Demystifying STEEM: How to get Attention

Demystifying STEEM is a series of posts targeted to new Steemians and for people outside of the STEEM blockchain.

The purpose is to try and break down the many complexities of the STEEM blockchain, its acronyms and the current facts and falsehoods associated with it.

I say ‘current’ because within 6 months some of the things I say may well no longer be relevant. It is an evolving experiment, and little remains static.

Its little wonder that the retention rate is abysmal given the huge learning curve a new person needs to endure. Without some guidance, most give up quite soon deeming it bewildering and over-complicated.

Other articles in this series: Demystifying STEEM: Voting and Rewards

Other articles you may find useful: The STEEM/Steemit Introduction Guide for Facebook / Reddit / Medium Users STEEM Newbie Primer: Abuse, Things to Avoid and The Introduction Post STEEM Newbie Primer: That Troublesome Second Post, and the Third, Fourth and Fifth The Non-Definitive Newbie Survival Guide to the STEEM Blockchain

'Despite Justin Sun buying Steemit INC, it looks like for the moment we are not going to be swallowed up and eaten by TRON, so I will continue making these posts for now.'

How to get Attention

So this is the big question, how do I get those big votes?

Once upon a time if you were a Dolphin you were considered ‘big’. Even a Minnow I had a decent vote of approaching 50c or so. I remember those times and I was then a small fish longing for all the attention.

Before I answer your question and make you incredibly rich let me explain the levels of fish we have on the STEEM blockchain.

...'a 15SP delegated account, they are numerous in number'...

When you start and if you applied for your account via Steemit, then you will have 15SP to your name. It's not even your Steem Power (SP), it's a loan.

I covered this here so I won't repeat it all.

When your SP increases (either buy buying STEEM and powering it up) or by earning it via rewards, then your stake increases and you become a larger 'fish'.

’Why Fish?’

Who knows, it's likely a throwback to BitCoin and the whale tag used.

This is a rough guide to Fish size.

• Plankton – 0 – 500 Steem Power (SP)
• Minnow – 501 – 4999 Steem Power (SP)
• Dolphin – 5000 – 49999 Steem Power (SP)
• Orca – 50000 – 499999 – Steem Power (SP)
• Whale – 500000 and above - Steem Power (SP)

So your now reading this thinking, ‘I want Orca and Whale votes’, and as an Orca I am also thinking, ‘why should I give you my vote’.

*…'The STEEM blogging aspect is for writers, are you are a writer? If not, then you need to become one fast’…

The biggest problem new people encounter is how to gain an audience. If you are from Facebook then stop and read this before posting your content.

This is NOT Facebook and Rewards need to be Earned

Single pictures accompanied by the words, 'nice picture' or 'flower' are not going to cut it.

https://steemit.com/mobilephonephotgraphy/@vered/white-flower-mobile-phonephotgraphy

*...'I added this a reminder to flag this post as it's buying votes. More on that in a future article'...

A pictorial rundown of your Lego collection may be interesting to Lego freaks, but it's probably not to others.

You can freely post what you like, even what I describe above but expect this to see many rewards of $0.00.

I can view and look and view pretty pictures all day, I want to expand my mind, even blow it.

…**’Can you blow my mind with your amazing writing? Try and you may get my vote’*…

I’m not talking solely me, but I speak for most of the community. They are like bloodhounds, tracking down the good stuff, and leaving the crap in their wake.

Facts are Fact, but individual takes are something else

What do you think of the literature below?

• Mars is 340 million miles from the Sun
• Jupiter is 540 million miles from the Sun
• Saturn is 667 million miles from the Sun

I used to think it was mind-blowing; I nicked the facts from a library book. There was no internet then and I was 14 years old.

This was an excerpt from my English speech at Secondary school.

I stood in front of a classroom of other kids who were extremely bored, blowing enormous bubble gum balloons and setting fire to bits of paper with their lighters to alleviate the tedium called ‘school’.

Source

*...'the kids in my school were more like terrorists, this free image doesn't show you what I could see'...

The facts while authentic enough are incredibly dull.

I went to a shitty school at the bottom of the UK Government Ratings. The school still exists, and is in the same position, right at the bottom of the rankings.

The teacher was giving me exasperated looks; I saw it from the corner of my eye. The score I got was dismal and it deserved about 3 out of 100. I failed my GCE English Language exam while at school.

But this is not about my terrible school speech, it is showing you, the reader that one can adapt and learn.

We want to hear stories; we want to see your photographs but how about some personal information or take on whatever your point is?

The more 'non-boring writing' you add to your posts, the more chance that someone might notice you and give you their vote.

Source

Aim for 300 words minimum to start with and please try not to make us fall asleep while reading. While asleep I aim unable to click the vote button.

This is more pertinent when it comes to the curation groups. I have covered what the curation groups are here

So no, you’re not going to be incredibly rich, well not just yet.

If STEEM ever makes it back above $2, then I'll refocus my words at that time.

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