Significant is relative. I don't believe that the degree of order-penalty in the current system that essentially gives no reward at all to later voters is necessary. Earlier voters can still get a bonus. For example, perhaps 10% of each voter's reward could be paid to earlier voters as a finders fee. The first voter (getting fees from all of the rest) would earn by far the most (assuming several times as much total voting as that one vote), but even the last voter would earn 90% of the base reward.

In general I agree that the basic shape of rewards would need to be understood first, most likely.