SHITPOST YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS 🥇NEW Steemit-Exclusive Series • Lesson No. 1 • Letting go of quality for profit
Creating quality content on Steemit can feel like trying to break rocks with a glass hammer
It's only good if people read it. Many seasoned veterans will declare 'quality is key' while they get automated votes, regardless of how 'shitpostesque' their shit (I meant content) really is.
We hear that "quality is subjective" from people who get votes based upon the profitability odds of their post.
What does that mean? Well, it means that those who are known to generate high earnings tend to get more votes because it is profitable to vote this way due to how the rewards system works. Quality, quite literally, has nothing to do with earning here on Steemit.
How does one find success on Steemit?
With the way that the platform is set up, basically, there are a few ways to get noticed. I'll go into this more in-depth in the next parts of this series, but here are a few things that people do to earn:
• Beg anyone who will listen to upvote your shitposts
• Spam every discord room you know of without the slightest degree of self-control
• Kiss some whale ass with bright red lipstick
There are many more ways than this, of course, but these are the most popular methods I've observed. A future lesson in this series is already mapped out to include many more, so if your appetite for shitposting tips has yet to be satiated, then by all means stick around.
Oh, you doubt?!
Ok, so we still haven't made you a believer? Well, there is plenty more of this series to come, so hang onto that belief with both hands! Anyone who has tried to pump out quality content surely knows that struggle is real.
Without genuine and meaningful relationships (it's all about who you know) it can feel impossible to get noticed and see your quality content get the attention it might on other platforms. It's not always about the content - it is more about the individual - the 'who', not so much the 'what'. Sharing content without a network is as useful as mesh condoms, so keep that in mind.
Two camps and you will join one:
• Camp Shitpost: let all the common courtesy out the window like some hot gas and post unscrupulously.
• Camp Quality: post with compassion, care, and regard for your readers (assuming you have some). Growth is typically much slower and takes exponentially more effort, determination, desire, and passion to achieve. It is a very small camp here, so we have plenty of room for more of you!!
Thanks for droning through lesson 1 and please check out this introduction here or click the image below to learn more about the shenanigans to come:
Introducing: SHITPOST YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS 🥇All NEW Steemit-Exclusive Mini-Series
You're hilarious! :) A lot of your points if not most are valid but I'm still optimistic. I think there is a lot more to steemit than the trending page.
High five for that, buddy! I appreciate it!!
Just having some fun and hoping to open some discussion. I come from a background of art and art is generally developed to disrupt - as history has frequently shown. Humor is a great form of art and one that I personally couldn't live without.
Hivemind update should bring some welcomed change, but I think the future of Steemit is really a decision we all have to make individually and also collectively. An ecosystem requires balance - no need for perfection, just a little balance would help.
It's life. We are here for a good time, not a long time.. Might as well laugh a little! 😉
Maybe you could enter a comedy contest. lol
I'm a bit confused about the Hivemind and SMT's. I think we have more of a leadership and customer service problem than anything else. I think I understand this site better than 99% of people that have tried it out but it is still very confusing even for me. Some things I don't even bother to try and calculate out. lol
Yeah it is good to have a little fun once in a while.
You don't upvote yourself? Do you use @dustsweeper? My solo upvotes don't count.
😆 thanks!
Here's a great summary of the Hivemind update via @steemitblog:
Update: Communities/Hivemind
I do vote myself at times (about 5.1% of my outgoing votes in the past 31 days)
I use bid bots to support my own posts, so I use my votes to try to reward readers and content creators that I stumble upon.
I haven't heard of @dustsweeper, so I'll check that out.
Yeah I have noticed this. Been on here one month so far and am slowly realizing that for the most part, any post that I’m truly proud of does fairly poor. While I see plenty of folks post nonsense and get rewarded to the extreme. A bit broken it seems.
The challenge I’m having is the community I’m involved with here for the most part is fairly small. Loyal but not large. I’m thinking I have to expand my horizons a bit in my writings to grow here so I’m working on that but man...it’s definitely a grind here.
No doubt, it is a grind if you travel the path less traveled' / creating original content and focusing on quality. I've been on Steemit for about 321 days, but it took me about one week to see the blatant disconnect from reality. I saw many speak about "quality is key" and that top-quality posts earn more than low-quality posts. Unfortunately, that is pretty easier to identify as nonsense after a glance through the feeds.
The best advice that I can give is to not waiver in your efforts, but apply them in ways that make it fun (at least). Have fun, focus on quality, and networking with fellow users is absolutely key. Just like you are doing here! We have to stick together because the unfortunate truth is that the 'real-deal-shitposters' sure as hell do!
Of the 177 posts that I have made on Steemit, 99.9% are entirely original content from words to media. I created my own series, initiatives, and articles entirely from scratch - many of them did piss-poor. After putting hundreds of hours into these works and getting nowhere - I decided to support myself if nobody else would. That sucks, but not enough to make me quit. It'll take more than a few ass-backwards fools to drive me away.. 😂
I'll add you to my @grow-bot list and hopefully, the tiny bit of support I can offer will add up for you, my friend. Thanks for dropping by @blewitt.
@grow-pro Well your honest and sincere take on this earned you a new follower in myself. Also the fact that I think you are doing things the right way. I hope that they can fix and repair the glaring problems here. I love the idea behind this and those in the community that are doing what you are and what I feel I am doing or at least aiming to do...these individuals are what’s making this a place I’m proud to be dabbling in. That’s very kind of you brother. Looking forward to more of what ya have to say...especially having two kids and being self employed as I am. Lol
@grow-pro Oh man, did this post speak to me. I actually found your second article in the series through Reddit. I loved it so wanted to read more from you and found this one.
I actually was going to ask on the steemit subreddit about growing on the platform, since I'm a noob and naively believed in the mantra spouted around here, "Quality will prevail". Pffft, yeah right.
I was actually highlighted twice by @curie, but the people that voted on my content basically saw me as a red pocket on a roulette wheel; a vehicle for them to increase their wealth. Once they voted and got their share, they were gone.
I admit, it was a rush to see a huge boost in views and upvotes on my content. It really cemented that stupid idea that quality content matters on this platform. But besides a nice bit of change in my pocket, nothing significant came from it. No followers, no friends, nothing.
It wasn't until I read this article and the comment chain where I realized that this is all just a game of betting. "Who you bettin' on today, Joe?" Quality content is not what this platform was made for at all. It doesn't recognize it. It doesn't reward it.
I had put myself all-in with Steemit, believing that the community here would appreciate what I had to offer, but it really doesn't. Despite all the negatives, Youtube is still the best place to post your content, no matter how saturated it is. Hell, I've had giant success on Reddit by posting a single picture on there.
Some people may say that "you're not gonna make money off of Youtube with their ad policies" and "you don't even get paid on Reddit", but they're missing the point. Ad revenue is a pittance. The real money comes from building your brand. Taking ownership of your content and deciding how YOU want to make money off of it.
On Steemit, I'm another horse on the racetrack, competing with others that have far more advantages that I will ever have. I really wanted to believe that this platform would be different, that the blockchain-nature of the site would lead to people being more focused on growing the platform to be THE #1 place for amazing content. But it's not.
I was planning to keep my content as Steemit-exclusives, to do what I could to help the platform grow. But in the end, it's a waste of my own efforts, and I'd be better off sharing what I've created with others and guiding my own fate, rather than hoping a whale or curator train drops some votes on me.
Anyway, sorry for the huge rant, but your post, despite being satire, just really spoke to me. I'll keep creating content to the best of my ability, but I'm not going to waste it by keeping it exclusive to a platform that could care less about it.
Thanks so much for the post. Upvoted and followed you, and looking to reading more from you!
Noobs should realize that many of the posts with high earnings numbers on them had their votes bought from a bot. Often the earnings are bought for more money than the vote is worth.
very true, @swarmy! And even 'quality posts' are generally upvoted by an account that has a trail behind it to upvote - only because the system makes it profitable to sell your votes and also to vote on what is likely to earn the most curation reward. It's ironic that with a system like this that quality could ever be the key to success.
However, there are many changes being discussed and Steemit is likely to roll-out some of these changes very soon. I follow @steemitblog for updates and pipeline info. Thanks for dropping in and sharing thoughts. STEEM ONWARD AND UPWARD!!
I understand what u say, but it is a bit extreme! There are many initiatives that fully support amazing posts.. only because of their quality.. @ecotrain and @tribesteemup are two great examples!
And some big changes are coming with a new token for rewarding based on popularity and not power! @ned has been revealing this to people recently and so watch this space!
It is a 'satire series', which I have detailed in the {intro post](https://steemit.com/introducing/@grow-pro/introducing-shitpost-your-way-to-success-all-new-steemit-exclusive-mini-series).
I agree that there are various initiatives for 'quality', however, most (if not all of these) require funds. That, to me at least, still suggests that quality is based solely on profitability. I am part of more than one initiative, in fact, all of which required 'monetary installation' in order to receive any benefit. Ironically, the benefits are also based solely upon your weighted investment amount. How ironic!
I am not at all discounting the integrity of these initiatives, but I do feel that it is not solving the issue holistically. With the HIVEMIND update on the horizon and community features + SMT and the potential that brings - it is surely going to change. Whether it's a solution or not will remain to be seen.
I am also aware of the discussion surrounding how rewards are based on vote weight/SP could possibly change to a more 'fair' metric. If the system relies only on those with STEEM POWER to essentially determine the value of posts - we are SOL. Those with the most SP tend to seek profit and their vote will cost you. Change is absolutely on the horizon and I am excited to see it unfold.
Thanks for dropping in and sharing your thoughts @eco-alex. The intro to this series will explain my 'method to my madness' and the intent is to open the discussion. So far, so good! Thanks again.
Many Steemians see that difference between minnows and whales is way too big. Let be honest, it's bullshit that only few whales decide who gonna get little bigger upvote. Ironically 99% of those whales don't blog at all. So people who don't write articles at all should decide who will get upvote for their written article?! That don't make sense at all!
I hope this gonna be the case!
You and I both! I've put in far more than I have earned, taken out virtually nothing and created my own content from words to graphics, media, photos and have struggled to maintain motivation as well. It is truly just a handful of people that have made my experience worthwhile. Not monetarily, I'm talking about the 'experience' and the support that they have offered. Comments here go a long way, in my eyes.
I have always tried to reward engagement because that's the thread that keeps this all together.
If this place becomes a place where we write content for robots - we're in trouble. These robots do not read for profit, only vote. Automation only works if the intent is aligned with the function. If the objective is rewarding quality content, we need robots that vote on parameters other than how much you paid them..lol
It's not about money in the end, it's about connecting.
Someone who gives effort to write few quality articles and after receiving 0 $ and 0 comments, what should he do after that? Few will continue, but most of people give up because they don't see reason to write. Yes, people need more patience, but also Steemit system is broken and it's not organized well enough. Odds are high that newcomer willing to give an effort will give up after while because of lack of support here. Steemit must re-organize so people don't quit so quickly as now days.
(Thanks for resteem, I really appreciate it!)
OOOO man i thought you were a sell out for a moment, and nearly hit that unfollow button.... glad I spotted the humour tag and kept reading 😀
I twigged early on that it's not a level playing feild and quickly changed my outlook on why I use steemit, started for money not going to lie, got mouths to feed, but found a few great people to follow and see thier content thats well put together and meets my interests.
I'm pushing for more interaction with the community where i can as the meaningful comments (not your "nicejob" sh*t) carry more value than the upvote (unless your a whale then shitpost in my comments and up vote away 😂) Thanks for sharing @gro-pro had a nice chuckle at this one!
😂 aw man I am glad you read enough to ID my ridiculous and 'non-traditional' delivery. I have seen quite a bit in my days here and this is one thing that makes me laugh:
Steemit advertises as a platform for making money and there's a belief that somehow people coming here for money or monetary gain are the enemy.
@jackmiller and I often chat and this topic is one we have dissected a few times. When you have a sign up page that directly states you should sign up to earn and a community of early adopters touting that Steemit is not about the money (since when?) it creates a great divide. There are many people who feel they should earn but not everyone puts forth the basic requirements. That doesn't mean you can't earn on Steemit. It also doesn't mean anyone should feel guilty for coming here to earn money as that is the sole purpose.
Removing monetary gain, this is Facebook or Twitter with a character length set by bandwidth. Seriously, this is not some miracle worker community of people changing the world single handedly as some wish to believe. It's a mechanism of economics that married social media and had a baby. Steemit is two years old and has the track record of a milk-drunk toddler. It is still finding its legs, for sure.
The two real reasons people come to earn money on Steemit:
Don't be fooled by those who proclaim to be here for any other reason. Even those who bring money to the table here are absolutely expecting a return on investment. That is not to say that there are none who are genuinely here to provide support and to see this community grow and thrive. However, a large portion of the population are robots - owned by those who have invested - Steemit is naturally inflationary and it is no wonder why these people wish to vacuum the rewards = it is protecting their investment capital. Who doesn't like to keep the money they made, right?
We can't expect a utopia and accepting some level of inefficiency is necessary to achieve a 90% success. I'm not saying we flip the game board like a child, but rather seek a little more balance. That'll take a butt-load more honesty, in my opinion. Still too many people with unrealistic expectations.
We all make the experience here and I really appreciate you all who've made my time here more enjoyable than painful. I have to say that even the bumps and bruises I take here are worth the connections I have made. Money can't buy great friends and this platform has afforded me the opportunity to meet a few really incredible humans. Thanks for your support and sharing your thoughts, @digitaldan. I have mapped out this miniseries BUT I have my usual intensely long content still on the calendar 😆🍻
@grow-pro great reply! and I agree its hard not to come for the money they way its portrayed from the outside. Looking forward to the rest of the mini series 😀
NO BULL!
What about the laughs?
Nothing can pay for the laughs that this series is going to bring about!
I have been on Steemit for one year now. When I first joined Steemit in May 2017, I was doing fairly well in the amounts of upvotes and making a decent amount of money. Now I am lucky to make a couple dollars on a post. Maney of the people that joined when I did have left because of the state of Steemit at this point. When you can take the time to make a good post, taking pictures, resizing pictures and getting it all typed out, then see a three-sentence crap post make 200.00 and your posts make a dollar. It is discouraging and many have quit posting because of this or they have started posting crap posts themselves 5 or 6 posts a day to try and make money. It will get worse before it gets better.
BAHAHAHA! That's the greatest! It's certainly not the easiest thing to hold your integrity close while you watch other people earn just as much if not more for 2% of the effort, but like I've said since I got here, an organic following is always going to be the best way to go.
I've just recently hit a bunch of big milestones... 1000 followers (now 1400), 60 rep (WOOT!), and my one year Steemit birthday...
Yeah, it took me a whole year to accomplish those "lower middle" milestones, and my SP is still just barely 400. Am I still happy with what I've built, and what's to come? Hell yeah! Have I caved in my stance against bid bots, and started using them myself? Every now and again, I sure have.
But one thing remains: Sweeney is not a shitposter, and never will be. The content I put onto this chain will be there forever, and I would hate for someone to come along in 5 to 10 years, and look upon what I was doing and laugh.
Since I joined Steemit, I have question myself should that even put up continuous effort writing quality content. I didn't write many articles, but those few I did wrote didn't get any attention, so I still question myself is it worth it?!
I share the same struggle, @neo-wiza. It's a few individuals that have encouraged me to continue and to me, that is worth it. I cannot justify the time I spend writing (most of the time) without 'self-supporting' the post with bid bots. I am old school I guess...
when the car runs out of gas, I get out and push... I don't abandoned the car.
🤘😆
FIGHT REALITY WITH HUMOUR!
Some of the best issues are often solved or partially resolved with an outright attack via HUMOUR!
LOVE IT!
Indeed, it's an approach that many great comedians have shown us to be so crucial in social progression. Humor is much like art in the sense that it is intended to disturb, disrupt, and 'move us'. We tend to think a bit more about sensitive subjects and humor helps to break up some of the barriers.
We have plenty more don't we?!
Thanks M8 😉🍻