The @steemph.antipolo Blogging Workshop - 03

ngagement is crucial to the success and longevity of any social network, which is why we need to respond to posts, not just upvote them. Yet, all too often, we forget this part, we simply focus on the blogging aspect, and then later look back wondering why we do not have any real followers.

When you actively engage with your readers, they come back for more and more information. They want to read your next entry even if it is not perfect. A good example of this, are the Whales, who have so many followers, that they can easily receive hundreds of comments on a particular post.

This is not something that happens right away. In fact, while we are able to start making money right away, even Steem follows the same basic principles of any other blogging platform -- and it can take months of regular posting to build the regular traffic to truly make some money. In my case, I post regularly, I post every single day. So my reader base has come to expect my next post and will visit it, upvote it, and from time to time, even leave a comment if they are moved by it.

As time goes on, as our real followers grow into the thousands, then we really need to actively engage with them to keep them coming back. And the best way to start, is by engaging with other active posters that you follow and vote all the time. In fact, even if you are part of a curation trail, use Steemd.com to find out where you voted, go back and if you like what is posted, leave a comment.

But no matter what, do not allow yourself to be put down. Immediately following this workshop, one of our friends left a comment on a Whale’s post, and someone downvoted it. This Steemian was so distraught from the downvote, that there are plans of pulling out all of their Stem Power and call it quits.

Downvotes to your comments will always happen -- some more than others. But do not let it stop you. People with YouTube videos receive downvotes all the time, and if they allowed these distractors to control their channel, then YouTube would never exist. They accept these downvotes like true champions, and then move on.

Remember, to play fair when you engage, and do not create controversy because that may not work out well for you in the end. Do not spam, or send out hundreds of the same exact comment to everyone. Each comment should be unique to the post itself