I read a post asking the users to justify "Why SteemIt isn't a Waste of Time"
When I read his post and responses, I thought this person has received a lot of misinformation.
So, I wanted to clear a few things up.
SteemIt isn't "sold" as anything. It is a platform where people can earn Steem from "Stake based voting" meaning the more stake you have the more your vote matters. Some users write marketing type pieces which are just their own opinions.
There is no promise of quality content although the topic comes up a lot.
There is no promise of earning.. comes up a lot.
No agreed upon marketing plan.
Anything you read that lead you to believe differently was just someone's opinion.
People use their stake in upvotes and downvotes, some others are renting it, some are selling votes, they are using their stake however they choose, others watch and comment, but that is about all there is to it.
How the game is played relies only on you and your stake. For some this might be a waste of time, some have already become rich and others are on their way, some are using it to supplement their life right now and some are hoping it will pay off in the future.
Some likely are wasting their time. It takes a certain skill set and or some networking skills. For instance you should be able to say something interesting in text, or make art or a picture, or write a bot, or make friends.. If you aren't good at any of those things,.. Get creative. Not all opportunities are a good fit for everyone.
If it feels like a waste of time to you, move on. If it sounds like an opportunity, stay...
Welcome to SteemIt, I hope you stay.
And if you think you dont have the skill, well it can be a learnt.. slowly you will get there with some determination. Eventually you will find an area of interest to you, that also others will enjoy reading.. Not an easy journey but feasible:)
Good luck all:)
Writing is not difficult. It's just not. Write out what you would say to someone in a conversational style, be yourself, and don't be afraid to speak your mind and be passionate.
Don't put all your eggs in one basket either. I see a lot of people write up huge, elaborate posts (esp. newcomers), then get discouraged when they don't get any upvotes - or they get a lot of upvotes but not a whole lot of cash. That's just how it goes sometimes.
Just write and be consistent and persistent and you'll have a good time. The money is a bonus, and a damn good one if you invest the time to do it right.
Good advise, "dont put all eggs in one basket" ! It might be the best post worth hundreds (and you've put hours of writing)but when you start up you dont have many followers, so no many people see your posts. And you'll be lucky if a whale comes by at the right time when you just posted and you get upvoted.
I still struggle somedays, being the only one who upvoted my post(pathetic haha) but i enjoy posting. And money is a bonus as you said:)
Lets keep steeming on!
Upvote your own posts without prejudice, as long as you write something good, I don't see any problem with it.
What I DO have a problem with is people who right "Good post!!" and upvote themselves and then call the bots in to upvote that post too. "Thanks for posting!!" and "Good post!" spam are not $1.00+ (or even $0.01+) comments.
It's happened a few times and I take great joy in downvoting them.
Yups agree that is def worth a downvote! You are doing a good job there downvoting to discourage people doing so!
Nice addition, I wish I would have thought of that when I was writing.
Haha im glad it did. Cause thats what i tell myself:)
This speaks to the concept of instant gratification. If I put up a post that doesn't immediately make $100s then it is a waste of time.
The old adage says "anything worth doing is worth doing right."
It takes work to build a network on any platform. You say something worth hearing, people will find you. But it takes a commitment, and a willingness to be a minnow for awhile while you work on learning the platform, getting to know people, and attracting eyes to what you are doing.
Hard work and perseverance will pay off on this platform, I believe it. Laziness and begging will not. The "Oh Woah is me. I didn't make any rewards today" crowd will eventually find their way back to Reddit, only to be replaced by a new pack of people with the same mindset.
I guess the question for those committed to Steemit is, is it worth the effort to change the mindset of this type of user? Or better to let them fade off into a dead account? Success does take numbers after all.
I don't have the answer. But for me, I see the value in this platform and what I might be able to achieve with it. That makes it worth the effort in my mind.
Thanks for the post @whatsup! Have a great one!
Let them die off, IMO.
Sure, more users/numbers looks good for Steemit, but it won't increase market demand for STEEM, just produce inflation and crash the price - the payouts will all be going to those who want to cash out. If you throw your hands up and call it "a scam" or "a ponzi" after spending even a few hours in the world of cryptocurrency because you don't understand it or you're not making enough money for your posts when you're just getting started, then you shouldn't be here anyway.
Brilliantly put!! Instant gratification stops hundreds of people in their tracks. Thank God, it won't deter us from this journey, or we would already be gone.
Great response! I am sure we do have some users who will not be successful, but that does not stop others from figuring out how to win at this game and play it.
@whatsup,
Actually STEEMIT is not a waste of time! It is a investment to me! Great post friend! Really appreciate your post!
Cheers~
i sold my last pair of panties on letgo so I could buy just a little more Steem. We Steem On!
It all depends, the money is there, I cashed out 327 USD so it is real, but if you can't get up votes you are wasting your time, I have over 900 followers and I post regularly and yet I have to use minnowsupport so my posts make at least 1 dollar, so even a large number of followers doesn't equal success here because very few people upvote minnows, imagine how difficult it must be for someone just starting out.
I don't have to imagine. When I was starting out there wasn't any minnow support. It took forever before most of my posts earned a dollar. I survived 7cent steem and a month worth of an empty rewards pool. Yes, I know it is tough. We need more people reading and curating. I am not saying it is perfect, I am just saying it is work.
What job do you start, what business do you start and expect to become an instant success?
Bots have made it a heck of a lot easier, if you know how to use them. Most of them are well worth the investment, and there will be more to come. A good thing, IMO, because the bots all require investment into the system to be useful and operate (I get a big LOL out of the bots that have 0 SP offering to resteem and upvote for SMD) and produce a tangible benefit and net profit for everyone involved.
Shameless self-promotion for one of my posts for those who want a list of bots they can use to get upvotes:
https://steemit.com/steemit/@trending/list-of-steemit-upvoting-robots-and-minimum-bids
I don't mind most of the bots, and your link was so shameless, I voted on your post as well.
This comment has received a 3.13 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @trending.
Great answer to the question in your headline!
I have tried many platforms and social media channels to try to get my message out. I know it takes some work and that success includes sweat, tears and some luck. But I also know it's up to me, not to some other people. Like you mention here!
I have been on Steemit since June and yes it takes a lot of time, and no I haven't been rich yet :-D But I have fun, I enjoy others work and I also meet fantastic people. I will leave when it's not fun and I loose my motivation, but as it looks at the moment: that will not happen in a long time.
When people say they are in it for the long haul, I always think, hmm.. I am in it for as long as I find it enjoyable and of some value, be it monetary or otherwise. :) Again, great attitude.
Agree.
Well said,
Everything in steemit needs effort and passion, but if a steemian is only after for penny, and penny is all they get!
When a steemian post nonsense, and he expect a lot of users to give $$$, damm he is a ***
This made me smile. lol
I guess to some climbing a mountain, talking to friends or even having kids is considered a waste of time. With all the time people spend on the cell phone and social mediathough, it's funny that steemit would be singled out and called a waste of time.
I saw that post, I didn't feel it deserved my attention though X-D I'm looking for people who want to forge a sense of community that goes beyond steemit, not for people who are looking for steemit to fill some void in their lives, although it surely can do that as a side effect.
It had a really odd sense of entitlement as if somehow we were supposed to feel lucky if we could convince him to stay.
Go .. stay... It is all the same to me! ;)