My First Article to POP (over $300) Here's WHY (I think) and what you might try

Even though it's only been a week since I joined Steemit, I am “all about it” as they say. 

I’m frankly already sold on and pretty stoked about the “ad-free blog at no cost to me” idea, and would be here without the financial incentive (as I posted earlier). But yesterday - after a few $3, $5, $0 posts, I was fortunate enough to have one break open wide… 

Contrary to how some work here (no offense, there’s already quite a variety of ways to be successful on Steemit - and here's just nine of them in a short list) I worked around 10 hours on my post late into the wee hours, woke up, proofread, edited some more, posted it (11am MST) then left to do laundry. 

Oh, I also thought verrry carefully about the tabs I used (more on that in a sec)...

At some point after it broke $200, @crok  - one of those whom I’ve been following to “learn the ropes” from ironically - actually admitted that he was kind of jealous of my quick success, because nothing like this had happened to him yet ... I sent him a detailed reply then realized “Oh wait, that’s good stuff for an article!” 

So, revised and then more "fleshed out" here, and mixed with my words from a previous comment… 

(And Hey Tip #1 - I'd encourage you who comment a lot to steal this idea! Many people "draft" their Steemit articles offsite, in a Word, Google, or other type of doc, then cut and paste it into Steemit. Consider doing the same when you realize you're posting a helpful, detailed, advice and/or sources/links-filled comment. Or at least cut, paste and save your best comments right after you post them.)

Anyways, I originally replied :

“I too have written about Steemit to Steemians already as I think there's a market for it right now, and lots of people need the help, just as you are providing. However, on my one successful article (so far) I wrote about what isn’t even a category or tab here yet, but that I know a great deal about nonetheless … something (which I am) a real expert in, before Steemit came along I mean…

"I've waited tables for over 30 years... and some folks say I’m pretty darn good at it. 

In the past, “I also blogged about serving for 2-3 years and made nothing from it - except maybe friends. AND I got very experienced at writing about waiting tables however. (So) pointing out that I've only been HERE a week, or comparing my article’s skyrocketing to underwear selfies, is just not accurate…

“It's the decades and untold thousands of hours of "research" that went into that single article that made it successful - my dollars went through the roof based on ONE upvote from a whalish person I'm thinking, who only up-voted it because of the genuine quality of the article, see what I mean?

“My real point has nothing to do with being defensive tho, it has to do with encouraging you and others to write about what you know best (your hobbies, passions, expertise). BUT NOBODY - not even @dan @ned and the Steemit 101 authors (great read, Amazon Kindle for 99cents*) - "NOBODY (is/are) experts at Steemit because it's still that new. And the competition for success on "Steemit topics" is HUGE here already.

“I'm encouraging everyone to "play the long game here" by either inventing tags or using ones that are still very obscure." 

Right now, we all have the opportunity to "own" any number of categories, to essentially "appear on the first page" of a Google search for example. Essentially, I said, as an analogy. Articles on un-written topics may not take off overnight, but you will still build your REPUTATION, and a following who will upvote you in the future, if they like what you're writing today. This platform works partly because of the sheer quality of the content that exists, and eventually the underwear selfies will not be as popular. 

The platform exists in part to let experts in all areas shine - even self-taught ones without degrees, and unemployed ones. You know something about *something*  that not many people do - so just write about it!

"Write for the millions that are still coming to Steemit, about what you are already an expert on, based on your own unique life experience(s)."

You don't have to have 30 years experience at any particular profession... heck, I told a young cook at my job to "get on there and write a How-To article about how you can tell a steak is "a perfect medium" or still mid-rare just by poking it with your spatula, but not cutting into it. Simple stuff to him, and he didn't "invent" the skill either, it was just part of his job training. But my point is, there's not an an article on it here yet, so he could profit from sharing that knowledge.

You too! Maybe you've read "Lord of the Rings" or "Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy" six times... or seen "Star Wars" six hundred! Maybe you collect rocks, coins, comic books... work on cars, are an expert at "couponing" ... the list is endless so I won't be-labor it right now. 

In fact, recently on my podcast my last guest (Jason P - 08/19/2016) talked about ProtonMail, Blockchain, and yes Steemit. When we were FB chatting prior he said he'd "...really need to study up..." before on-air.. I replied to him exactly what I'm saying to YOU (readers) right now :

"Jason, you know more about it than 99% of my listeners ever will. Just come on and share what you already know!" So take that for what its worth readers, and write about what you already know. If there's no demand for it yet, trust this platform's potential for huge growth - because YOUR READERS ARE COMING.

Okay real quick, here’s one more comment I posted elsewhere:

"Nice @chitty and thanks for the actual numbers. My feel - and I'm old-school, had websites before Google existed, and just got on Steemit a week ago - but my belief is that just like when the web started out 

"Content is King" and cream always rises to the top...

"Yes, it's wise to "optimize" our pages and our approach; however writing for votes (according to what the Steemit market is, or seems to dictate today) is as wrong as writing TO search engine algorithms (which must and will change to beat the spammers, who will always eventually figure out said algorithms) instead of writing primarily TO and FOR actual people. 

"I'm playing "the long game" here.. writing for the millions NOT on here yet. I'm creating tags that don't exist yet, or are still very obscure, in hopes of attracting a long term following. Even if the financial aspects of Steem were to bust, a large and loyal following can still be financially rewarding for life. And rewarding in many ways that (both do and don’t) involve money, I've also found…”

Finishing up now (and thanks for hanging with me this long, those of you still here) aside from “Write what you know about” being my primary advice, you’ve also noticed that for this article I am literally quoting myself - from comments I’ve made on other people’s articles...

The point above had to do with quoting your own expertise; now I bring it up to emphasize the networking aspect of commenting. BUT there’s no need for me to write more about the power of that however, because @jennsky has just completed a great article on how comments and your conversations here, are one of the major keys to success on Steemit (aside from quality of content). Don't forget that list of Nine Steps I mentioned either (by @hilarski ) - it's a quick but powerful read  https://steemit.com/howto/@hilarski/9-tips-to-steemit-success

Here to make more money? Then read it, as well as jenn's https://steemit.com/steemit/@jennsky/you-aren-t-earning-usdusd-here-is-why-minnows-must-learn-to-swim ! As she says herself, you'll WISH you knew these things from Day 1.

Don't forget https://steemit.com/steemit/@arnoldwish/18-steps-you-should-follow-to-increase-your-reputation-score Don't get me wrong, there are some "tricks and techniques" we should all be using. Like, it doesn't hurt to suck up a bit to others on here by quoting and linking to them ;)  

This is a "Social" Network after all, not an MLM, not a "Pyramid Scheme"... 

So go be social!

Please upvote and follow me before you go tho!

Thanks!
-g-
www.ibringawareness.com
PS - Getting a catchy forwarding url ain't a bad idea either!  Nobody you meet in person is going to remember your user name, or be able to find you easily on Steemit after you tell them about it!!
Finally, here's my article that prompted this post https://steemit.com/food/@ibringawareness/things-waiters-and-waitress-say-but-shouldn-t-the-workingguy-com