Don't Follow Me Because I Asked You Too - Follow Me Because I Create Value For You!
Exchanging a "Follow" for a "Follow" on any type of social media site (including Steemit) is rarely a good idea.
Here's why:
A few raving fans are better than lots of unengaged fans.
Sure, I want to have lots of followers, but I also want them to interact with me. Sometimes we get all caught up in quantity (the number of our followers) that we forget about quality (the level engagement of our followers).
Ideally, both the number of followers and the level of engagement increases over time, but in the early stages of network growth, you are better served by finding people who genuinely connect with your content and can't wait to get new content from you.
Find raving fans! And if you don't have raving fans yet, then create content that people can rave about.
It is easier to learn what value you provide when you focus on a small group of people first.
This just makes sense, but we rarely think about it. Our job at Steemit is to serve others. If you are not in the habit of serving others (i.e. providing valuable content), then it is a whole lot easier to find your niche and hone your skills when you are working with a small test group, compared to a larger test group.
Replying to comments should be a priority within the Steemit community. First, we hope that our content creates comments. Second, as content creators we need to carve out time to reply to those comments.
Focus on a small group of followers first. Work out the details and find your way, then your network of followers grow naturally.
A follow should be earned
I shouldn't even have to write this point. You earn a follow by creating EXCEPTIONAL content.
Disclaimer: Creating quality content takes time and practice. You will need to write a lot of articles to hone your skills. So take the time!
And as you start to create better content, followers will naturally come your way. Stop asking people to follow you when you have not even proven that you are worth following.
A follow is a way to reward someone else - one of the highest honors.
Choose wisely when selecting who to follow. Follow someone because of the value that they give you, and reward that person for their quality content.
Sometimes we pass out "follows" like cheap trinkets. Shame on us! We often degrade our relationships with other people, and especially online when we rarely meet face-to-face. Remember quality of relationships and level of engagement are most important!
Break the pattern! Let follows be a way to say thank you to people who have invested time and energy into improving your life.
Following content that is NOT beneficial to you is a waste of time.
Never follow for a follow! Follow a author who produces valuable content that is relevant to your life.
Following an author without a viable reason only clogs up your “home” screen. Our home screen should be the centralized location where we find the most relevant content that meets our needs.
Don’t be afraid to add new authors that meet your needs. Don’t be afraid to remove authors that are not longer speaking into life.
Final Thoughts
I see how giving a follow for a follow can build your Steemian network, but I do not consider it the best strategy for developing meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships!
Be an active, contributing part of the Steemian community and reward others who do the same!
- Upvote if you like this post!
- Follow me if you want more posts like it!
- Resteem if someone else needs to hear this!
Photo from Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/en/follow-figure-silhouette-friends-1818545/
Baby steps. That's what it takes. Thank you for reaffirming what is easily forgotten on the road to success.
Agree about the baby steps. We all need to make goals and then start taking action steps towards those goals. Along the way we have to evaluate, and then pivot or make a hard change.
Most of us don't get moving because we don't start.
Then the rest of us start, but are not willing to take the baby steps necessary to reach our goals.