My Thoughts About SteemIt After Using It For A Week

in #steemit7 years ago

Hello Steemians,

I have been using Steemit for about a week now and I noticed a few things that I think need to be addressed by Steem's decision makers.

Although I write here mainly about trading, I've also been an internet marketer for the past 10+ years so I would like to provide my input about Steemit from a marketer's perspective.

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1. Quality VS Rewards

Since I joined about a week ago I've posted six times:

  1. A post about why I started crypto trading: https://steemit.com/crypto/@acryptotrader/why-i-started-trading-crypto-currencies-and-why-you-should-too
    This post I actually promoted in my own Channels and brought new members to Steem

  2. An introduction post: https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@acryptotrader/hello-steemians-the-best-community-i-ve-been-a-part-of

  3. A post showing step by step how I traded a crypto currency: https://steemit.com/cryptocurrency/@acryptotrader/how-dennis-rodman-made-me-18-7-in-8-hours

  4. A post showing a video of me analyzing a crypto currency (Antshares): https://steemit.com/cryptocurrency/@acryptotrader/why-is-antshares-is-booming-should-you-buy-anshares

5 . A post showing a video I made about SteemIt asking members of the community to share: https://steemit.com/steemit/@acryptotrader/my-steemit-video-please-share

6 . A post about the latest Etherum crash in Gdax : https://steemit.com/ethereum/@acryptotrader/shocking-ethereum-crashed-to-10-cents-in-a-second-and-who-gained-from-it

These were all posts that I would consider good quality and original posts but they are not seen or rewarded. The reason is, because I don't have enough followers, connections, and I'm relatively new. However, looking at the trending and hot sections I see posts making $1k-$3k mainly because of WHO wrote them and not WHAT is written in them.. Now I am not saying that these posts are low quality or that I write better posts. What I am saying is that there should be a way for good quality content to get picked up in Steemit without having to go and actively look for followers. Which brings me to the next issue:

2. Follow Me And I'll Follow You...

Right now there are three ways to get followers in Steemit:

  1. Put in months of work in producing good content and being engaged to get them organically.
  2. Comment in people's posts saying "follow me and I'll follow you"...
  3. Bring them with you from another platform.

The first way is the most natural. However, it will take a long time to get to it and the truth is most people will probably give up on the way because they could have their own blog and generate more money or make money as an article writer instead.

The second way is common here but in the long run it won't work. It is very similar to the SEO "reciprocal links" method back in the days, where webmasters asked other webmasters to link to their site and in return they would link back to theirs so both websites would get higher rankings in Google. Needless to say it does not work anymore simply because it's NOT REAL.

The third way was implemented by some Steemians here which I know of, but some of them also bought a lot of Steem Power in the process so they got very powerful relatively quickly. It looks as if this is the best way to go if you have a following, but the flip side is... There are no guarantees that these people will stay your followers once they are here.
Here is an example: A blogger who has his own blog with about 1000 loyal subscribers. If he will start writing in Steem and ask all of his subscribers to join Steem and follow him there, they will join but then they might start following other steemians instead. So, why should he risk his blog for the chance of maybe making a little more money with Steem?
Which brings me to the next issue:

3. No Referral Program???

If we take the example above, the blogger would be more than happy to bring his subscribers here if he knew that he would be making money for referring them here. Affiliate marketing is the backbone of internet marketing today, because it's a win-win..

I know I can bring thousands of new Steemians here. But it would cost me money and time. Right now I have no reason to do it. How do I know? Because I already brought over 100 new steemians here and got nothing for it. There is no referral system here.

I would strongly suggest we have such a program here. A system where every steemian you bring here will give you SP and SBDs, after they reach certain milestones (to make sure people won't refer garbage leads).

This will be by direct referrals, OR if people sign up after they read your post. Simply put, if I share my blog post in FB and it becomes viral I make money from the traffic I get. If I share my Steemit post in FB and it becomes viral, I get nothing (unless the people who read it were already steemians..).

I would like to conclude by saying that I do think that Steem is an amazing concept.

I do feel though, that the first wave of Steemians are well rewarded, while new Steemians don't have enough tools to move forward and get to those levels unless they work really hard for it.. It doesn't have to be this way. I think Steemians should know that if they put in the effort to bring the best quality content they will be rewarded. And if they put effort into bringing new members to Steem they will be rewarded.

We are entering challenging times in the paid social network niche. With Synereo just announcing beta of their new social platform WildSpark later this month, and AKASHA launching their platform later this year, I think SteemIt decision makers should address these issues so Steem could keep it's edge over the competition.

If you agree with what I wrote please vote, resteem etc, as this is the ONLY way people will get to see this and it will get the attention it deserves.

Thanks!
Crypto Trader

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Nice post and a few things I also agree with. I'm also new here and been very surprised at the amount of money some posts get. I scratch my head at why the post got so much attention because a lot of them are uninteresting and even boring, yet earn thousands.

I wouldn't bet against SI becoming a bit like Instagram in future once the mainstream learn there's good money to be made.

The money incentive will always skew peoples judgement and it suddenly becomes all about the money. All actions are designed to make more at any costs, hence why whales get so much attention for ordinary posts. The commenter secretly hopes the whale will notice him/her and follow back. So a few posts get a ridiculous number of votes for very unremarkable content.

I hope I'm wrong, but it wouldn't surprise me if within the next 6-12 months SteemIT becomes more like Instagram and the money flows to the prettiest girls with the biggest t*ts who aren't afraid to flash a lot of flesh. I guess it's human nature.

Anyway, all that aside, it's like any social media platform or a blog. If you make 6 posts and get frustrated, you better give up now. It all takes time and a lot of content. It all adds up but the start is always tough.

I suspect there are probably better times to post than others too. Facebook seems to die on Friday nights and Saturday. Post then and nobody is around to see it, so it soon gets drowned out in the noise. With SteemIT you need immediate eyeballs to get interest and keep momentum.
I've often been surprised at how a simple and ordinary Introduction post can get hundreds of dollars. Doesn't make much sense. So it must be the timing of the post more than anything.

As for the "Follow me and I follow you" types, well ... forget them. They'll eventually leave after not making any money. These types of people usually have no clue how to create even average content, so that only leaves easy common tactics to gain followers.

Keep posting man, and take a step back. Stop trying to make it happen and let it happen naturally on it's own and study how the platform works. Sure it may take six months until you're earning well, but these things always take time. I doubt there's many overnight success stories here.

Hang in there.

@simant, you are 100% right. I feel the same way.
I agree with you that this needs work in order for it to succeed, but the way it works right now and the lack of referral program makes it unappealing for serious writers / Youtubers / Musicians / marketers (and the list goes on..) to move their activity and brain power to SteemIt..

You could also look at it like this - you bring followers from other platforms and suddenly you have many more SteemIT followers and your earnings rise from that. There is no need for an affiliate program. Build your audience organically and you'll be fine.

Why should there be a need for referrals ? We earn by posting so that's incentive enough. Or stay on other channels and earn nothing for posting ! In my mind there's only one way. Create good stuff and keep at it. Do that enough and it will happen.

I think there's probably too many people on here who thought this was a get-rich-quick method and become frustrated when they quickly find out it isn't. Not for one second saying I think that about you, but you can sense a lot of frustration in newbies who post reasonable content and earn nothing when there's lots of average/boring content that's banking big.

Wish you all the best. Following.

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VERY GOOD POST, YOU ARE ONE OF THE BEST BOLGUEROS I KNOW, YOU SEE THAT YOU ARE VERY INFORMED, CONGRATULATIONS. FOLLOW SUCCESS

Damn I would love a referral program as well.

Then vote and resteem..:-)
This post needs eyeballs!

Hey, @acryptotrader!
I agree with you 100%. We should definitely have some means when it comes to referrals, and easier ways to receive credit if you do put out quality posts, but don't have a large following already.

I'm following you, upvoting and resteeming. Hopefully we'll see some improvements.

I did get lucky on my first "quality" post - I received only two upvotes from people with a lot of steempower, which gave my post a potential payout of over 200 SBD! It kind of sucks that you have to get lucky and be seen by powerful steemians in order to make it somewhere, but I guess you just have to play it smart, while also socializing with other users on the platform - this is a social media after all, so I believe that you should treat is as such. :-)

Yea, Sometimes I feel it's more about luck than anything else..
The problem is, and correct me if I'm wrong.. you can't really socialize here unless you write comments.

You're right! I prefer making posts and getting credit from that, but the harsh reality here on steemit is that you have to use many different means in order to get people to know you.

I agreed that the first wave of Steemians are well rewarded. Very nice post. Author of this seems to be very deeply informed and experienced in using steemit

I hope you enjoy your time here! Welcome to steem it. <3, followed you bud feel free to follow back and check out some of my posts. I'm still rather fresh here myself. haha

Wow,You always give us agreat posts like that. Your idea seems to be the best option in order to get more followers here at Steemit.for earning money referral way is very good way.thank you

i agree with you 100%. nice post, for easy money referral way is very good.
thanks for clarification.

Sweet post i 'm new too and i want to learn about Digital Marketing keep it up am following you buddy

Being new to steemit, but already familiar with digital marketing, I'm going to keep tabs on this post to see what transpires. I found this information very helpful and I'm trying to figure out how best incoporate steemit into a marketing plan. First step though is being able to get found. Cheers!

Nice post and I agree with you. Your idea seems to be the best option in order to get more followers here at Steemit.

On the other hand, supposing the referral program is not implemented, I still prefer the natural way. It requires more time, effort and patience, but the results are more solid.

Greetings.