An Optimization Guide for Posts
There are plenty of ways to use Steemit.
Some of us go for shortposts, some of us go for longposts. However, you should start considering an optimization guide like this if you're trying to achieve the following (other than payout, obviously):-
- Get people to read through your material.
- Get people to understand your material.
- Get people to share your material.
- Get people to take action, if any.
Please note that optimization in this case doesn't mean that it's, in some arbitrary sense, the best practice for the network. This guide is written after acknowledging that Steemit is largely community-driven, and hence, requiring lower-bandwidth communication techniques to achieve effective mass collaboration.
One of the lowest bandwidth communication tool these days are visual memes you see on 9gag and the likes. While simple roundtable jokes are good for morale in a social landscape, this format is not what I'm covering here.
Keep it simple, stupid (K.I.S.S.)
In the spirit of this post, I'll try to keep things short. Keeping things simple is by far the best practice. The one practice that will make the best out of a post's value. Take time to shape your content. Find different ways to represent your ideas. Make it low-barrier. Here are some ways to do it:-
- Edit and format. For writing, use breaks and header formatting. There's a reason why magazines, textbooks, and newspapers use the formatting that they use. It works. It gives contrast to elements in your content.
- Don't demand too much from your reader / viewer.
- De-clutter as much as possible! Simple test - if in textform, try reading through. Do you feel uneasy? If yes, de-clutter again!
- Strategize what you emphasise. For example: avoid bolding all over the place! That's the best way to lose emphasis.
The whole purpose of a K.I.S.S. is to keep people engaged. 
Conclusion
Making things simple doesn't mean that one needs to dumb down complexity. And simplicity also doesn't mean that the content has to be short and non-exhaustive. I just think it's way better to pack complexity into simpler presentations with better pacing. All it takes is just the time and experience to come up with something immediately digestible and actionable.
Actually I'm just talking out of my arse all the while. Effective or not, thanks for reading all the way through.
- If you agree that this practice is worth spreading, please re-steem.
- If you have a good guide on this topic, please write a post / comment!
Not exactly. You've had quite a lot of success here and your followers agree you have much worth sharing. :)
Most of the times, I write without an end in sight (forming conclusion along the way).. so.. I don't know what to make of it lol. Thanks @lukestokes , haven't seen you posting in awhile!
Yes, I agree. No need for these "apologies" your a good and consistent poster (poster?blogger?content creator...?)
Keep it going!
I definitely follow the K.I.S.S. principle in my songs and in my writing. Take a look and let me know what you think. Thank you for the tips.
Thanks for dropping by. I do remember your account :)
I think spending a bit of time making headers is important. It looks important. If I have somehow written a slab of texts, I'll look out for short sentences throughout the texts and try to transform them into headers (and maybe do a re-write after because of the Newly inserted headers).
Maybe try using headers?
Something like this
<> insert content <>
Next section
<> insert content <>
Thank you for the advice. I'll keep an eye out for that. I appreciate it.
Well said, and good advice here. Everyone is going to have their own style, and finding the best way for them to convey information to their readers in an effective, entertaining, and interesting way is going to be a process of trial and error. Posters should remember that figuring out what works for you likely won't happen over night, but with time, effort and engaging with the community (asking for advice) their posting skills will get better and better. Effective communication is a lifelong pursuit, we all get better as we work hard.
It's especially more difficult writing sciencey stuff (and making them interesting at the same time). In that case, I think science comms should be developed.. and I think steemstem is at the right position to promote that :)
I agree, hopefully we can continue to grow the project and both gain support and interest in contributing from the community. Science writing is challenging, I know personally how difficult it is to keep people both interested and correctly informed :)
Just a funny comment I heard in relation about talking out of my arse.
Somewhere before I read something like: If I wanted to hear from an asshole, I would have farted.
No offence, just sharing a joke. :-)
Hahaha it's a funny one!
As someone who struggles to keep posts simple almost all the time, I really appreciate the reminders. While I do try to de-clutter over and over again, I have yet to find the right balance. Hopefully, one of these days I'll find my rhythm.
It really difficult to keep it simple if you need to cover all angles.. depending on the write up though. I'm not an expert by any means - just saying what I think lol. Hope you'll find your zen point in writing soon!
Yeah, man, for sure. There's definitely no exact blueprint for all types, but, as you put it, finding the right balance is key. It's a matter of which points you prioritize.
Resteemed
Thanks @goldmatters :)
Hi, another good post, just trying to make my blogs better and need all the help i can get. keep up the good work.
Thanks @gameywatchman , there's one at www.steemithelp.com and i think that's useful..
Thanks for the tip and will give it a look.
This is really sensible advice. Not just for steemit, but for blogging in general.
Glad it is so. Steemit is actually my platform for writing so I'm pretty much just winging it!
Like Albert Einstein said "Everything should be made as simple as possible but not simpler.
Right on. Sadly, there's no proven way to do it.. it's more art than science..
Upvoted followed and resteemed!!!!
Thank you @riosparada!