Steemit Tips: How NOT To Behave On Steemit -- Follow-Begging
Hey, it's @shayne
Most people around here know that I like to give new members of Steemit the best advice I can.
Well, I'm kind of creating a series of things NOT to do. Here are the other posts so far.
This isn't to say that I know everything, but I have been able to prove real results in the last month of really trying to work it on Steemit. So let me give you this little bit of advice:
Stop Follow-Begging!
What is follow-begging?
It's when someone goes to another person's post and leaves a comment with the intention of getting people to follow them back.
Usually looks something like this:
Hey, cool post! I followed you. Return the favor.
No.
No. No. NO.
Please, stop doing this. I'm asking you nicely. Not only does it look lame but it will actually hurt your ability to grow your following here.
(And trust me, I realize that by writing this I'm going to get comments that will copy and past exactly what I said not to do. Funny, guys. Real funny)
But but but I'm just asking! Is it so wrong to ask?
No, there's nothing ethically wrong with begging people to follow you.
But it's bad taste.
Like you, people posts content on Steemit because they want people to see it.
This is a good place to build an authentic audience, unlike places like YouTube and Twitter where a good portion of your followers aren't even humans.
So when you leave a generic copy + paste script as a comment asking people to follow you, it's obvious that you didn't even look at the content. You're just posting. And that's going to leave a bad taste in people's mouths.
So QUIT IT
Seriously. Stop.
You're doing yourself and the Steemit community a disservice. I would even go so far as to call follow-begging a kind of soft abuse of the community.
It's a good way of signaling to everyone else that you're not an authentic person.
This might attract people who are just interested in doing "follow4follow" deals, but for people who are actually invested in this platform or who are actually producing real content, it makes you like like exactly the person not to follow.
What should I do, then?
Easy answer: authentically engage with the Steemit community.
Leaving comments is great. Do that. Leave lots of comments. Especially if you're new -- leave as many comments as you possibly can!
But here's the super-secret fool-proof trick that will really make your followers grow... ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE POST YOU ARE COMMENTING ON.
If it's an article, read it. If it's a video, watch it. Be a real person and treat others like they are real people.
You're going to develop a great following here if you are authentic and honest, and you treat others like they are authentic and honest, too.
What I do with follow-beggars
I ignore you.
And that's a damn shame for you, because I try to engage with every comment I get on my blog.
I will go into a lengthy conversation or debate with you if you're bringing up something that stirs me up personally. And if you continue to be engaging and interesting, I'll probably follow you an become your friend because I'll want to know whats on your mind.
But if you are constantly follow-begging, I'm not going to click on your profile, I'm not going to upvote your post, I'm not going to follow you. I'm going to ignore you like you never existed, because you are not treating me like a person, and that's not what friends do.
In fact, I might even go a step further and click your profile and check your comments, and if I see a bunch of follow-begging or link-begging I'll just mute your account so I never have to see you again.
And believe me, there are lots of people like me here on Steemit.
So act accordingly.
What do you think?
Are you tired of follow-begging? Am I being clear in what I'm saying here?
Leave a comment below and tell me all about it.
Great post @shayne... you are right on, actively engaging as a real person is the way to go. Slow and steady.
So much this. It adds up over time and the network effect of other people who are also doing things the right way (writing good content consistently, taking time to engage with others genuinely, etc...) does reflect heavily on your results.
This is an old strategy though, nothing new. It's the same thing that has driven results for most successful internet websites and personalities for over 20+ years now.
If I walked up to you and said something short and completely out of context, you would think I was either stupid, on-drugs, rude/inconsiderate or possibly autistic.
Why people do it online is beyond me.
Exactly.
:)
Looks like it getting a bit of a hype lately, quite anoying. Steemit is not Instagram :)
Let's just hope all newbies read this post ;)
I know a lot of people are coming to Steemit with the established social media paradigm. My hope is that Steemit with maintain its unique community qualities, at least for a little while longer.
Hah! I just got my first "Follow Beggar" .
My response was:
"https://steemit.com/steemit/@shayne/steemit-tips-how-not-to-behave-on-steemit-follow-begging
I recommend anyone new to Steemit read everything @shayne posts about being successful."
lol! Awesome!
Post me the link. I want to see your first beggar :D
https://steemit.com/security/@theblindsquirl/do-you-keep-a-firearm-for-home-defence#@izbing/re-theblindsquirl-do-you-keep-a-firearm-for-home-defence-20170611t015442901z
I think I've arrived. ;-)
You've made it!
lol
Please believe me when I say that reading your posts have made me the kinder, gentler person who replied to them with such a benign (and hopefully helpful) answer.
Well, that is very much appreciated. I just hope you haven't wasted your kindness and understanding on a bot
lol
I wouldn't consider it wasted, more like practice.
Soon, maybe I'll be able to do it without going through the whole "devil on one shoulder, angel on the other" thing. ;-)
Is such a thing even possible?
thank you. shouldn't even have to be said but....people are people
You seem to have the right idea. Keep it up.
If I have a productive and lengthy comment exchange with someone, is it acceptable to ask after you know you click well, at least on the topic at hand? I certainly don't leave "This is cool, follow me" comments, but I do interact on a lot of posts that I enjoy the content of, connect with the author, and then politely ask if they'd like to check out my content or follow me.
Is that alright? I'm trying to be a good girl dammit! <3
I think so. If you are engaged with someone on a topic, it would make sense to follow each other. The worst part about his example is that they do this in a rely comment to an article. Its very rude.
It's all about relationships. If you are comfortable with someone I see no problem sending them stuff to check out. But if it's a stranger, well... that's like handing out flyers at the grocery store. You're basically saying "Here, you throw this away :D"
Got it :D Thank you for clarifying, I'll be on my merry way curating and posting <3
Also, I think I've only asked for like 3 follows from other people, I have 70+ in just under two weeks, hard work pays off, sometimes I just want people I like to see my stuff though LOL
70 in two weeks is really good! Figures, you didn't get the vast majority of those by follow-begging, eh? hmmm... ;)
I just hope it keeps going and I don't get burnt out, I'm trying to pace myself a little better with when I post and varying the content a little day to day. :)
As long as you enjoy what you are doing that it wont be an issue. Make sure to write about what you know and enjoy, then its a win-win. With no expectations. I like teaching what i know. SO i win either way and hopefully the people who read them do also. I am at less than 3 weeks so we are on the same adventure right now.
Keep up the good work.
I agree that you shouldn't convince someone to follow, almost like buying votes. Your suggestions and my morals on the subject are in agreement. Sometimes though i don't have time to read every point made in a post, and I have made a comment that was a little off before. Very good post for new people, including me, to learn from. Thanks
You're welcome! A little integrity goes a long way -- that's for damn sure :D
Agreed. Never asked for a follow & never will! Integrity is everything.🖕🏻😈🖕🏻haha
Integrity speaks volumes.
Great advise, am new to steemit, am learning along the way. Keep it coming, will be reading it!
Hey, welcome! I'm glad you're here. I'm finding that the influx of new people is so great that it would be useful to make these sorts of advice posts daily.
The follow begging recently has gotten a bit ridiculous, I'm getting quite sick of it now, and it's so obvious too!
Well, yeah -- that's what inspired me to write this. They're annoying to get because you know they have no idea or consideration for your post. It's just rude lol