What is Steemit.com?

Steemit is a social network and content rewards platform that makes  the crowd the beneficiaries of the attention economy. It does this be  rewarding users with STEEM. Steemit has redefined social media by building a living, breathing,  and growing social economy; a community where users are getting rewarded  for sharing their voice. ^ 

How does Steemit work?

Steemit is a social media platform that works by having the crowd  reward the crowd for their content. It does this thanks to the Steem  blockchain and cryptocurrency; Steem is 'minted' daily and distributed  to content producers according to the votes they get. ^ 

How does Steemit differ from other social media websites? 

Most social media sites extract value from their userbase for the  benefit of shareholders alone. Steemit is different, it's a new kind of  attention economy. By connecting with the Steem blockchain (which is  decentralized and controlled by the crowd), Steemit users receive all  the benefits and rewards for their attention. ^ 

Does it cost anything to post, comment, or vote?

No. It is free to post, comment, and vote on content on Steemit.com. You might even get paid for it! ^ 

Can I earn digital tokens on Steemit? How?

You can earn digital tokens on Steemit by: Posting - By sharing your posts, you can earn  upvotes from community members. Depending on the upvotes you receive,  you will get a portion of the ongoing Steem reward pool. Voting and curating - If you discover a post and  upvote it before it becomes popular, you can earn a curation reward. The  reward amount will depend on the amount of STEEM Power you have. Purchasing - Users can purchase STEEM or Steem  Dollar tokens directly through the Steemit wallet using bitcoin, Ether,  or BitShares tokens. They are also available from other markets and  exchanges including BlockTrades, Poloniex, Bittrex, Shapeshift.io, and  Changelly. STEEM tokens that are powered up to STEEM Power earn a small  amount of interest for holding. ^ 

Where do the tokens come from?

The Steem network continually creates digital tokens to reward  content creators and curators. Some of the newly-created tokens are  transferred to users who add value to Steemit by posting, commenting,  and voting on other people's posts. The remainder is distributed to  holders of STEEM Power and the witnesses that power the blockchain. ^ 

Where does the value come from?

At its root, Steem is simply a points system. However, because this  points system is blockchain-based, the points can be traded on markets  as tokens. People buy and sell these tokens, and many hold in  anticipation of increased purchasing power for various Steem-related  services. By analogy, Steem is a game system where users compete for attention  and rewards by bringing content and adding value to the platform. The  rewards people earn are tokens that have market value and are readily  tradable. It is similar to how someone playing a video game could obtain  a limited item or currency by playing the game. If the currency or  items are transferable between users, then they can sell or buy them on  game item markets. ^ 

Why are people getting vastly different rewards?

Steemit is not a "get rich quick" scheme. While it is possible to  post content that goes viral quickly and earn a lot of rewards on a  single post, this is not typical for most users. Most of the authors that you see earning high rewards are users that  have spent a lot of time in the network building followings, making  connections with others, and developing a reputation for bringing high  quality content. It is best to have realistic expectations, without focusing on  rewards when you are first starting out. Work on building a following,  making connections, and developing a good reputation. Consistency will  pay off in the long run. ^