You WILL Make Money on Steemit, But...

For a lot of people who are either

• Just getting started on Steemit
• Not yet started on Steemit, and wondering if it is worth their while

There is one question that governs all others:

Will I, the individual who has never done this sort of thing before, make money on this platform?

And, of course, there's lots of information out there. Steemit is filled with tutorials and how-tos designed to help everyone, beginner and expert alike, take advantage of the money-making powers of the platform.

But that's not the question you asked, now is it? What you want to know is "Will I make money on Steemit?" Which is quite a different inquiry than whether it is possible to make money here.

So will YOU make money on Steemit? Let us examine the facts.

The Answer is Yes

Honestly, it's easy to make money from the platform as long as you post regularly. Even if you're the worst writer in the world, or (even worse) you feel like you have absolutely nothing to say, as long as you are producing in volume, you will, by the power of statistics, get a few posts in that people like enough to vote on.

There is no reason to fear that you will make no money on Steemit (especially when you consider that you're given some free Steem Power just for signing up).

But...

But that's not a good enough answer, is it? Success through volume is a great thing to have, and by itself is a powerful tool, but even if you achieve enormous gains this way, you will always be frustrated, wondering what you could do to get more out of each post.

So yes, you WILL make money on Steemit, but how much you make is up to you.

Can I get a little help?

Like I said before, there are lots of tutorials and how-tos, but a lot of these are focused on either

• Recreating the success of previous posts
• Tips and Tricks (giving your post the "introduceyourself" tag, putting pictures of steamy women in your posts, etc.)

These are good things to know, but if you're always chasing the success of previous blockbusters, you'll never reach new heights. I would make the case that lasting success must come from distinguishing yourself, and, as such, you shouldn't be too eager to imitate everyone else.

I have similar problems with the "Tips and Tricks" approach. Steemit is an evolving platform. If you only copy what has been done before, you might miss out on catching the wave of the next big trend, or even miss out on inventing that trend yourself.

Don't You have any Advice?

Of course, and I'll tell you everything I know. But instead of trying to give you a mould to fill, my recommendations are going to be a little more general and purposefully universal.

There are some things that apply to all kinds of blogging, not just what we experience on Steemit, and mastering these techniques will help everyone have a better experience. These principles are simple to learn and easy to implement, beginning with the first step:

Great Content Alone is Not Enough

Sad but true---a lot of my best posts are also the ones which have reliably gone unnoticed. There is so much going on in Steemit right not that even excellent writing will get overlooked. When your stuff doesn't get all the upvotes you want, do not blame your lack of ability. That's not what is holding you back. There are tons of worse content on Steemit that still becomes popular.

You don't need to change yourself or your opinions to make your Steemit experience better. This is the most important lesson I can impart. Though this next lesson is still pretty important.

A Great Hook is Not Enough

The problem with publishing great content is that it only has power over those who see it. It is invisible to anyone who does not click on your link.

So you have to get eyes on your stuff. You have to dress up your post in such a way that makes people click on the title/thumbnail to learn more. In professional writing circles, this is called a hook.

It may be a snappy title. It may be an interesting picture. Personally, I favor having a snappy title that does not match the accompanying picture (or even outright contradicts it). That always gets people curious.

But, and I have to stress this, a good hook won't get you ANY money.

We've all seen Steemit posts where the title advertises something, but the post itself doesn't deliver any original content. If the title says "I found the Lindbergh Baby" but the post only links you to an animated GIF, your readers are not going to be happy. Not quite "downvote" unhappy, but certainly "will not upvote" unhappy. The Steemians who rely on hooks are generally no better off than the rest of us.

"I thought I was going to win."

To get ahead of the pack, you need to go further, which brings me to my next point:

Great Content and a Great Hook are Not Enough

It's a pessimistic idea, but give it a chance.

These two virtues---great content and a great hook---are your two weapons of choice, but if you simply have them and call it good, you're holding yourself back. Your reader will be lured in by your great hook, enjoy your great content, but leave feeling...less than satisfied.

When Your Great Content Works with Your Great Hook, You're on the Right Track

"Synergy" is a stupid word that consultants and self-help fanatics try to push on their customers. It is, however, also a real phenomenon that delivers actual results.

It's just been in the wrong hands for most of its life.

It's not about what each gear can do, but how one moves the other.

Your content and your hook can work together to give the reader a nicely wrapped-up package. The hook poses a question or challenges the dogmas held by the reader, prompting him to investigate further. Then your content begins by reassuring your reader that you respect their view, then lays down your arguments in a hard but structured matter, making a clear picture that, while not attacking the reader, delivers on your hook's promise to challenge and inform him.

(Of course, if your reader already agrees with you, this still works. He'll just be grateful that someone else can express his worldview in such a clever manner).

Putting it all Together

To put it another way: there is nothing quite so satisfying as a prophecy fulfilled. When you give people something good, and they know what they're getting before you give it to them, it creates that nice "full" feeling, like one has after eating a delicious dinner. This is the best advice I can give about achieving success on Steemit, although you can apply it to anything.

Thank you for reading all the way to the end, and happy blogging to you.