3 Steps for Steemit Newbies

in #steemit7 years ago (edited)

I thought I'd stop writing these guides since last year, but I've noticed there are plenty of newcomers recently to warrant this little write-up. Hopefully this will help any fairly new users get up to speed.


A) Set up your profile!

Just like any social platforms, even IRL, you'd need something to standout from the crowd, just like how you'd give out a business card. To do this, go to Settings and set up your profile picture, description, and such. Doing this should improve anyone's chances. Take some time figuring this out - it's your brand, your namecard.

You can be very descriptive or be as minimal as possible - your choice! I like simple and memorable.


B) Be a contributor!

Fun aside, think of Steemit as an open-contribution platform - leave your insights and communicate stuff that benefits the community. You can do this by commenting and posting.

Commenting

Take the time to contribute to discussions. By doing this on popular posts, you'd increase your chances of getting noticed and voted to the top of the comments list for more exposure. But it doesn't matter if you're commenting on popular posts or not, remember that you're on your way to building relationships. I started out one year ago with nothing, but have over time, built relationships mostly with those that started out with nothing as well! There's nothing better than growing together.


Please don't comment "nice post", but funny memes are an exception lol.

Posting

This is the heart of Steemit: Your post's image, title, summary, and actual contents. Luck aside, your posts will work best when all these 4 major elements work in unison - at least they're within your control. Remember if you're fairly new, try not to fill your blogroll with spammy materials. Also, try to re-steem less if you're just starting out because people may check out your blogroll. Having too many re-steems and not-very-relevant stuff may work against your favour as users are unable to decide what your account is about.

Remember to leave your insights while blogging - that's the most important element of all. Here are parts of a post that you should try to get a grasp of and it's within your control to formulate them. Modified from my older material, these are four parts to every post:-

1. Post title

You may try to rely on popular, and tested keywords. But I personally think it's an art more than anything else. If everyone's doing the same thing, then do something different. My rule of thumb: 50% relevant, on topic keywords, 25% uncommon words, and the rest to decide on capital / non-capital letters.

2. Post main image

This can be straight-forward. Go for interesting visuals. Sometimes I do play with colors and image composition to try to invoke something right away. Being a minimalist, my simple rule of thumb for colors: "manly" colors for excitement, "girly" colors for the feels, and "manly-girly" colors for sophistication. For image composition: "even-ness" for conflict (2, 4, 6 elements; us vs them), and "odd-ness" for harmony (1, 3, 5 elements; no clear grouping). Try to credit visuals if possible. People appreciate cool art. Or just source for open-use images from the likes of Pexels and Unsplash.

3. Post summary

The very first one or two sentences of your content. Here you can decide to invoke intrigue, greed, or whatever else that you want to try out. Different topics, different prime triggers.

4. Main content

Do you want to be concise and precise about what you're delivering? Or do you want an exposition to explain things clearly beforehand? Too short, and it may seem spammy. Too long, and people might not be bothered. Formatting? Yes formatting is definitely important. Check these articles out here and here. My rule of thumb is: put your best effort in attracting the most attentive minds. If they can expend their effort to do so by communicating with you, you know you have the right crowd.

Remember to make your title, summary, and content seem personable, unlike what you'll see in a generic content-mill. Well that's just preference, and I'd prefer accounts that are talking out of personal experience. Also, feel free to edit your posts anytime you find there to be errors and such (I tend to edit plenty of times per post).


C) Improve your home feed!

If you take a look at the New section, you will quickly notice that Steemit looks like a scammy and spammy platform. But take note that New is perfect for finding gold in rough waters - remember that if you manage to find great posts and accounts that are not being given attention, know that your votes and promotion of them could net you good curation / voting rewards!

But that aside, try to follow accounts that matter to you. Also, it's easy to find genuine accounts by browsing through comments in posts - you will know it when you see them! Once followed, they will appear in your Home feed. I tend to have a more diversified feed because I'm looking out for good new accounts to support, but that doesn't have to be your case if you're just starting out, so just fill your feed with stuff that are relevant to you for maximum enjoyment. To begin, here is @teamsteem's recent recommendation in his post.

Top author list:

https://steemwhales.com/?p=1&s=p

Steemit-related:

  • steemitblog (Official Steemit blog)
  • dantheman (Steem's ex-CTO, Steem main inventor)
  • dan (Same as above)
  • ned (Steemit' CEO)
  • vandeberg (One of the lead developer)
  • sneak (One of the lead developer)
  • zurvanic (Steemit's marketing guy)
  • andrarchy (Steemit's community liaison)
  • me-tarzan (Steem Stats)
  • elyaque (Steem Stats)

Speaking from experience, moving my daily feed from Facebook / Reddit to Steemit seems to be the best decision ever. I feel like I'm part of a community, and it really is! It also helps that people are putting out their best stuff for different niches. By improving your home feed, you get a place to conveniently cast your vote on posts and accounts that you want to support.


Conclusion

Forget about the money first, and just try to do whatever's within your control. Do not be held back when there are little to no returns. There are many elements involved, including luck and discovery. Just know there are community members always looking out for good stuff to support - check out @curie for example. Avoiding filling up your blogroll with short spammy stuff - that's the number one killer of blogs! Your blog is your domain, your insights, your stories, your research, etc. You will be building a following and doesn't matter if its made of whales or smaller fishes. Little by little becomes mountainous as time goes by. Stay in the game, and Steem on!

Update: here's an older post that could be useful for newbies: Screenshot Tips To Quickly Include Images As Part of Your Steemit Post / Comment

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Hey @kevinwong, you thought you would stop writing these guides but then still went ahead and wrote one to help newbies. I think that's pretty awesome on your part. Not everyone has that desire to reach out to others, but here at steemit, there are a few good souls doing exactly the same. It's very important for newbies like me who is yet to post a blog and these blogs will be our guiding light in this steem path. I read in the quick start guide that the best way to receive is by start giving first unconditionally.
Thanks for your post @kevinwong. May your tribe grow..

Lol it's partly because I'm struggling finishing up some of my non-Steem related stuff! Thanks for the kind words, are you getting a good foothold of the platform?

Yes. It's still early days for me here. So it is learning and more learning. Getting the hang of it a bit. Well I have never blogged in my life earlier, so this is a totally new thing to me. But then I feel very good about it. First time in a long time, I opened steemit instead of FB as soon as I woke up in the morning. I guess that sums up :)

Could not agree more. I post and I comment. I find that my posts that contain images are noticed much more. Also, have an opinion. It is okay if people disagree, it sparks conversations and helps you see all perspectives.

words Vs pictures...i will be glad if am been followed by you sir.

Excellently written. I pretty guide the same thing when someone asks me about On-Page SEO of their blog.

The main thing that matters is the user experience one can provide. Its not a one shot and go process, you need something to make the first time visitor pay attention to your profile and get interested to read your other posts.

Writing similar contents also help a lot. You can interlink them which makes the content richer.

I am finding a lot of similarty between Steemit and Standard Blogging Software like WP.

And personally i have searched a few dedicated users who posts amazing content here. I am regularly following their posts by manually visiting their profile if i miss.

Learnt a lot in my one week at Steemit platform. :)

Thank You for the post.

Thanks @nirmal, not too sure about writing similar contents, but i think that's probably pragmatic for those new to the platform. As time goes on once building a following and making friends, I think being casual with posting works, as it should!

Yup, but only after gaining certain authority. :)

Wow your guide for newbies was truly helpful. it has broadened my faculty on the possibility and opportunity one can harness on this platform.
keep on the gold work you are doing

i read the content. now i am cleared that which type of posts should be published on steemit to get maximum feedbacks and leads.... thank you dear you did good job....

i need help in build my followers,i will be glad if am been followed by you. am working on interesting posts but it will go not much noticed if i start posting now..thanks..

Sure. Following :)

Url for prifilnya photo we take from where master ,,,,,,,,,,,, ????

I'm not master... haha.
you can try google "image upload" then upload your own pic and use the URL

thank you master @kevinwong for you infomation

Hello @kevinwong

I run a contest for new steemians on @literature trail, and I get a truck load of questions and I always try to answer them to my best ability.

Thank you for making this post , It answers a whole lot of questions that are In the Mind Of New Steemians.

One of the reasons I started The Blockchain Blogger Interview series was because I wanted to not only give them advice.

It also gives them an opportunity to hear from Older Steemains the approaches they took in growing their blog, and how they can use It to Model their Steemit Efforts.

Thanks for this.

Resteemed

@ogochukwu

So many things going on in the Steem ecosystem! Thanks for all that you're doing!

Just doesn't get better than this. Great post as always

Thanks @andrarchy for the support as always!

Great guide, and great tips !
You got yourself another follower :)

Thanks :) how are u finding it so far?

do you mean steemit in general ?
well, i find it to be a very high quality qumunity and feel very fortunate to be one of the first adopter and investors in steem. i feel great about it!
i wish i could be a content provider, i hope one day i will...
my passions are soccer, especially FC Barcelona. but unfortunately it seems that not much people here interested in that..

I know you said to avoid it, but great post! It covers all the things a new user would like to know. The only thing I am missing is some elaboration about upvoting, since voting in the first 30 minutes of existence of a post, the upvote is worth less.

Then check this post out and follow the author too! (one of the best curators i know)
https://steemit.com/curation/@liberosist/mind-your-votes-ii-a-guide-to-maximizing-your-curation-rewards

Thank you for putting all this information together. It really makes a difference. I will try to follow as much as possible your advices and incorporate them into my next posts. As you mentioned, the potential payouts for newbies are influenced by quality, luck and I would say timing. The moment you publish something can make a huge difference. For sure the number of followers count as well no matter their reputation level.

Still learning a lot about this awesome community and platform.

Have fun doing it! Personally i wouldn't really consider much about the timing and all. Just steemit :)

That's the plan:) I enjoy being here. Lots of wonderful persons with tones of good things to share. Made a few new friends too:)

Steem on! Enjoy your week-end!

Excellent guide, Kevin. Resteemed. :)

thanks @joanaltres - appreciate it!