New to Steemit? Where Do You Start?

As Blockchain technology is blowing up, I've become aware of Steemit and its competitors. So, if you're reading this then you're probably wondering "where do I start?" well, I gotchu'. Briefly I will be going over Steemit's functions and features to help accommodate you as well as myself because I am new around here too.

Now, some of you may have noticed the posting structure on Steemit is similar to Reddit but visually Steemit reminds you of a news medium but it is categorized as a blogging and social networking website on top of the Steem blockchain database. Steer clear of 'Fake News', Steemit does reward their users for posting and even commenting on a post that isn't even yours! That's right, you will be rewarded! But, don’t stay just for the rewards, have a better look around. There are plenty of new content creators who are putting out some of their best work!

Signing Up for Steemit!

Steemit isn't a closed community and anyone is absolutely free to join. Your phone number is only used to verify you are indeed human and not a bot. Store your newly created password somewhere safe because there is no password recovery! Once you sign up for a Steemit account you will be notified via email, some accounts take up to 7 days to approve but in most cases, you will be approved sooner. As popularity soars and future Steemians climb aboard, new account approval times should decrease unless the entire internet shows up. I shouldn't have to mention signing up is free but yup, it's free! What do you have to lose? SIGN UP!

Trending, New, Hot and Promoted

Let’s dive right in, on the top left of your screen you will see the site’s navigation, “Trending, New, Hot and Promoted” as well as a search bar. You can use these quick links or the search bar to find new content from fellow Steemians or search for specific content you’re interested in. I played around with them and to my surprised I found some creators from Youtube who I’m subscribed to so be sure to see if any of the people you follow are on here.

Posting for the very first time

Admittedly I sat at my desk wondering “wth should I post?” and I figured since I was new here I should get familiar with Steemit’s functions and features that are available to us. So, it hit me, make a post helping out new members and at the same time I can learn from the experience. That’s what this post is supposed to convey, I hope I’ve made that evident thus far.

Pro Tip: Your first picture in your post, your title and a small snippet of the first 1-2 lines will appear in your search results. Make it good!

Let’s start with a simple question(s), what are your passions, hobbies, interests? Think about these things for a second, if you’re not writing about something you have a passion for you won’t get far. Think of something you will smile ear to ear about while writing, the reader will look at your post and they will be able to tell if there was effort put into your work or not. Just like Youtubers, you can tell when someone is genuinely enjoying their creative process, the work speaks for itself.

The Art of Mastering the Markdown

https://guides.github.com/features/mastering-markdown/
Mastering Markdown Guide on GitHub

I highly suggest visiting this link which takes you directly to the mastering markdown guide. Everything and I mean everything you need to know about using this feature and styling text for your posts is listed. (Seriously, it's worth it.)

"Blog, Vote, Post, Earn." It can't be that simple, is it? So, what exactly are you earning here on Steemit you ask? You are earning STEEM.

Let me remind you that here on Steemit you can earn STEEM by writing blog posts, but you can also earn by upvoting and commenting on posts. So, when you write blog posts you will be rewarded as an Author and when you comment and/or upvote you will be rewarded as a Curator. You have options! So, take advantage and socialize with the community, it's win, win!

I still have a lot to learn about Steemit

So, in the mean time I will observe and apply myself and see how this does. What are you waiting for?

This is my first post, be gentle! Thanks for reading! -xfial