RE: How one voting bot can increase the value of STEEM
It exists. It's called Flattr, and it has gradually moved from a 'tip button' to a subscription budget distributed among sites. Because at heart placing the button assumes that people value the content they create, which often is a unilateral vision not shared enough by the reader/friends to actually tip on content.
Steem(it) as a network is much more advanced, an a both easier and better method, than the noble thinking that is a tip button/bot/whatever. That idea has been tried over and over in the blogosphere for a decade now. Before, popular especially in German online media, there was the ''pay to access truly old content' click & buy.
Unless you're the Guardian, or an already long established media entity/creator [online] the donation model doesn't work. Not beyond beer or coffee money, and that for non-addicts of both beverages only.
Which is why Steem is so truly revolutionary a blockchain.
The beer or coffee of other platforms is exactly what I am talking about here. Sure, it might not be wildly popular (people are stingy), but it might cause content creators to funnel more traffic to their steemit blog, knowing that these visitors can potentially increase the post value without being steemit users.
Even if 1 of 100 viewers who reach a steemit post from Facebook or Google brings in 5 dollars? That's more rewards for the author, more rewards for the stakeholders, and a good reason for content authors to market steemit. The 99 that didn't tip in FIAT, are still traffic, and perhaps one or two of them are content creators too that might take interest in the platform and join.
Big problem to solve ( typical platform) conundrum: first of all you need to create a solution/app/mechanism which is trusted by Jane and Joe. The app they would use to pay with, think PayPal/Stripe/FB payments/Flattr. Trust, perception and credibility are key here.
Then you need to expand the interface with your button, which would mean whether a browser extension (narrowing down the reach of your button to niche, most likely those who already participate in several crowdfunding markets and on patreon too). Alternatively you create your own interface, which is tailored specifically to upsell the tip option. And has less competition with Steemit's user signup CTA.
Oh wait... you know how you can solve this and make it all easier? Without needing a bot? Paypal.me.
Everybody can create their own links, donation amounts and even buttons to improve CTA. They can even run it through a link shortener service to track performance (but that's advanced use already). No need for a bot. Also: Patreon links.
The question isn't would your bot improve the platform by bringing in tips? The question is what does the content creator offer that deserves a tip?
People aren't necessarily stingy, people want a return for value tho. Which is why Patreon works [just about]. Which is why FB works for theme and plugin sellers and SaaS apps but not for advertising based media. There's nothing on offer to spend on.
If I come... what do you have to offer. Tips are charitable. You interrupt a user experience thus you need to solve the chicken/egg conundrum in order to get something. The tipping economy is a unicorn. Not a tech unicorn btw just a unicorn. Ask hundreds of active and popular WordPress developers how much they get from their donation buttons.
On a side but related note, I think you may like my two of my most recent posts (flagging and bots). Until the last section most definitely the most recent one.
That depends on the tipper. I once got a 10 SBD tip from someone for a really good comment I made on steemit. I've been known to tip authors and content creators I support. Even bought minnowbooster upvotes to help bring exposure to a new artist I discovered. So perhaps we unicorns exist.
Nobody said it doesn’t happen. The number of tips is not viable for (commercial) operation though. It’s something which has been tried over and over already. With additional complications in this case. Additional step in hindrances when there’s several available viable and trusted options already.
But by all means... go ahead and make it happen if you think it’s the solution.
It's an idea, not a solution. So far, I got @tipu interested as he's already halfway there. Since he's still at it, there might be more viability than we think in expanding the tipping service to support fiat contributions from readers who aren't on steemit.
It's funny that I saw your reply at the time I did. I just woke up to a successful kickstarter campaign by a friend who has a local publishing company for scifi and fantasy translations. The kickstart wasn't doing too great all month, and he was about $2,000 away from his goal 24 hours before the end. He was bitching about it wildly on twitter, and an old acquaintance came to the rescue. Said acquaintance? Neil Fucking Gaiman. So Neil offered a kickstarter reward - his own copy of a special edition of Stardust. It sold for $4,000 or so within a few hours.
My point? Kindness exists. You can build a commercial service on kindness, and people will surprise you.
It seems to me, that steemit member who wanted to could "sign up" to be "available voters",,,, the guest form FB would click the "external vote" button and they would be taken to PayPal were they would be charged some price per vote (based on some reality of steemit voting and costs that i'm completely ignorant to) and that could be received by the private paypal account of the next "signed up" steemit member. If the outsider wanted to give more up votes they could repeat the process, this time paying to the next "signed up" steemit member in line. Obviously the signed up steemit member makes the "up vote" (maybe signed up member would have to meet a requiremnet of a minimum SP so that the vote counts,,,, or the program could match a desired "power level" that the FB person wanted with a signed up voter with the correct SP.
I don't know,,, but I think its a great idea,,, and if its PRIVATE paypal to paypal the regulators cant say or do shit,,,,, Just a thought.
I'm not an active programmer,,, and am very new to steemit,,,, wouldn't know where to begin,,, but I'm sure it could be done.