I've been on Steemit now for about a year, and it's begun to seem to me that there are as many different approaches to the platform as there are stars in the sky. It's versatility is a large degree of its the appeal.
Yet, also like the stars in the sky, it seems to me that the different approaches do tend to fall under a few broad categories (or combinations of category).
Without further ado here are the categories of participants on the platforms, with examples for each:
The Re-Steemer
Here's to the re-steemer. This is the person that doesn't post super often but re-steems to a large degree. Though they tend not to post often, when they do post it is usually a longer, deeper piece. Re-steemers tend to be much more active in other people's comments section than many of the other types of Steemians, and they tend to leave much more valuable or interesting comments.
As a strategy I think the re-steemer is onto something. They share a lot of value on the platform by getting much more people exposed who might otherwise not quite see the light of day. They also upvote a lot of the content they resteem, meaning that the gain is mutual (as it should be!). Obviously we should all resteem to some extent, but the resteemer really does deserve an award of valor. Note that a lot of whales are resteemers, not necessarily making much content themselves.
A really good example of what I would consider a re-steemer is @anarcho-andrei. This guy makes comments that make me laugh my ass off, and he resteems good content.
The Singular Poster
This is the person who, day-to-day, posts on more or less the same subject day in and day out. These people tend to have super strong followers and communities around their blogs. Being a singular poster is challenging, because you have to provide quality content that is along the same lines day in and day out!
The advantage to this is, if they're successful in providing that quality, people will vote for them almost automatically and are far more likely to have them set on auto-upvote on various Steemit apps (because the people upvoting can be assured of the subject matter and quality).
Good examples of Singular Posters are @sweetsssj and @gringalicious. @sweetsssj posts about her travels around the world along with gorgeous pictures of her journeys. @gringalicious posts beautiful pictures too, but of delicious foods cooked by her along with their recipes.
The Smorgasbord Poster
The Smorgasbord Poster just has to have it all. He or she posts on many different manners of subject, although these tend to fall along general lines or a similar vein on thought (though never to the extent of the singular poster).
The advantage of the Smorgasbord Poster is that its a really good fit for people who have many different interests and feel like they could talk endlessly on a number of subjects! The downside is, depending on just how broad a range of subjects they post, auto-votes don't come quite as willingly and post payout consistency may not be quite as strong. Note that this person does begin to head toward being a Singular Poster the longer they've been on the platform.
Examples of smorgasbord types are @sykochica and, well me, @jenkinrocket! Those of you following me know its anime one day, science the next, philosophy another day. Sometimes all three in a day! The general theme is usually intellectual/nerdstuff(anime, video games, tech). @sykochica tends to post on Steemit related things, but she's got a lot of personal blogs and experiences in there, too. Her general theme is steemit community/trivia knowledge/personal blog.
The Content Recycler
The content recycler is a person that adds value to the platform from outside of it, usually in the form of a linked video, audio file, picture, or linked news article. The value added that is particular to the Steemit platform is usually, in my opinion, quite low, often the link is pasted with a sentence or three.
I've got mixed feelings about the content recycler, and I don't think I'm alone here. Still, there are some completely valid examples of people who do this fairly exclusively and add some amount of value to the platform.
A good example of this is the youtuber/cosplayer @giuato. A lot of what she posts are youtube videos and pictures that are stored outside the platform... but at least the videos and pics are of her own creation. This is an important point.
The Hybrid
This category is for folks that kind of don't quite belong anywhere else. Usually you'll find that any given poster is at least 80% one of the above categories, and maybe 20% or so of another one. But sometimes someone is 50% one, 50% another, and those people go here.
I won't list any hybrids, mostly because all the blogs listed are, to whatever small extent, hybrids (though mostly they fit pretty well into the categories listed).
Thoughts?
What do you think of the categories? Which category or categories do you belong to? Is there something I've forgotten, or something you would add? Let me know in the comments!
Nice read!
I think i'm a Re-Steemer although I don't see myself writing a complex post anytime soon. Unfortunately writing is not my strong suit.
What I think I have though is enough integrity to upvote only something that adds value to the forum as a whole, or content i actually enjoyed.
I actually wanted to write an introduction post, where I sort of complain about the quality of the posts I'm seeing on steemit since i joined a week ago.
I know this forum is still in its infancy but i would really like to see quality content only on the 'hot' tab and less praising or self promotion.
Anyway i just finished reading your last two post and I certainly think you add value and entertainment, hope to see more members follow your efforts.
Thanks keep up the good work.
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Thank you so much, that means a lot! There's a lot of good content on Steemit, but you do sort of have to dig and accumulate it over time. Thank goodness for the follow function :).
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Holy shit. I just received a mention on someone else's post.
I know that isn't earth-shattering news, but for someone who absolutely believes in the community power of Steemit as a platform, this is enormous. I was noticed by someone that I noticed.
You fucking rock, man. Thanks for the mention, and thanks for all the work you put out. I love your smorgasbord of post content. I'll be over here putt-puttering on my literature and stuff. lol
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Hey man, no prob. Well deserved! And thanks, man! We're all in this Steem boat together.
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I think I fall into my own category of hybrid! I like to give quick, unique, written content with an embedded video from my YouTube channel. I really only talk about my niche' subject of credit improvement, but I'd like to evolve to talk about more subjects!
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Mm. Sounds like half recycler, half singular. Good luck!
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Interesting! being so new to steemit I am really not to sure yet, I have a feeling I will fall under the The Smorgasbord Poster..Just finding my feet but always have something to say about most things.
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I hear ya. As time goes on you'll find your blog naturally floating around certain themes even though you didn't exactly plan it that way. At least, that's what happened to me!
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Same here. I came on-board with the express interest in writing only stuff dealing with private property ethics and libertarian philosophy, and I ended up focusing on writing and a few others things instead, with philosophy being a secondary or tertiary interest.
Given enough time, you figure out what you love to post. :D
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I see what you did there, Andrei, re-steeming this piece :-)
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I'm clever sometimes. Most of the time I'm just rolling my face across the keyboard and hitting enter.
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Hahaha
Well, whatever. It seems to work.
Probably don't eat spaghetti while steeming though :-)
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Very nice!
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I love the transparency bro, keep it up. The internet is full of bullshit, be you and your followers and friends will be real. Reason why sites this will boom and Facebook, insta, twitter will flood out with all the fake crap.
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