Improving Retention on steemit - Exploring ideas for a Mentoring System
A couple of weeks back I wrote a post entitled Homesteaders and Preppers on steemit : ideas for improving retention.
The continual dropoff of members on the list of Homesteaders and Preppers on steemit prompted me to come up with a starting list of ideas to help improve retention of members in the Homesteading and Prepping community - and on steemit generally.
One of the key ideas on the list is some sort of mentoring / buddy system to help new members when they first join.
Alongside the obvious disappointment at the initial low level of monetary rewards, the complexity of steemit is likely to to be one of the key causes of the high dropout rate of members on steemit in the first couple of months.
There are a number of initiatives on steemit to support new minnows - for example the Minnow Support Project. And there have been various attempts to take this one step further with the setting up of more structured mentoring systems.
However as far as I know there is no full-on successful structured mentoring system on steemit so far.
It is difficult with the tools at hand to provide anything beyond an adhoc, informal arrangement for mentoring.
Entropia - Mentors and Disciples
A few years back I was a keen player of Project Entropia, the first real cash economy MMORPG. This had an inbuilt mentor and disciple system which encouraged experienced players to take on and train new players as disciples. Mentors were rewarded with skill additions and gifts when disciples reached required levels.
While we obviously cannot replicate any such formal mentoring system for Homesteaders and Preppers on steemit I believe we can certainly put together a worthy substitute system based around the Homesteaders Online Discord server.
1. Finding the New Users
The starting point is finding the relevant new homesteading and prepping users as they join steemit. A number of us from the Discord group keep a watchful eye for new homesteaders and preppers. @goldendawne takes it a step further for us and systematically scans a number of relevant tags such as homesteading, prepping, gardening, bushcraft etc looking for new recruits.
2. Recruitment to the Discord
Once identified we invite the new users to join the Homesteaders Online Discord server. Without any inbuilt chat system in steemit it is vital that a suitable means of communication, such as Discord, is established to allow any effective form of mentoring to take place.
3. Recruiting the Mentors
Within the Discord we will need to identify experienced steemians willing to act as mentors. I don't believe we need to restrict this role with any exact requirements but I would think mentors will need to have been on the platform for at least two to three months and to have a reputation of at least 50 - 55.
Hopefully enough willing volunteers will come forward to act as mentors. I cannot unfortunately think of a way to encourage and reward people to take on the mentoring role. Perhaps if we had a central HomesteadersOnline account with sufficient SP it could be used to preferentially upvote the mentors.
4. Matching Mentors and Mentees
Once we have the mentors in place, then we would be looking to allocate new recruits to a suitable mentor. If there is sufficient mentors available then it would be best to pair up mentors and mentees by interest and timezone.
5. The Role of the Mentor
The role of the mentor will to a large extent be obvious - answering questions about the mechanics of steemit, giving advice and assistance on post creation and formatting, encouraging mentees to get out and comment and network, providing supportive upvotes and resteems as appropriate.
I'm sure there is more to add to this list. It would probably be worth documenting it in some form as well.
The primary goal for the mentors will be to help the mentees progress, become fully engaged in steemit and to stick around.
6. Measuring Success
What might be a suitable measure of mentoring success?
Maybe when a new user has been continually active on the platform for say 4 months, with a reputation of at least 55, and a slider level steem power of over 500.
7. Rewarding the Mentor and the Mentee - A Graduation Post Contest ?
It would be good to have a way of rewarding both mentor and mentee when these 'graduation' marker points have been achieved.
Alas I don't think we can provide the 'graduation gifts' of Entropia - unless a kind sponsor wanted to step forward to provide a graduation gift fund...
One idea for a substitute for this might be to have a monthly graduation post contest.
Once mentor and mentee have reached the graduation marker points they should each write a post describing how the relationship worked, the best bits, the weak bits, what could be improved etc.
Then once a month the best pair of posts will be chosen and the winning pair will be awarded a prize of say 5 or 10 SBD each.
To make this not too costly to fund, then perhaps if there are less than five entries in a month they are rolled over into the next month.
Would this be a worthwhile reward incentive? If so I would be willing to put up the prize fund for the first couple of rounds to get it going.
So these are my initial ideas for a mentoring system. This is put forward in the context of the homesteading and prepping community based around the Homesteaders Online Discord server. But it could equally be taken up by any defined and established community on steemit.
QUESTIONS
A. Do we need a mentoring system on steemit?
B. Do you think the mechanics of this mentoring system are workable?
C. Do you consider that such a mentoring system is worthwhile?
D. Do you have any better ideas, or refinements to this proposed system?
A recent study on steemit users in Wales showed a retention rate way down at around 20%. This really must be improved.
Any business knows it is always more cost effective to work existing customers than to keep recruiting new ones - cost of acquisition and all that.
I think a working and workable mentoring system would play an important part in improving the retention rate on steemit. It is just one part, but a significant part.
You might also be interested in some of my other posts :
A Dollar A Day - an update on charitable giving on steemit - why it's real for me
Steemit coming alive in Wales - meetup planning underway - 100% growth target...
Where in the world can I spend my steem? Real World Outlets that accept Steem / SBD
We've made it - 6 months self sufficient in vegetables - what target for next year?
The Truth about Wales - scary statistics revealed. How can we improve the retention rate?
Homesteaders & Preppers on steemit - smashing through the 250 mark - v10 [22 Nov '17]
SteemTowns - connecting the virtual with the reality - would it be possible?
[ graphic by @pennsif ]
I've instinctively taken a few people under my wing that came over from facebook. It is tough to start and people need all the help they can get. I had a mentor when I started and it made a world of difference for me. If there is any way we can help others get started, then I'm in. If other people need help, I am willing to do what I can to mentor them through this platform. I've not experienced much of the problems others talk about, but maybe that is where my value comes into the relationship. I don't need to be rewarded. Not interested in that. This is about helping people who want to make a go of this technology. Content is what drives it. Not everyone is a writer. The good news is that the written word is not the only content out there. Pictures, drawing, music, etc all count! If I have a role to play @pennsif, I will do what I can.
Thank you for your offer. I am sure any mentee would benefit greatly from your experience on the platform.
@pennsif, I have been a member of Steemit since August 2016. I would have to admit I did have moments where I wanted to give up, but stayed because of such an overwhelming friendships built in our homesteading community. I have laughed, prayed and shed a tear with this crew. The loses of animals, that are like children, the birth of animals. The entire network and their successes and challenges. I stayed because learning about each of the members opens my eyes to how we all go about their day in their individual countries and unique cultures. Having been on Steemit for over a year and only achieving a level of 59, does not discourage me, I just keep communicating, I keep sharing and I am just having fun doing it. Some feedback I have gained from other non homestead members who have given up, came with the intention of making more money than what they were led to believe. So having said that, we as mentors need to honest and truthful about the ups and downs of the daily and weekly function of Steemit and or Cryptocurrency! I would absolutely be willing to extend my knowledge and support as a mentor, if you wish to tag me with a new member. Thanks for caring enough @pennsif to keep this family together and grow.
I’m one of the newcomers to the community. I have to tell you that I love the idea! There’s just so much to know!
But I have recieved SO MANY helpful tips and suggestions in the few days I’ve been on here! I appreciate, in a big way, the way so many reach out to be welcoming and helpful. I’ve been a little standoffish about social media and blogging sites because people can be so critical and hateful. I’m glad, so far, that I gave Steemit a try.
As far as being disappointed with their monetary gain... I just want a safe place to post and connect with like minded people. To tell you the truth, I’m not even totally sure how the money part of it works. LOL
Welcome @powellx5! If you have questions don’t hesitate to reach out. I would be more than happy to do my best to help!
Welcome @powellx5 don’t hesitate to reach out, and I would be happy to help!
I have talked to some of them and they have been scared off with the recent flag situation. The fact that if a whale finds their posts and upvotes it and someone thinks it is not worthy of that amount and flags it. Some of them told me that with taking the time to write good content and to see very little rewards it was not worth the time they put in it. I have not seen some of the normal people making posts that were at one time, not even making comments. These are real problems and it is pushing people from Steemit I am afraid.
I agree @basicstoliving the flags are driving folks from posting, I got hit with one tonight, and I am not a main blogger here.
I saw that! You even ask them why they flagged you. No response?
Nope no response. Makes you really wonder just how free we are to speak the truth here.
Some people don't like very short posts that don't really share any information, because they feel it comes across as spam. I'm not saying I agree with their flag, but that's how some people think here. (My conclusion after reading the post they flagged.)
See that is one of the reason I see many not postings, all the bots and people that folks are not willing to kiss their buns to post a 15 page dissertation for fear you get flagged.
True, I believe there needs to be some type of moderation for flagging. Even if it's not by a human. Perhaps a lowering of post rewards not by SP, but by the percentage of down votes. (ie. if multiple people think the post is spam then rewards would be removed, but not by just one vengeful person.)
Have you looked at the account it came from? I'm not sure if it's a joke, because they're asking for payment to downvote. It's odd.
So why hit me I am small fish.
I didn't know you were getting flagged weetree :O You are one of the most helpful people here, that's crazy...
After a year of hell it makes me wonder if I want to stay.
<3
Who knows. Makes no sense to me. Hopefully it's just a one off. You'd think a flag would come with a reasonable explanation as to why, but for some I guess it's because they can.
It's definitely a deterrent when you have to be afraid that if you disagree with someone you could get into a flag war that could ruin your account. That's pretty scary for a lot of people.
See I have never used the flag, I do the adult thing and just move on but now wonder if that is a good solution.
I typically move on as well. Sometimes I will flag if a post is blatant spam or I know they have plagiarized it from somebody else.
Forgive my ignorance. I get that getting flagged is a bad thing, but what exactly does it mean for the flagged post or author?
Your reputation will be reduced and if you've earned anything from upvotes it will decrease. It depends on how much Steem Power the flagger has as to how much it goes down, so a flag from a newbie will have less affect than one from a big account.
Annnnnnd if somebody with a lot of SP decides they hate you for whatever reason you're in for a really bad time. :-(
^^^^That is the truth!
I will be a mentor, and I don't need a reward :) ISteemit growing and helping each other is reward enough.
I've got Brianna, and if you know of anyone near the MST zone that needs a hand, I'm in. I think I can comfortably mentor two people.
I think it is a great idea...I wish there was someone to help guide me through the learning curve when I arrived. @sandstorm helped me the most, and MinnowSupport is awesome too...but a one on one where you know there is someone to help, to answer questions, who offers advice when needed, would be nice.
I would say that once they get to 50 SP, they should have the basics down pat and know how to use the platform fairly well.
Thankfully she has me under her wing! I definitely agree with the whole mentor/mentee aspect and believe it would really go a long way!
I can attest and say that I wouldn't be here without @elew's help. She's helped me a great deal and is very patient when I'm not quite understanding something.
I probably count you as one of my first mentors! Greenacre was a big help too within this community when I had technical issues. Then there have been some wonderful supporters in the teamaustralia community too. Which goes to show how well these communities work as a support network.
My first feeling is I'm not sure there needs to be a reward system for mentors and that seems to be confirmed in other replies too. I think for those who choose to mentor they would do it because they want to give that help out knowing what it was like at the start for them. The reward would be if they were able to help someone stay the course. At least that's how I'd feel as a mentor.
The other thought would be that rather than a contest for graduation, would it be more prudent to just do the post commending them which can be a reward in itself. There are plenty of contests on here anyway, mentoring isn't really a competition type of thing and I wouldn't want to see it get that way. It's more about support.
Do you know when the biggest drop out rate tends to be? Perhaps the target or milestone could be when they pass this point. I'm not sure 500 SP would be a good one as this can be purchased if they choose or take a while to accumulate depending on the activity level. I wonder if a time period would be better.
I agree...I can see doing a small community reward for the new member after a time, and since we are a prepper/homesteading group it could be some seeds, a book...or some steem. Not as a contest, but just appreciation.
With no mentor, I started going through doubts around 2 months after I started posting...then @weetreebonsai found me and we started talking. So through her I found more of the community. She was why I stayed at that point.
Minnowsupport also offered community...they were a huge help.
So glad you found each other. That's a long time to go without any connections and support. Well done for sticking it out so long! I was lucky I found Pennsif and greenacre early on. I also had a guy give me some guidance first post. I forget who now, because we didn't have much in common and went separate ways when I connected with homesteaders, but I'll have to go through my old posts and thank him.
I think I stuck it out because I came with a purpose, to learn about cryptos, what they were and how they worked. So I spent alot of time lurking and reading, and listening on Discord...but I didn't come here to make money, so I didn't expect much. I was pleasantly surprised by the community :)
Steemit is a good place to learn.
Aww Thank You @elew I am the blessed one to find others with the same ideas on building a great community.
Learning crypto still has me scratching my head but @mericanhomestead is going to do another posting on just the wallet to explain it for us all when he gets back from Africa.
Well, you know me @pennsif I am there 100%
As far as being a mentor, I may not have close to the (homesteading and gardening) knowledge that others in the community have but when it comes to the new group members and even some of the veterans that have been here a few months, I will gladly offer my assistance when it comes to formatting. I know I had issues with this in the beginning and some days still struggle with it, but I have learned a lot about the post structure, setting up photos, sourcing photos, etc.
As like @wwf, I too have taken others under my wing and it has been a great interaction and success for me.
As I said, you know me, just ask
@pennsif for those coming to steemit that do not understand how to maneuver I started a collab with a few awesome folks ( @daddykirbs, @mericanhomestead, and @papa-pepper and maybe more later) to get some education for here from YT and other places. The information each shares removes a lot of the unknowns that this new platform gives. Share it so they don't have so many problems.
https://steemit.com/steemit/@weetreebonsai/day-1-steemit-the-foreign-country-for-those-getting-here-from-yt
I definitely think mentoring is a great idea. I’m new to steemit, but got a bit lucky with a couple posts that shot my rep up. I have no idea how my next 10 posts are going to do. But I assume most will end up in the pennies. It’s taken a lot of work and time to get familiar with the platform. I can see why a lot of people would abandon it, especially if they came here thinking they can put up a few posts and get $100 plus. A mentor can play a huge role in connecting them with the community and walking them through all that’s involved and what to expect their first few months of steemit.
I’m wondering if forming some sort of guild would be beneficial. Having a curation account that represents the community and can offer rewards, competitions, and possibly protect our community members from unjust flagging may be useful. It would also offer a large account that new homesteading steemians can more readily find and connect with the other members.
Nice post...