@herpetologyguy's Tips For New Steemit Users

So I've been going back and forth on whether or not I should even write this post for a long time. Part of the reason I have delayed writing it for so long is because there are so many "Tips for Beginners" posts out there on steemit already; what could I have to say that others haven't already said? I've had my share of successes here on steemit, but even after 10 months, I would still wouldn't consider myself much more than a beginner. And I'm not so full of myself to believe that everyone could benefit from my sage wisdom. On the other hand, I realize I have come a long way since my early posts thanks to the support of the community; I'm gaining followers at a respectable rate and I'm making enough steem to have actually have some significant effect on my life. The steemit community has been so very supportive, and in the spirit of that support, I think it's time I try to return the favor. Even if just a couple new users read this post and find it helpful, I feel I will have had a positive impact on the community as a whole. So here are just a few of tips that, in my opinion, can help new users begin to reach their full steemit potential!

Be yourself.

It's what you've been told since kindergarten: just be yourself. Steemit is full of thousands of amazing people with so many different personalities and identities; so many different professions, lifestyles, hobbies, beliefs and dreams and they all come together here on steemit. The first bit of advice I would offer is to just tell your story. Tell us about your life, everything that makes you "you". Even if you think you lead a rather dull life, there are probably a lot of people out there who would be fascinated by your story; there is no one out there exactly like you! My first day on steemit, the thought that anyone on this site would be even remotely interested in hearing about my life seemed almost laughable. The trending posts were all about cryptocurrencies and the like, and I believed there was no chance anyone would follow a crazy guy who only wrote about snakes and frogs. But now looking back, I realize those first posts were so critical to my early success. I stood out because what I wrote was different. It wasn't the high trending stuff or the most popular topic, but my enthusiasm and passion for the subject sold it. It was genuine and personal. So don't write about what you think people want to hear, write about what you are passionate about. Your work, art, pets, hobbies, just write whatever it is you care about and the followers will begin to add up. Your "introduceyourself" post could be the most important post you ever write: flaunt what you got!

You don't have to write about steemit...

...or cryptocurrency, bitcoin, or politics, or whatever the top trending tags are. This goes kind of hand-in-hand with writing about what you are passionate about, but too many people try to gain followers by trying to cater to what they think people want. Now if you are really passionate or well-informed in these topics, then yeah, it's definitely in your best interest to write about such things and connect with like-minded individuals. But don't try to write about something you aren't entirely familiar (or don't particularly care for) with simply because you know that trending tag tends to attract upvotes. Don't be scared to stand apart, sometimes it's better. With so many users writing about bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, it's very easy for your post to be lost among the countless posts; better to stand out in a subject you know and love! It also makes steemit more enjoyable for you; would you really find it fun to write about topics you aren't passionate about just to get upvotes? I love steemit because I get to share what I love with the community; it's become a creative outlet for me. Posting about what you love also makes it easier to find the other individuals who share your interests!

Quality Over Quantity:

Scroll up and click on the "trending" tab at the top of the past and look at the current top posts. You'll notice that just about all of these posts are well thought out pieces, and are sometimes very lengthy. It's clear that the author knows what they are talking about and have done their research to create a unique perspective to share with the community. Posts that are coherent and well constructed show that the author put a lot of time, energy and brainpower into making that article; as a result, these posts tend to garner more attention, inspire more conversation and, as a result, generate more steem. The quality of the posts you make matters far more than the sheer number. A single post could easily attract more readers if it is interesting and well written; simply submitting many posts with little effort is not going to attract many people. I've seen many beginners who have adopted the strategy of posting dozens of times per day, and each post is often nothing more than a random picture or meme they found on the internet. Copy, paste, submit, repeat. This strategy is not going to yield the success you want. Sure, if you post funny images constantly, one might win the numbers game and get enough upvotes to give you a decent payout. But in the long run, it doesn't earn you many followers. I've have actually unfollowed several individuals because they were spamming my homepage with posts that were just constructed of meaninglessness. All it takes is just a little more investment on the part of the author; tell us why you think that image is funny. Tell us how that meme reflects on your life. Engage a little bit with your readers and you will be amazed how many return and follow you.

Don't get discouraged.

We've seen a whole bunch of steemit "super success" stories; there are individuals out there who have joined steemit in just the last few months that have now generated thousands, even millions of dollars in steem! While I'd love to say that could happen to all the beginners, realistically that kind of sudden success is incredibly uncommon. It's easy to get discouraged when you put everything you've got into a post that only generates a few cents, and then turn to the homepage to see other posts generating hundreds of dollars. But take a deep breath and remind yourself what you have accomplished; even if it is only a few dollars, you are successfully making money on steemit, and you've begun your steemit career. I never imagined I'd be able to make any money just sitting at home writing about reptiles! Despite how some may sell it, steemit is NOT a get rich quick scheme; it's an investment. It takes a lot of time, energy and patience to achieve success (just like any aspect of life); if you keep at it and stay positive, you will find success here!

Earn your followers.

If you want people to follow you, you have to earn their following. So what the heck do I mean by that? Don't just spit out junk all the time for the sake of making money; you need to write and be active in a manner that appeals to the human readers of steemit. Remember, even if you are here just to make money (and there's nothing wrong with that), you're not going to be very successful without followers. Posting a random image 50 times a day is not appealing to most readers and I can almost guarantee these individuals are not going to find the success they are looking for. Creative posts that show effort and draw people in are the best means to gain more readers and increase your payout. But don't just post and log off; a fantastic way to gain followers is to be a good follower yourself. Read other people's posts,  leave your compliments, contribute constructive comments, partake in discussions and debates; actively engaging with the community grows your reputation. One of the things I know I hate is when someone comments on a great post and just says "follow me please". It's lazy and it's actually rather rude to the person who wrote the piece to engage with others; in other words don't use their work to blatantly advertise yourself. That's not to say you can't use the comment section to gain followers, just be sure to do so in a manner that is respectful to the poster (example: "I really enjoyed your article because _______, I'd love to share my own work/art/experiences with you as well!"). 

Steemit is an amazing community, far beyond what I've seen on other social media sites. In the end, your success is all dependent on how you engage with the community and conduct yourself. You may find my tips helpful, or you may find different strategies yield more success. Always remain positive and remember that good things happen here!

Image Links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6