Content, Community, Niche and Freedom of Speech

_{Photo of person studying via pexels by @fotografierende}

This post is a personal commentary about content, niche and steem and concern over freedom of speech.

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Undoubtedly,if you want to make it "big" as a content creator, there's a certain formula. The first and the foremost is, picking a niche. And that is the part, which I have a difficult time to conform. It's also one thing that I'd like to address on this post.

I always write based on random ideas or things which comes to mind. I simply open steemit, and type on the blank box provided. And, if you have been following me for the past two years or even last year, my content varies a lot because, I am a jack of all trades, master of none.Hence, picking a niche is a challenging task up to today.

However, in the past, I used to write a lot about philosophy, politics, technology and theology. These topics were well received. But, I stopped writing about it, because I formulate an argument, " people don't come online to read commentary from a woman, who yells at the clout.They seek entertainment, especially these days". So, I attempted to write about lighter subject and object. It was somehow well received, but I am not personally satisfied.

Eventually, I felt like I lost a voice and readers. My content has been going downhill due its randomness. I am sure, it must be very painful to follow me, and seeing a very random content. According to my follower count, I have quite a bit of followers. However, I wonder if they follow me just for the sake of follow for follow.Furthermore, I don't follow a lot of people and yet, my feed is very random. So, I understand the pain that you have to go through by having me in your following list. I am trying my best to write better these days, and trying to find my voice back.

Relating to finding a niche, you would also need to find a certain community,which does the same thing. I am personally in a several communities. I like travel, but it's just one of many things that interest me. Apart from joining a specific niche, I join a general community niche. Everyone writes, sings, vlogs, gaming, etc. However, these people in a general community isn't as random as myself. They either write, or sing, or homesteading but never all those in the same domain. So, I still feel like, there is a need to build a certain personal brand. I tried exploring several specific niche but at the end of the day, I am back being confused and random.

Then, there's steem. The platform that I am using to share my content. I personally love it as a content creator, curator, and reader. It's a great place to find others who has similar hobbies or interest. We can even create our own tribe or community. However, it appears to me that, with diverse decentralized application, I often feel my feed is cluttered with short content. Is short content going to be the future of content marketing? or do you still read a long post?

I also notice lately,readers or content consumers are more interested in graphic and illustration.It is definitely more pleasing to the eye, and perhaps sparks reader interest to engage with our content. I don't know, you tell me. Do you prefer a content served with graphic and illustration? or plain simple text?

Then, content format seems matter a lot. There are days when I neglect my format, hence my content is mediocre despite I might have something worthwhile to say. Not to mention that, being on steem, meaning you have to go out there and talk to people. This is a practice that I haven't done in a while. I learned why many of major content creators from youtube and other platform who migrates on steem, didn't make it. It's simply because they are unwilling to interact with others. I am still working on this one again. However, it's been quite a challenge to find a content that's worth commenting.

That resonates to my current habit of holding my opinion and some of my views to myself,because the fredoom of speech current state. These days, it's fairly easy to find someone who sue someone, cause what they said over the internet. You can also find someone who attacks someone over a social media comment. For instance, this news below, which I find very disturbing. #JusticeforAudrey: Indonesian middle schooler allegedly assaulted by 12 high school girls over Facebook comments. Or this recent case from Julian Assange’s Arrest Should Worry Anyone Who Cares About Freedom of the Press.Has our freedom of speech dead? or is it still alive?Do I have to be afraid and live in fear, to have opinion and to have a views? is there still a room for people to talk their views. Are we becoming more tolerant or more intolerant?

Maybe one day, internet will only be filled with unicorn, cute cats and random lulz. Then, everyone will be happy. However, since, I make my living on the internet, it is very painful for me to conform. And when I try to address this matter, it seems the notion I get is, " STFU, you want money or not?"

Moreover, I am still trying to find more ways I can provide to the steem community. As of now, I am currently a curator and a cake server. It's part of my attempt to contribute to the community and content creators out there. I try to find undervalued creators, who consistently deliver something that's worth pondering. Although, I do sometimes curate lighter stuff but in preference, I like challenging subject and self-growth content.

Do you have any suggestion?

What would you like to read more from my content? any questions for me to ponder, to ask, to write? I will definitely appreciate it very much.

You can also find me on:

🐥Twitter: @macchiata_

📩 E-mail: [email protected]

📲Matrix: @macchii:matrix.org