Steemit Retention Rate - a model of how it can be improved - the homesteaders and preppers 'community'?
I am always keen on numbers.
Looking at the regular statistics reports from the likes of @elyaque and @penguinpablo it shows that while steemit now has over 280,000 user accounts only around 9% are counted as daily active accounts, and about twice as many are weekly active users.
https://steemit.com/steemit/@elyaque/daily-steem-report-july-26th-steem-1-22usd-4611-new-accounts
https://steemit.com/steemit/@penguinpablo/daily-steem-stats-report-july-26-2017
https://steemit.com/steemit/@penguinpablo/steem-stats-active-users
This is supported by previous figures such as those by @vegansilverstack :
A recent analysis by @paulag suggests retention rates for steemit of between 6% and 14% :
This got me thinking…
I compile the list of Homesteaders and Preppers on steemit. It is now on version 6 and currently has 159 homesteaders and preppers identified on steemit.
So that I can keep up to date with all that is happening in this little corner of steemit I follow everyone on the list. I keep an eye open for all the posts from the homesteaders and preppers on the list but I have noticed some have dropped off the radar of late.
This is inevitable but I wondered what the actual retention rate amongst the homesteaders and preppers on the list is. So I did a bit of digging and fired up the trusty spreadsheet.
Looking at the last posts, comments and resteems of everyone on the list I found that 74% of the people on the list have been active in the past 7 days.
This is slightly skewed as over 90% of the people on the list have joined since May 2017 so there is still a good dose of initial enthusiasm.
This ‘recent joiner’ argument could be countered in part by the suggestion that there does seem to have been something of an overemphasis on the ‘earn as you blog’ part of steemit for many of the new joiners. This can inevitably lead to disappointment for those hoping to see Steemit Street paved in gold the minute they step out of their front door.
One interesting nuance of the figures is that the retention rate drops significantly to 53% for those who have given no identifiable geographic location in their profiles. Maybe this suggests a lesser commitment to the platform? Or perhaps a realisation of the potential personal exposure that an active steemit life might bring? This might particularly be an issue for preppers where privacy and opsec can be of significant importance.
So if these figures are anywhere correct and retention rates are much higher amongst homesteaders and preppers then what is the reason for this?
The Homesteading and Prepping ‘Community’
I suggest it may be summed up in one word ‘Community’.
While they may have varying political and personal beliefs the homesteaders and preppers on steemit have to a large degree come together around a common purpose.
Various initiatives have quickly offered up the means for homesteaders and preppers to network and mutually support each other.
These initiatives include :
- The regularly updated list of Homesteaders and Preppers on steemit run by @pennsif
- The SteemitHomesteaders on Slack channel initiated by @greenacrehome
- The Homestead Life network (THL) founded by @thehomesteadlife
- The Weekly Homesteading Newsletter (WHN) run by @kiaraantonoviche
- Homesteaders of steemit and Preppers of steemit identifier badges produced by @daddykirbs
How much the higher retention rate amongst the homesteaders and preppers is due to these initiatives and how much to initial enthusiasm and dedication of purpose is hard to tell.
Revisiting the retention figures in say 3 months time will give a stronger signal.
What is clear is that there has definitely been an upswelling of community amongst homesteaders and preppers on steemit - particularly those that joined since May.
The evidence of networking, sharing, mutual support and to some extent informal mentoring is quite abundant.
Communities coming to steemit?
I have not spent time looking, nor obviously come across, other similar ‘mutual interest communities’ on steemit but I am sure they must exist.
I understand the development of more formally constituted communities is on the near horizon for steemit :
https://steemit.com/steemit/@timcliff/condenser-steemit-com-github-development-report-2017-07-22
https://github.com/steemit/condenser/wiki/Community-Spec-%5BDRAFT%5D
That will for sure be a good thing for the future of steemit.
Mentoring?
Tagged on the back of the coming Community structure I wonder if some sort of mentoring system might be worth considering. I have seen this work effectively in online games.
The learning curve for steemit is considerably steeper than in the more polished social networks like Facebook etc. The early difficulties of understanding the mechanics of steemit almost certainly account in some part for the high fall off rate. Having the guiding hand of a mentor or steemit buddy could help newcomers overcome the initial hurdles.
I don’t know how the retention rate in steemit compares with other social networks but I am sure it is currently too low.
The earn as you blog USP of steemit is a double-edged sword. Its initial shine attracts many, but as reality bites and disappointment sets in it can repel just as fast.
There are many factors that will help improve the retention rate on steemit but the evidence amongst homesteaders and preppers suggests the development of mutual interest communities can have a considerable positive influence on keeping newcomers on board.
Coupling that with a mentoring system could help further.
What do you think?
If you found this post useful or interesting please do upvote, resteem and follow. Thank you.
You might also be interested in some of my other recent posts :
Homestead Happiness is... A competition with up to 15 SBD in prizes
Homestead Happiness is... eating a meal you have grown / reared yourself
Pennsif's Progress - The Days are Numbered // Day 972 : Time flies with a polytunnel
Homesteaders & Preppers on steemit - the 150 milestone edition - v6 [23 Jul '17]
Exilant post.
I have been wondering if our communities have made a difference..lol. and now i know.
good job :o)
I agree with you completely.
I think perhaps some where invited here and heard the word cryptocurrency and it either scared them off, or made them think they could get 'rich' quick.
I for one have had an interest in BT and cryptocurrency but I'm not here to necessarily make money.
I am here for these reasons:
Earning any type of income comes after those three reasons.
@goldendawne I love your user name: it makes me smile. Not sure why but I've had to watch a few Golden Dawn initiation vids recently and no offense to them but you look so much more NORMAL and nicer and smilier than the GD dudes running around in robes and silly hats.....so I upvoted your comment :)
Whoops - I just realised that you might BE one! No offence, I hope, to anyone.....(gulp)
lol- thank you
Hubby calls me that because I have blonde hair and says I'm his ray of sunshine.
Glad I look normal!!!
Nope... not me
no offense taken
Very sounds reasons, I would totally agree with.
I think this is a great idea. I haven't investigated everything that's out there but I was thinking of starting an Over 50s community so we can all bitch about the tech in private:) Is there one already, does anyone know?
I don't know of an Over 50's community. I'll make no comment of whether I would be eligible to join or not 😉
The issue with tracking by Tag is that users can
1 ) use multiple tags (ie prepper, preppers, prepping) - an issue I wrote about
2 ) focus on writing articles for other Tags outside of the expected
3 ) focus on commenting on other people's articles
The only true way to keep track if people were still engaged in a sub-community, like Homesteading, would to track ALL posts for those people identified for that sub-community. And, even with that, you would have to account for people posting on a non-daily basis.
Of course, you would have to require people who want to belong to the sub-community to be added to the list, so that you could see a full list of members per day as well as their activity level on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
It probably would be nice if there was a feature that allowed STEEMians to choose the Top 10 Topic interests. Then you could track people based on their chosen interest.
ABSOLUTELY for number 1 Sometimes I say homestead, homesteading. etc and it's almost as if we need an umbrella phrase (like the #thl) I am still training my fingers to type THL in the tags box
I spend probably 2-3 times longer on reading and commenting on other people's posts than I do writing my own. But... it's a win-win for me. I learn something 90% of the time plus something clicks in my head and I get another idea or topic
I think some homesteaders and preppers are having a hard time figuring Steemit out. I some will stop posting and just give up. That is the way it goes, I have over 200 followers and get 4 or 5 views on my posts. Lots of people see that and say no wants to see my content so I will quit and they give up. I see some homesteasders that you see they have only one or two posts and a hundred resteems. So some homesteaders and preppers may never post just read and comment and upvote.
Yes, I know I have issues with understanding the algorithms to the steem, SP and SBDs. I have read many posts on here and follow a few people that have posted information. It can be VERY difficult. Our oldest son has bitcoins (so he has explained that part of it to me) but I still need to get a grasp on steemit.
A issue I am seeing with all those coming in is they don't take the time to learn before they dive in wanting those streets of gold. Blogging goes beyond just posting their yt video and frankly if I want to see their yt I will do that over there and I will ignore those not saying anything except go watch my video. Engage in this community first before ya try making it yt part 2..
In regards to the diving in and not taking the time to put out substantial information and posts, many people are just using this as a 'wide spot in the road'- just another place to post their videos and links, or memes.
I know a few homesteaders that have youtube channels and are upset over the fact that youtube is not giving as much revenue as they used to.
I like to engage in conversation and along the way I read posts and articles to learn; to better myself. I don't generally do (as I refer to them as) drive-by comments.
The difference is that steemit is not yt so we can't judge it like yt and many of those homesteaders knew changes were coming to yt 6 or more months before they took place, one of the main changes I saw 6 months ago as a Mod at yt was they were going to tighten down on any channel that did not stay family friendly and make adjustments/changes to what they shared. The only constant is God, everything else changes.
I agree. I have no tolerance for things that are not family friendly. If it is something I would not want my grandchildren to watch then I won't watch it either.
Of all the ways members can participate I do all, with the exception of the badge. I want one. I need one. But I also need more SBDs to get one.
@daddykirbs I am hoping by the first of next week I can get one from you. I have the link and page saved
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STOPVery interesting post. As a brand new steemian, I don't think I would still be here if it wasn't for the homesteading community. Tapping into that community was like finding an instant circle of friends who were happy and willing to help me along.
I still do not understand the crypto currency aspect of it all, although it has dawned on me that we are talking about 'real' money. Honestly, for months before signing up and the first few days after, I was fully convinced that steem was an internal currency that could be used on the site, but served no purpose outside of it. Now I realise people actually pay their bills with it, which is very neat.
The community is a definite advantage and keeps motivation levels high.At least it does for me. I see some posts form fellow #thl members and I can't click on it fast enough to read.
I still have to go through the most updated thl member list and make sure I have everyone. I think I'm missing quite a few, as the number has increased so rapid.
Me too.
Very interesting bought of a mentor! How would hat work in your eyes?? I like the idea of Steemit Battle Buddies!! A lot, actually!!