SMT: More than online communities

image source pixabay.com (CC0 licence)

This text represents some thoughts about the forthcoming SMT and changes it can bring to us. I wrote it inspired by many discussions I had in past days with fellow Steemians. Unfortunately, I created an impression of a general lack of awareness about the impact it may have – I dont want to offend anyone, but it looks like many of us still think in the way related to centralized platforms. But that is not the only reason for this – online space is not something we approach in need, it has become a natural extension of our reality a long time ago. Now that's obvious, but I strongly believe that SMT will finally let us experience it in a way it's not possible today.

So, the following lines will be mostly about the way we could plan future projects, based on core functions granted by Smart Media Token.

1. Balancing ideas only on content publishing functions, and generating Steemit mirror platforms is not a long-term run. Although it may be a legitimate way, and even may be applicable in a specific niche – it won't release the full potential of the ecosystem. Internet-based variations of the Pareto principle clearly show that majority of users is not able to produce high-quality content. The monetizing function may not stimulate quality by itself and without the side effects like spam, plagiarism, rewriting, etc.

2. SMT has a historical opportunity to make a bridge between offline and online space. Everyday habits of internet users are changing faster than the traditional industry is able to respond and adopt its own communication mechanisms. On the other hand, blockchain with its related manifestations raised high public awareness levels, so now we are talking to the wise crowd, instead to the crowd which is driven by triggers related to Greater Fool Theory. The key to the success of future SMT based platforms may be their ability to offer utility functions which impact the lives of offline communities. The level of community participation in traditional offline contexts is usually low (specific time and place requirements, confrontation with others, etc.) while centralized online concepts often raise problems such as participant ability to use online tools, be relevant interlocutors, or finding the right motivation to dedicate free time in order to create content which can contribute to initiatives outside our primary zone of interest.

3. As a most popular platform on STEEM blockchain, Steemit reflects the integration of four crowdsourcing types – crowd creation, crowd wisdom, crowd voting, and crowdfunding. SMT will enable people to add this kind of value to existing or new platforms in a way which was not possible before. This should be not viewed in a way related to existing web 2.0 manifestations. Every comment may trigger a crowdfunding initiative or motivate nested discussions which not only add more value but also the completely new values which could not be discovered or recognized in traditional environments. What we earlier knew as tools available to the crowd, now becomes the natural ability of the crowd, unrestricted by rules of the middleman.

4. SMT based platforms have higher chances for success if they manage to connect utility functions with shared interests of specific crowds. The possibility of content monetization is only the catalyst for different stakeholder engagement. Here we speak about represents of all specific publics who lack the motivation for sharing their knowledge in the form of User Generated Content.

5. New ideas should be approached in a way which doesn't differ much from the traditional marketing mix. Connecting them with the real needs of society is the only way of creating the word-to-mouth effect, which in this case must bring greater results than common types of online or offline advertising.

6. Sharing ideas with the crowd is very important at this moment. Early adopters of Steemit will more likely be the individuals behind first SMT implementations. It will not only create the conditions for brainstorming and project shaping but also raise the general awareness about the valuable topic.

Thank you for reading!
Image source: Pixabay.com