I know I have been ranting but.......
There was one more things that I had to point out and wanted to discuss. We all want the whale to share the love and to make STEEMIT a happier healthy environment in which we can all thrive. I just have one issue when I see the complaints about whales not supporting minnow.
MINNOWS DON'T SUPPORT MINNOWS!!!!!!!!!!
I have been digging through hundreds of layers of data and I have come to the conclusion that if minnow upvoted, resteemed and commented on the post of other quality minnows there would be a much greater balance. Don't believe me, go into any category and click on the new tab. What you will see is a mix of both good and bad content neither of which is getting any interactions. Now go to the trending page, and see how many trash posts have hundreds of upvotes..
I say all that to say this. You can't complain of a broken system if you are partially to blame.
You nailed it. The whales have a ton of power but there are enough smaller accounts that, if they got together, could really make an impact.
Sadly, when things start to go down (like the price of STEEM), smaller accounts stop posting. That is the time to start posting more.
The truth is the reward pool is structured in such a way that the author get 75% of the payout for a post. The Whales simply cannot post enough content to keep up with the post if tens of thousands of minnows and red fish put up 2-4 posts per day.
Those accounts would take a greater share of the reward pool, hence evening the SP a bit.
So we are on the same page. If you Look at any whale post, they have hundreds of minnow upvotes. That could have been used to help a fellow minnow, but nope lets give more money to the ones they complain about.
I have no problem when good content is being upvoted whale or not, but when its trash being pushed up. there is a serious issue.
You make some good points but I have seen posts where 2 or 3 minnows come together and upvote it and it earns $0. I try and help out minnows but oftentimes there is nothing I can do because if I upvote their post it is just a wasted upvote since I would not take them over the .02 threshold. I do try and educate them about the threshold though. I think that does help. I sure wish I had known about that sooner.
Cumulatively a difference can be made.
Yeah hopefully we can let more of them know about the .02 threshold so they can have more of an impact.
This is the same corporate world we are living in our daily lives and still blame. We are so hypocrites :(
I believe, as the cryptos mature so too will content. Of course we need efforts like this one, but solutions will be easier to implement.
I post like crazy when I see the price dropping.
It’s kind of funny.... for Curation Rewards you actually do much much better upvoting new unknown artists who create awesome new content. If you are the 1st to Upvote a small Minnow when they have posted incredible original content at the 15 minute mark and then a few whales Upvote after you then you make a lot of curation rewards. I have gone from zero dollars invested to $12,000 in 9 months using this strategy. It works.
Very interesting. I’m still new here. Posting a decent amount and building a steady following. I help where I can. Would you mind explaining how this works in simple terms that my dumb tiny brain can process? Lol
I’ll keep that noted. Thank you.
I guess I am the exception. I have tried to unfollow all whales - their content kind of sucks - and focus on upvoting and commenting on minnow posts. They tend to be much better because they actually seem to try. For now, I won't post my good stuff because I know it won't be seen and the upvotes won't even come to 2 pennies. Comments are my thing until I can get some steem power. Parley is also great for minnows and plankton like myself to help others, but tends to look like spam on the main steemit page.
You already knew about the threshold? I wish I had known a lot sooner.
I know that feeling! But I do try and post some stuff. I've been doing a kind of experiment lately. I've posted a couple of longer posts and a few that didn't take much time to come up with, but I thought were funny. I had the same result in both cases.... Very little interest!
The only post that did get a bit of interest was one that was promoting someone elses work. (I think that was only because that person resteemed it!)
My last post took me a couple of days to put together. Yet, so far, very little interest when compared with other posts that must of taken someone all of ten minutes to put together and still hit the trending page.
All I can put it down to is the number of followers you have.
As you say... Parley seems to be the way to go. Build followers though comments, then once you have a reasonable following your posts will / should get more attention.
Or at least it might not seem like you're talking to yourself! :)
I have given in to the fact that I must use bots. I hate it but if I am going to give it any more effort than I would on Facebook - a more casual and relaxed outlet - then bots will have to be deployed. It sucks but Steemit requires power and money to be seen, in my opinion.
Ya, I see that myself. The trending and hot pages are full to bursting with posts that have practically paid to be there.
The sad thing is I can't see this platform growing unless us minnows get some attention too. I mean - how many people are gonna stick around posting their content if it just gets buried?
Few. I can't drag friends to the site. Once the ones who are approved sign in, and look around, they are gone. Landing on the trending page is certain to drive people away. Sad really because I think it is a great idea and I will stick around. It would be nice with some support from people I already know, though, like on all other social media. Strangers begging for upvotes and my pennies don't make it welcoming.
Well following whales isn't a issue, I follow some myself. The issue is that the minnow will only upvote whales and leave other minnows to starve.
True, I just got tired of the trash posts they were pumping out. Photos of them watching TV and earning $100 to $200 turned my stomach. I find minnow posts have been the most entertaining even though there are plenty of them taking selfies while watching TV.
@boboxer I know right!?!?! I bust my sad posting what I feel is killer quality content in my field (nerdy shit like Comics, toys,games, art) and it kinda sits. I’m getting a slow and steady following but man it’s rough seeing something I’m proud of wasted away while a whale posts dogshit and earns like a champ. Dems the breaks I guess.
I think the magic words to use in a post are crypto, steemit, and witness. LOL. If the title of the post has crypto in it, no matter what it is about, then you are golden.
I think it will pay off in the end but whales saying things like, "focus on quality content and you will get there" is hard to stomach when many of their posts - a pic of them eating a sandwich - are pure garbage but earning $ 300 to $400 in an hour. I guess it is Blockchain Trickle-Down Economics.
I do think that there is some merit to posting quality and the following will come buuuuuuuut I think its a loooooong drawn out process. it is highly frustrating to see exactly what you are talking about. even if you aren't interested in my topics....look at the type of stuff I'm posting up. I truly feel that it's pretty informative and good. look at some of my competitors. some of it is terribly weak stuff earning 10x what I am just because they have the followers. so strange. seems as though the bigger the base, the lazier the writer has become...not always but man....a lot of the times
You have quality posts. It is obvious time and effort are put into them. I don't get how they aren't getting attention. Your niche can't be small like mine will be so it doesn't make sense. I would like to know the demographics on steemit because they may provide some clues.
thx brother. I wouldn't say they aren't getting noticed at all. I feel like I'm doing ok. I just look at the others and think "wtf?" ya know?
I can understand your position. Did it get a bunch of other upvotes?
Usually around 90+. Mostly minnows but a healthy number of whales from their school. Or is it a pod of whales? At any rate, I see little quality from whales but some excellent work by minnows. One is a water color artist. The best I have ever seen. Amazing talent. He is lucky to bring in $3 a post.
Pod I believe. And do you mind tagging him please.
@shibasaki. An incredible watercolor artist. People think watercolor is an easy medium - it isn't - and he is a master who teaches with his posts.
In my opinion you need both! Posting and commenting. If I do find a comment attractive, I will go to the commenters blog. If there are no recent or posts which I do find interesting there is no use to follow that Steemian. And this is just a chance lost to get a new follower.
But I do understand your viewpoints , I just want to present you a reason to keep on blogging yourself.
You got interaction with @crypto2crypto and your reply also interested me! But if you us to follow you, you should give us a reason to do!
I agree. As a new steemian it is tough to balance putting your work out there at the beginning, usually to be unseen, and building up a following.
What can be done??solution??
Simple more minnows supporting minnows
Bingo!
Absolutely true..
At the beginning everybody wants to make quick money. If you've not invested, the only way to make steem is to comment on posts.
I used to search the new tag and start commenting and upvoting people and earned close to nothing and left steemit. It's really discouraging because my posts were not earning anything.
But then I started to manage, I'm just commenting on the posts of my followers now. I don't care about the trending page, that's already broken.
And if I like what someone has to offer, I follow them whether it be a minnow or a whale.
That is the key you have to give half of the time to yourself and half of the time to the platform
That’s indeed what I try to do! Follow people who’s Content I like, and who has something useful to share.
And then, I comment and like on posts which I... like :-)
@rjunaid12 that’s kinda where I’m at. I’m sticking in my circles for the most part. At least for now. I’m definitely posting a decent amount. Trying to interacts and support those in my area. I’ve rarely expanded out to other areas yet. It will come but for now, it is what it is.
That's good man
Good luck to you
Thank you sir! You as well.
That is a great strategy, stick to what you know is going to be good and upvote good content no matter the creators status
I intend to do that :)
We all need to support each other.
I do blame this of the combination of human nature and the reputation.
People are not attracted ro read posts of people with a rep below 40.
There are in my opinion 2 reasons for this:
I browse through the new section at least ince per day. Trying to find food articles and new people to follow!
Just like a browse through the hot section.
You are right, most of us are breaking the system but as long as we try to interact with each other there is hope!
Interactions go a LOOOOOONG way. Trust me the more quality interactions that are had, the better the post will be. I follow a few bloggers and they have great post plus great interactions, so I always return for some good back and forth.
Even if you aren't upvoted, being friends shouldn't have a cost attached to it.
I don't interact to get an upvote, although I don't mind them, I do interact because I like it. I like to know how other people think, I like to learn new things but above all I like friendly banter!
Most people read the post, comment and move on! A big mistake in my opinion, sometimes some comments are real posts on there own! There are just missing in these case a chance to interact, learn and make new friends!
In my early days I didn't know the power of commenting, it is really underestimated!
Friendly banter leads to connections being made. Connections can lead to to things way bigger then Steem itself.
My OTC company came about via someone shredding a website I built for another company I own. He picked it apart and showed me everything I needed to fix. Never met in person, until we were signing papers gor our company.
It is true that opportunities are everywhere we just need to spot them!
Here on steemit and in the real world.
But it takes courage and daring to step out of the comfort zone. Trying to do this now within the company I am working for. Trying to set up a robotics department. It can burn me but I prefer to have tried and maybe failed then never tried at all!
I totally agree. I see so many new minnows get mad about not getting any whale upvotes but they don't upvote, curate or comment on anyones posts but whales posts? True value is growing to success with support from fellow minnows.
It bothers me that people think they should get huge votes after a short while on here.. I keep telling them that even the whales started off making no money on their posts too.. Its something that you have to work for, you have to create a good following with good posts and great comments.
I have been on here since aug 17' and I am finally starting to get a decent following. However, I curate at least 5-10 posts everyday. I try to reply to every comment I get and I still use monthly upvote services to get my articles seen. It's really a lot of work and everyone thinks they should be entitled to it! It drives me insane!
Very well said, the struggle of getting noticed had me put steem on the shelf for a whole year. Then i learned how to play the game and made the required investment to thrive.
The sense of entitlement is a the result of propaganda being presented incorrectly. Noone owes anyone a upvote or curation, but it is a nice good thing to do.
I agree. That's why I try to save my upvotes for accounts that get less that $10 per post. I never upvote anything trending.
Why not just upvote good content?
I can only upvote so many posts a day. If I have to choose (and I do) I would give my limited upvotes to the good content that I feel is underappreciated. They need my upvote more than good content that is trending.
On this point, i am 100% agree with. Minnows are running behind the whales, like they will give them the space to make a ground for them. But, the truth is- they not even notice you existence. If the minnows support other minnows, it will change the current flow of the community.
Please guys- start reading and try to evaluate which one is good. upvote it, resteem it, comment in it.
We do not need the whales, we can make our way to the top our own.
Whales are less than 10% of the community.
Other 90% is our and yours. Use the number in your favour.
I see the problem in the following way, suppose we are 100 MINNOWS that we contributed 0.01 $ for our vote if 100 voted for a good post we would contribute $ 1 to that post but we must take into account that we should only vote 10 post per day to not to destroy our voting power, that would leave 90 MINNOWS out of the votes and it is very likely that at least 40 of those 90 will post quality content, I think the biggest contribution we can give the MINNOWS is in the comments
This is a common problem.
Now here on Steemit, we want good content to gain a reputation. A reputation that has been tainted by some in the crypto space.
So what happens when an out of work writer, artist or developer has something to say and no Steem to push it. Sadly they must hope a whale sees it. Minnows may appreciate the information, but since the number of votes do not matter, why even bother.
Thus, good content creators must turn to effort like @crypto2crypto. Thanks and thank you
@hendersonp as well for the inspiration.
Hmm very good point