So I've noticed that the posts that do exceedingly well are the ones related to increasing your rewards, increasing your followers and anything to do with crypto currency markets. Now that's not surprising as everyone is hoping to make mega bucks fast, I mean come on, Steemit is presented as a platform that pays you for what you've been doing for no reward other than kudos for the last [insert number here] years.

What I do find a little bit depressing is you see a lot of posts telling you "Quality submissions will command higher rewards." and then I see some $1500 post with 32 pictures pinched off the web with no source accreditation and two sparkling animated gif unicorns and all of it literately vomited on the page.

Like @captaincanary just said in the comments, we're advised to build a niche, I've been trying to build one under the title of seriously- and it's just started to creep up to the $1.50 from about $0.12 per story. Personally I'd far rather read a quality post like this one that's set out professionally.

Here's an interesting thought regarding marketing steemit.
Advertising on the Steemit service to fellow steemers is just plain stupid and shows the lack of imagination on the part of the poster. You are preaching to the already converted when you do that! If you want to promote steemit get on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus and any other social media service outside of the circle-jerk. :-)