Some more robust curatorial mechanism may be needed to make Steem stand out as a reliable source of good quality information.

I think bid bots create a big problem here. They break the principle of Proof of Brain and make low-quality content more visible. In addition, the SP delegated to bid bots is not involved in maintaining quality content and community development.

The problem of the existence of bid bots could be solved by allowing investors to earn their profits without having to post every day. For example, if there were deposits with a return of 50% per annum or more. If they simply replaced bid bots, theoretically there should be no additional selling pressure. Such a deposit program brings us back to the difficult question of DeFi.

I believe that Steem can be promoted in all the directions listed in your post. It all depends on the target audience. I think it is not worth talking about blogging, DeFi and progamists in one message. Depending on which platform the article will be published on, you need to choose what to focus on.

One more question. How to interest this or that media to write about Steem? I think you should start with paid articles. Some media outlets provide this opportunity and publish your press release for a fee.