Oh that´s really frustrating :-/ Now I understand...
It would be really interesting to know why the left. I´ve just touched the very same issue in another comment down here. Retaining people is key!

Before thinking about onboarding we might have a retention strategy.
Why would anybody ever stay more than one month on the platform?

Maybe it´s about entertainment, special curation programs, trainings (how-to blog),... Maybe we have to comprehend steemit more as a "place to spend time" instead of a pure content platform. Like building a city, a shopping mall, a theme park or whatever place that is fascinating and engaging. --> SteemWorld :)

There might be infinite ideas how to make steemit even more attractive for new users. It can´t be rewards only since it takes time to build up a brand and really monetize it. We wouldn´t be able to meet strictly economical expectations here.