I think of my votes more of an interaction with somebody, on the off chance that they see my name, and decide to click, and read my work, and maybe I'll get a follower that might end up with a lot more upvotes in future.

I also like to think that content is also in the comments - so not only do I make sure to upvote good comments, but also contribute in that way as well.

More people should be using their votes in this way