Erin is my friend. I have also been on Steemit for over a year, have a good reputation, have invested heavily into Steemit. Therefore my SP and influence has been developed overtime and built up. I upvote her comments (via her profile page not via the blog) and support her blog and efforts hence why she gets upvoted by me. It is a friendship ring and we have an agreement to support each other. That is how Steemit works. Takes time to get there but is well worth the effort. I have upvoted your blog and comments. Have a great day.