The content of mind and heart
There are only two types of engaging content on Steem, that which stimulates the mind and that which motivates the heart. Well, this is not really true, but perhaps from an end user consumer perspective it is a way to declutter and bring some focus on what "good content" is. I think good content is better than the common use of "quality" as the label, as what is value-adding doesn't necessarily have to be of quality.
There is actually a thing called The IKEA effect where people add disproportionate value to something that they have partially put together themselves, regardless of the actual quality of the product. I see this is an extension of the sentimental value added to a piece of artwork from one's own child, regardless of how horrible art made with macaroni elbows is - it gets treasured.
When it comes to valuable content on Steem, it is hard to put a finger on exactly what that means, as it is going to depend on the target audience as well as the current conditions of the platform and world at large. However, it is also useful to think of value as level of engagement or attention, but again, it is going to depend on type of content. Comments are a good indicator of internal engagement but aren't overly useful when evaluating what gets seen externally, what attracts outside viewers and perhaps introduces them to the Steem ecosystem.
Lately, I have been sharing content on twitter for @ocd's #PoSh (Proof of Share) initiative and started a new Twitter account for this. I started it toward the end of November and have been slowly growing it by pretty much only sharing Steem content.
November
December
January so far
As you can see, with only 10 tweets of content so far, the impressions are close to that of all of December and,most of the posts are getting click throughs to Steem. Whether this makes a difference in the long-term future of Steem is still an unknown, but not doing this means that it definitely doesn't have an impact.
Mind or heart?
Going back to he mind or heart sides of content creation, I think that I prefer to try to find the happy medium between giving information that engages the mind, and connecting the audience emotionally to what I offer. I do write a lot of Steem content but only, very, very rarely is it purely information or technical as, that is not my methodology for learning or consuming personally. The content I connect with the best is that which engage my heart into the dialogue, and it is a dialogue.
What a lot of people tend to forget when creating content is it is actually a conversation with the audience, as based on what is offered the viewers mind will create a personal viewpoint, raise and answer questions as well as build a relationship with the content, including the writer. I believe that those who are the most consistently engaging users on Steem are those who offer a blended approach to their content. Too dry and technical wears on the concentration, too emotional desensitizes quickly.
There are plenty of outbursts that get a lot of engagement on Steem, but if coming from the same users over and over again, it is much like the boy who cried wolf and it becomes unbelievable and inauthentic, or a symptom of instability that will eventually lead to distancing rather than getting caught in an emotional spiral. Drama creates a lot of interaction because that is what the internet has been designed to propel, but it is always short lived before the next cycle arrives.
What has been interesting over the last few months where the showcase-sunday tag has been supported is, what kinds of content gets reposted. It isn't the price information, or news that this coin is going to the moon - or the outbursts. It is what people connect with at a more enjoyable and personal level, art, stories or in what I usually share, observations about the world. Nearly all of it is evergreen content, content that is timeless.
Evergreen content can be mind or heart, but when most people dredge up a post from 2 years ago, which one is more available in their memory? Nearly every time, emotion trumps thought, which is something to remember when creating those outrage posts. In time and if the Steem SEO capabilities are utilized (a different post perhaps to discuss this), this kind of content could find its way as becoming part of the Steem content catalog that gets found time and time again, rewarded or not. This is especially true once niche communities form and content narrows to serve more refined purpose.
Personal and heart engaging content is great, but what most people will find is that unless it offers the audience something of personal value for them, it is hard to keep engagement long term. And, while some people like to write what is akin to an emotionless high school book report, this offering will have to compete on a case by case basis and essentially start fresh each time, as the relationship between the audience has not been created with a strong bond.
I see it kind of like an actor who can release a movie and have people take the risk and pay admission on the reputation and relationship they have with the actor. Many people see celebrities like family members and friends - "Did you hear about Brad and Angelina" - using first names when they have never even come close to talking. This is the dialogue and relationship built between content and audience and generally, it is a one-sided conversation held between the heart and mind of the viewer, catalyzed by the delivery and presentation included through the content.
Personally, I have spent a fair bit of time considering what I find "good content" to consume for me, and it will likely differ from your preferences. But, when it comes to content creation, do you spend time considering the conversation you are part of whether someone comments or not, whether an upvote arrives or not or - if it is discovered a month or a year from today?
I know that some do, and they generally deliver what would also be seen as quality.
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]
To note and bring some more awareness: 10% of the rewards of this post will go to @sbdpotato as part of the @ocd *beneficiaries experiment.. The "ocd community is found under the #hive-174578 tag and you can join the community through the Beta site https://beta.steemit.com/trending/hive-174578
Love your insights.
Content creation when I started out it was something top bloggers kept saying, stick to the 20/80 rule 20% what you eventually wish to draw people to follow through on, 80% getting to know you through lighter posts keeping contact.
When some drives the same content hard and fast daily, audience may lose focus. Just my opinion I still prefer the 80/20, even tutorials one needs to break, many literally should from the rooftops about crypto, sometimes whispering is more effective.
Enjoyed the read thanks @tarazkp
@tipu curate
The Pareto principle is in play here, just like many things similar and is a good way to look at it. I have decreased my posts a day by about 50% the last year, especially since they are attracting higher payouts. It is hard, as I like writing these. I use the comment sections a lot for the personal stuff and having fun with others on and off my own blog.
I agree about the whispering, and it is why the focus should be drawn away from the earnings on Steem and talk more about the other aspects available. Create, share life and have fun.
I would never have remembered it as the Pareto principle, it just stuck as the 80/20 which sounded right.
People don't spend time actually reading, now scan reading with picture story telling helping to absorb massive quantities we consume. Video and vlogging, tutorials or information sharing continually developing as we speak, all going onto blockchain technology, very exiting times.
Steem is offering so much more than just earnings, over the past three years this has become an interesting space to be in. Learning first, earnings later, something new comers to blogging or earning on line don't fully grasp initially.
Have an awesome day!
Yep, and the future potential for many is enormous, not to mention all of the spin off products and services that will develop as a result. The ecosystem isn't just on Steem, it connects heavily to the real world - or could.
You too :)
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 0/3 - need recharge?)
Your writing is great! I read the whole post without scrolling down.
Especially I liked the part where you said that not doing it will surely have no impact.
That's exactly how I'm going forward. You have to craft and create in order to succeed. It's only possible if you put in the effort and hours.
Great read!
Have a wonderful day!
I believe this is quite rare these days :D
Like with anything of value, very little of it comes easily, at least to most of us.
These are great things to think about for any blog. If you want to build an audience that is engaged with your content, you absolutely need to provide engaging content. But I think most of us don’t take the opportunity to evaluate what that might be. I have been working at making my posts interesting to read — whether they are stories or shares about pictures I took out on a trail. I always feel like I could do much better, and like I keep the audience at arm’s length, in a way. So one of my New Years resolutions is is to be a bit more self-revealing and personal.
You really hit the nail on the head about the balance between the extremes of dry/technical and overly heart focused. I gravitate toward posts that have that balance and it’s actually a huge spectrum, from posts about travel to DIY projects to beer tasting. It’s really as much about voice as it is about content. I personally don’t tend to read or write highly technical posts even though my background and work are in tech.
I’ll look for your post on SEO. Steem posts are indexed by Google and the ones Google search engines perceive as high value are very sticky, remaining at the top of searches for years, even well after more updated posts on the same topic come along. Funny story. The other day I was trying to find one of my very old Steem posts - a short story about a historic event (freak storm) that happened many years ago in Minnesota. Finally I google searched “Armistice Day 1940 Steemit” and there it was.
This is something that while in the real world I am very open, online I have had to learn to open up a little. There are risks of course, but living a life behind barriers all the time has risks also. Good luck and I followed you o keep you honest ;P
It doesn't really matter what it is, it can all have some soul in it. I spend a lot of time with highly proficient and technical people, and those who love what they do are a joy to listen to, even if I don't understand it all.
I have heard that the SEO for Steemit is strong, it is a pity there is so mu from J.Banfield to be found. My post won't be technical, more question based as I think there is the opportunity for frontends to assist in this.
Have a nice evening.
There can definitely be a downside to SEO! Agreed about the Banfield clutter.
@tarazkp Such a deep info. Thanks for sharing!!! I really appreciate!!! Good luck for your future articles!!! Keep steeming and one last thing that I would really appreciate and feel good if you go through my content and give your review!!! Thanks 😊
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@tarazkp, In my opinion we can divide Content Motivation on Steem Blockchain as Heart - Mind - Steem Power. Stay blessed.
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Steem Power is mind and heart :)
Ha ha. 🙂
Sounds True. Have a Mindful and Heartful time ahead. Stay blessed. 🙂
Well I don't think most of my posts are of the heart... probably more of the mind but you make a good point. Hehe. When the price of Steem skyrockets again I'm sure more people will sign up or come back.
Since last year I just post whatever I fancy. Also I do posts that can help promote my real estate, health products and art business too.
Price always brings people back, the problem for them is that they are motivated by a narrow use of steem and one that isn't omni-present.
We should all write about what we want, but if looking for outcome, consider our delivery.
Yay for your Twitter going well? XD
It's been ages since I've had people encouraging me to join but to this day I still cannot bring myself to Twit because I talk way too much. Consicion what's that
I still hate the term value-add x_x and no I don't consider stuff when making things, at least not consciously (I don't always know what my sub and unconscious are doing). But I'm boring and don't really pay attention to reaction things (I still don't understand the appeal of the reaction videos my kids like to watch sometimes, right up there with unboxing videos). I know I probably should but I find it hard enough to just keep up with what's going on in my head ^_^;
I probably make things differently from you though, you seem to have thought about what you're going to write before you write it (even if it then ends up somewhere else because in the writing you've found interesting new thoughts to pursue XD) whereas I'm kind of watching what's going on in my head and trying to make sure I've got it down right (because surest way to fail is wanting something to happen that doesn't happen, kind of like real life XD)
It sounds a bit like upsizing a coke, but it is what it is :)
I don't understand most of what people consume on the internet these days.
Kinda and kinda not. I tihnk that when I have an idea, it is normally catalysed from something in my life and I process it on the fly. Later, I have a rough direction, but not much else. Sometimes, I have a title only :D
Forcing things rarely works for me.
Given the jokes that have been flying around here lately I took "coke" in the original meaning and had to think about it for a bit, my coffee hasn't kicked in yet XD
Sounds like we're getting too old and need to start shaking fists at kids on our lawns XD
So you don't know what you're going to write about when you sit down to do it and it just happens? O_O
You don't yet??
I feel bad about it, but topics and flow for writing come pretty easily. It still takes time and effort though, and I do try to make it somewhat interesting and absorbable :)
LoL! No not yet, maybe I'm still too immature despite my old age XD
Why would you feel bad about something like that? o_O
Because people seem to think it should be very difficult to do everything :)
Pffft you don't need to feel bad about finding something easy just because it's out of capacity for someone else XD
I agree. Society often doesn't. People want equality of outcome and rarely factor inequality of experience and skill.