If you've every wondered what the number inside the circle besides your username? This is your reputation score.

What is Reputation?

When you create an account, your reputation score starts at 25, can increase to 80 or decrease to -25. 

As you're reputation score increases, it becomes more difficult to increase this number. Going from level 49 to 50 is harder than going from 26 to 27. 

The steemit reputation score gives you an indication of which content is valuable and which you should probably avoid.

An account with a high reputation can affect an account with a low reputation while an account with a low reputation can't affect an account with high reputation.

How to Increase Reputation?

Reputation, similar to trust, is hard to gain but easily lost. Reputation can not improve quickly over night. It requires long term commitment and high quality posts to climb. 

1. Frequency

Consistency is a must as you build and grow. Delivering content to steemit regularly makes you relevant to the site and people appreciate this.

2. Post Only High Quality Content

Whales won't blink 2 at a haphazard post that has been slapped together in under 5 minutes. Take your time, write about your interests and your passions will come through along with it.

3. Comment More Frequently

Gaining up votes on comments also increase reputation score, its not all about creating your posts. Comments should always be high quality. Avoid generic comments such as 'nice posts.' These will likely get you flagged and aren't appreciated by authors who take time creating content. Read the post fully, understand the post and start a conversation. Asking questions encourages authors to engage and are more likely to up vote your comment.

4. Avoid Getting Flagged

Especially since the most recent hard fork, bots are working harder than ever to keep the network clean of plagiarism, spam and scam content. Things to avoid include;

Tagging irrelevant categories

Photo Plagiarism

Content Plagiarism

Comment Spam

Keeping Track of Your Reputation

The number beside your username is the easiest way to check your own progression regarding reputation. However there are helpful websites such as SteemWhales which allows you to track your ranking, not just for reputation but for categories such as steem power, followers and rewards too!

The Goal

The goal for genuine steem users is to acquire a high amount of steem power with a high reputation score to match. With a high reputation score, comes expectations to reallocate your time searching for the quality content. A valued steem user should benefit the network as well as themselves.

@elmumby

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