three categories of users is in the curation reward allocation. If you are a user with a lot of money on your account, you will earn a lot by curating content.

Second, the graph changed since last time. It goes from an almost linear distribution between post rewards and curation rewards, to an almost exclusive post rewards.
Let me explain: a lot of dots are in the top of the chart, this mean that users earned more with posting than curating.
This can have many explanation, but the one I think of is that top users spend more time making their own content to get better reward than curating.

Same chart with the name of the top users.

Estimated value distribution vs disposable value

For this one, I calculated the estimated value in BTC at the current rate.

In this graph we can see the total value held by user in BTC, and in orange the proportion that is available right away (not in Steem Power).
Their is a lot more disposable value than last time. We are now at 5% of disposable value, which can be dumped anytime.
This is probably due to the powering down of a lot of users, which create liquid money every week.

Distribution of Steem, Steem Power and Steem Dollars

The value is represented in BTC at the current rate.

As always, most of the global value is blocked in Steem Power.
This time, with the segmentation, we can see interesting things. The users from 18 to 153 holds more Steem Dollars than everyone, this means they are posters which get rewarded from their post in SD and don't trade them.
The users from the tail also have a lot of SD almost equal to their Steem in BTC. This means they are diversifying their portfolio, to counter the current down trend of the Steem value. This also probably means that they are non crypto users whom arrived later on the platform and are catching on the leader-board by posting interesting content and get rewarded for that.

Here is the leader board for this article.

Top 5 for estimated value:

  1. @ned (~)
  2. @dan (~)
  3. @blocktrades (~)
  4. @jamesc (~)
  5. @ben (~)

Top 5 for curation rewards:

  1. @ned (~)
  2. @dantheman (~)
  3. @berniesanders (~)
  4. @smooth (~)
  5. @wang (+1)

Top 5 for posting rewards:

  1. @stellabelle (~)
  2. @cryptoctopus (~)
  3. @donkeypong (~)
  4. @steempower (~)
  5. @dantheman (+3)

I hope you enjoyed the read. Follow me if you want to see more, and let me know in the comments what do you think about that.

Let me know if you think I should keep doing this post, because it takes a lot of time :)

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Very informative and really opened my eyes to the key functions of a few major players. Thanks for posting, I am excited to see what all this data will yield in the long term.

Yes, some users are really important here and work a lot to upvote and posts. Without them Steemit would be nothing!

This is pretty cool, thanks for the statistics and for sharing! Good work! :)

Just wanted to add in real quick that I followed you as well, you have some great content!

Steemit monetary system is very simple.
More steem power you have,
More rewards you get.

.

I started bringing outside coin in today. I figure I can't achieve any goals without doing both, contributing and investing.

Same as me! Now you just have to keep connecting with people, keep posting and keep upvoting. It will come with the time!

Thanks for the encouraging word. I mine and trade, so I have the coin. I'm taking it slow, but so far I think the investment will pay off.

Yes, that is the main idea!

But that leaves some users with slim or no chance to make it here, in essence they are literally wasting their time, with such system that is. It is like throwing the dice, they might hit something and win big, but most of the time they won't.
I like it here though, even if i don't make any money there is still a lot to do here. It is a paradise for a reader.

As someone told me when i arrived here: you don't have to earned a lot each time, just earned once in a while. After all this is better than most of the social network!

Sure, that fact stands tall like a mountain! :)

A thorough analysis, as always. Thank you!

Posting vs curation rewards - does that mean that it doesn't pay to curate for the users in the lower part of the rankings?

Their is two possibility: either people don't upvote so they don't get rewards, or as you say it doesn't pay to curate if you have not enough SP. I think this is a little of both, since people have no real incentives to upvote: vicious circle.

Thanks for taking the time to compile all the data clement! Good work:)

Thank you really much for this content and keep up the great work @clement! Best regards from Germany, Jonas

Thank you for some brilliant analytics. I wonder if you could find out which is the threshold of steem power sufficient for gaining some rewards in upvoting.

I don't know the exact number but I think it's at least 500 SP and a good timing/curation skill!

Excellent work! but now need to think what I can do with this info :)

Thank you!
This is just to brings insights about your surroundings, and to observe to behaviors of the top users. I think if you are on the 10 last percents, you need to post, and if you are above that you need to curate and post.

As you can see I'm near the bottom.
And I post and make comments :) not always but sometimes it get to me some cents. Curation usually brings me nothing or part of cent :)
Thank you!

Awesome and very impressive work. You are very good with data and graphs and interpreting them. It's a nice skill to have. I think I understand most of what you wrote but could you elaborate on this a bit more.

'Their is a lot more disposable value than last time. We are now at 5% of disposable value, which can be dumped anytime.'

Edit:
I think i got it. You mean Steempower ---> power down ---> Sell steem (is liquid)

Thank you :)

Two weeks ago we had only 3% of the total value held by the top users which was in SD or Steem. This week we have 5%, so that's 2 points more, almost the double.
As the day of today, and for this sample, they have 5% of their money which they can dump on exchange, the rest is blocked on Steem Power.

I don't know if I explained it better aha

It's totally clear to me know! Thank you. Keep up the good work!