Often on chat we see comments to do with the "quality of content on Steemit". Just the other day, someone send over a direct message stating "Steemit block-chain witnesses are doing nothing about garbage".

Before we start this discussion, let's first settle on one thing: the STEEM blockchain is what holds all of the content. There is no such thing as the 'Steemit blockchain'. Steemit is a website, one of several, which allows users to interact with the content. To put it into perspective: the blockchain is your computer and Steemit is your operating system. It is a way to add content, vote for it, read it, create accounts, etc.

Steemit can be referred to as a 'frontend', 'platform', 'website', or 'portal'. The STEEM blockchain be referred to as 'decentralized system', 'distributed ledger', 'ecosystem' or simply as 'blockchain'. To use STEEM and Steemit interchangeably to refer to the blockchain is incorrect. It's like telling someone who asks what type of computer you have that you own a Linux. Now that that's out of the way, let's proceed.

Some time ago we wrote this overview about our experiences leveraging popularity on one platform to benefit another. Our goal was to gain quality, participating members on our own platform by holding a strong presence on another one. Essentially, it is the question of the redirection of traffic and not just any traffic but of individuals who will embrace the new platform once redirected onto it. In doing so, they would become a "quality member" of the target platform.

^{^ One of many ads for followers}

To borrow from our previously-cited article, a "quality member" is described as:

• Dedicated
• Original
• Openminded
• Interactive
• Articulate
• Balanced (aka not a "special snowflake")

Influencers

To inspire a human being to try something new one has to be an influencer. That is essentially the definition of the word; to influence someone. These days we like to think that an influencer is someone with 1,000,000 Twitter followers. However, there is a big difference between organic and purchased followers. To stay with Twitter as an example, if only 1,000 of your Twitter followers are organic and the remainder purchased, there isn't all that much influencing going on. Out of those legitimate 1,000, you may get 1 following you platform to platform.

Purchased followers are either manufactured accounts or actual accounts signed up for a service where they are monetized. In cases where independent individuals own and maintain these accounts they are able to provide a minute level of interaction. They will do the bare minimum possible to complete their task. Largely, they are pre-programmed accounts to simulate interaction. They like your messages but don't read them, they watch your videos but don't see them, they share your content but most of their followers are much like them. Think of it like hiring an escort to the office party so you don't look like a loser. From across the room it may seem legit but everyone will know after the first minute. We'll focus on organic followers here.

Observation

We tried numerous platforms to recruit our "quality members". Every platform and project is a microcosm of society, irrespective of what the platform and project is. In the microcosm there are followers, leaders, goals, abusers, criminals, mediators, and pretty much every role imaginable. There is a clear hierarchy everywhere that's decided based on the number of contacts or friends, skill in something or rather, amount of wealth, etc.

Barriers

1. The transfer of one's status is virtually impossible to achieve platform to platform. Every platform has its own top dog and even if you have 1,000,000 organic followers on Twitter and move to Instagram, there's someone whose been there longer who has double what you've got and then some. And those are low numbers for those examples.

2. Learning curves are unwelcome obstacles. Unless the platforms are conceptually close and share the same userbase, traffic transfer will see exponential reductions. Most people don't want to bother even learning how to use their toaster.

3. Time. The eternal nemesis of mankind. As mentioned earlier, out of 1,000 you may get 1. Does that mean that out of 1,000,000 you will get 1,000? No. There is a huge difference in engagement, both with your brand and with the current platform, of your first follower and your millionth follower. The millionth follower may have just discovered you and the current platform and is still getting situated there. The first one may have long forgotten about you and the platform. Your relevance and the length of your presence all come into effect. Only 500 out of those projected 1,000 may follow.

4. Empty support. Combine all of the above together and envision yourself, the influencer with 1,000,000 organic Twitter followers Tweeting about a topic that's of interest to you but is of zero interest to your followers. Everyone who wants to get your attention will like your tweet. Did they read it? Probably somewhat. Do they care that you're interested in it? Mildly if at all. Will they do any further research? Chances are pretty low. That's just how people work. They will put a level of energy into performing the smallest possible task on your behalf, which is glancing over your tweet and then pressing the heart. The number who will go beyond that is that 500 and with every extra step they must undertake, that number will reduce. Out of those 500, only 50 may become functional members of the new platform.

Tying it All Together

Out of 1,000,000 organic followers, we established that at the most, 500 will follow an influencer from one platform to a completely different platform in an engaging manner. We also established that the level of engagement will dwindle with every step they must undertake. At the end of the journey maybe about 50 will remain. That's 50 out of 1,000,000 or far less than 1%. None of those we brought cross-platform stayed longer than a month at the most. That automatically crossed them off as "quality members" as the No.1 parameter to fill is dedication.

Quality members cannot be bought, brought over, or otherwise manually-implanted onto a platform through the traditional form of influencing, which is by simply inspiring someone to emulate. They can be, however, prompted to research a new project. To judge if they would give it a chance. That is where the influencing ends. That project, when researched, must have a perceived value to the individual that they opt to engage with it.

But how do we get these dedicated, organic followers to research and consider whatever STEEM-based project gets linked to them? How do we get them onto the blockchain? This and more in the next segment of this series.

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