The developers of Steemigram gave the app a complete makeover. With the new look comes a new name and loads of new features. Share2Steem is growing up!
Steemigram Gets A Makeover
2 days ago, I reported about a brand new app that made it possible to share your Instagram posts to the Steem blockchain.
As you may have read in my article 'Steemigram - Monetize Your Instagram Account', I was excited by the idea, but I had quite a lot of critique.
In my opinion, the landing page could use a little TLC. I think it looks a little unprofessional. The layout could use some improvements, and the spelling errors should be corrected. A little makeover would definitely be necessary if they want to go mainstream.Once my article had been published, it didn't take very long before both developers left a comment. @sebbbl and @algo.coder - both very friendly guys, btw - explained to me that the app was still in beta and that an update would be released soon.
I couldn't have imagined that this promised update would be released only 2 days later and that the ugly duckling would have grown up to be a swan.
Share2Steem
Together with the makeover, the app got rebranded and is now called Share2Steem.
The name 'Steemigram' obviously referred to the connection between SteemIt and Instagram, but since the update came with brand new features, that name didn't cover the load anymore.
Next to cross-posting from your Instagram account, the current version of Share2Steem also allows a user to share his Twitter tweets on the Steem blockchain. In the near future, YouTube will be added to that list.
Above, you can see an example of a shared tweet. I did make a couple of small changes from within the SteemIt interface:
- The image I used in the tweet did not appear on SteemIt. I added it manually.
- The two links were posted right next to each other. I split them up and added the 'identification' note, so people would know where these links would redirect to. (FYI, the link to the original post on Twitter was added by the app on autopilot.)
- I also had to edit the tags that were posted underneath the SteemIt post. I used only three tags in my tweet, and those were the three tags that were posted to SteemIt. Also, they were posted in the same order as in the tweet. As a result, the main tag of my post is #instagram, since the first tag can't be edited. I removed the #youtube tag, so #share2steem could at least be the second one. I will have to try to remember to use #share2steem as the first tag in my tweet if I want it to be the main tag on SteemIt.
More New Features
Curation trail
A curation trail has been set up. This curation trail is run by the app itself, and not by Steemauto.
Under the 'Settings' tab, you'll find a table which controls the curation trail settings. You have complete control over your VP limit and your voting percentage. Simply change the numbers in the table so they reflect your preferred settings.
Important: you can also choose not to join the curation trail. You can opt out by clicking the 'Deactivate' button.
Source
The curation trail will vote on posts made through Share2Steem, rewarding people for using the app. But... curation trail votes are limited to people who do follow the curation trail themselves. If you decide to deactivate it, you won't be receiving votes from the trail.
For now, the @share2steem account is still very small; with only 300SP, the initial votes will not be large. Hopefully, people will realize soon that this app could have a major impact on the number of users and the amount of transaction on the Steem blockchain, and will be prepared to delegate some of their Steem Power to the @share2steem account.
Referral Program
Whereas other apps charge a standard fee of 10%-15%, @algo.coder and @sebbbl are willing to share a part of their 10% creator fee with users who actively promote the app.
If you get others to sign up through your affiliate link, you will receive 4% of the rewards of all Share2Steem posts made by your referrals.
That 4% is taken out of the developer's creation fees, which leaves them with just 3% each.
Security
While the old website didn't have an SSL certificate, the new one is more secure. The developers have set up a secure dedicated server and a lot of other security features have been added.
There is also an account verification system put into place: the app provides you with a code you need to add to your first submission from each social media account.
This will ensure two things :
- a Share2Steem user will now have to prove he's the owner of the account he's linkin with Steemit.
- a Twitter or Instagram account can not be used and resteemed twice, by different members.
The Sky Is The Limit
At the moment, users are able to share their Twitter and Instagram posts on the Steem Blockchain. Next up on the list is YouTube, but apparently, the sky is the limit. This is what you can read in the official launch post:
Last but not least, we plan to add other social media connections. What would you like to see next (except Youtube, which is coming) ?Let's have a look at the numbers:
Source
We are sitting on a potential gold mine.
Whereas all other apps work from the inside out and are tapping into the pool of SteemIt users, hoping to reach people on the outside eventually, @share2steem is working the other way around: they are plugging into existing sites, which already have billions of users.
Even if only 0.01% of the users of these platforms are interested in monetizing their content, we will see an immense instream of people using the Steem blockchain.
Opinions
There's no doubt that there will be a lot of different opinions about this app and its functionalities.
After all, it opens the door for even more short, and potentially low-quality content.
The people who know me, and who I've been talking with these last couple of weeks, know that I'm not a fan of all these apps and the short, effortless content that ends up on SteemIt through all those different channels.
I don't like having to go through loads of posts that contain no personal touch, and provide no food for thought, just to find one 'old-fashioned' real blog post.
And there's a big chance that I would have been strongly opposed to @share2steem only 2 weeks ago.
But it was @taskmaster4450 who opened my eyes. When I and a couple of other people expressed our concern about all these new, different sorts of posts, he promptly wrote this article:
Time To Make STEEM A Huge Success By Dropping The Focus On "Quality"
A bit further down, you'll find:
Can you imagine if the STEEM blockchain had 2M cat videos on it? Not if you are focused upon "quality". Most of those cat posts won't pass the "quality" test.Of course, I would love 2M cat videos on STEEM getting 25B views...the bandwidth for that alone would make STEEM worth $50.
Whether I like it or not, he's right. We will never reach mass adoption of the Steem blockchain with only long-form blog content.
So I try to embrace the change that is taking place.
And I keep hoping that at some point in the near future, someone will create a separate dApp for blogging. A place where you can filter out all the other content, and just read and write blog posts. A site like SteemIt was during my first weeks or even months here.
Maybe we can call it DBlog, or SteemBlog, or Stog, for all that matters.
Just a place to go where you can scroll your feed and only see what you are interested in - blogs, in my case.
Let SteemIt be the 'everything bucket', the platform where all content from all apps comes together, and where everyone can find the sort of content he is interested in.
But I hope they don't leave bloggers out in the cold. If you want to see photos, you can simply go to Steepshot or Appics. Videos can be watched on Dtube, new tech can be found on Steemhunt and if you want to see memes all day, Dmania is the place to be.
What all those sites have in common is the fact that you are not bothered by all the other sorts of content. While, if you want to read and write blogs, you have nowhere else to go than to one of the 'everything buckets'...
So, if you're a coder, I hope you got my subtle hint :0)
Support
All this to explain why I do support Share2Steem, in spite of the fact that it will probably bring in a lot of content I don't really like to see. I believe the app has the potential to get many new users to sign up and be active on the Steem blockchain.
But it needs support. As much as it can get. Because it has to be able to deliver what it promises. It needs to be able to monetize the content of those new users, or they won't stick around.
Once the account has some SP, or a long, powerful curation trail, it needs to be promoted. But not on SteemIt. After all, we are already here. It needs to get the attention of the users of the sites they target: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube... That's where the focus of promotion should be, because that's where @taskmaster4450's 2 million cat videos are. That's where the future of Steem and this blockchain are.
There, and on my little, separate blogging dApp. :0)
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The idea that this could bring loads of new users over is pretty exciting! Not too crazy about the idea of Steemit becoming a place people use to tweet, but at the end of the day what's it matter to me I guess, huh? Pretty cool!
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I imagine how it all may resonate with simplified steemit registration after HF20. We may get ready for some explosion...
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I guess so. I just hope they do make it easier to get an account, as they promised...
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As I stated in my post, I'm not a big fan either, but if we want to make Steem more valuable, we need more action on the blockchain. So this is exactly what we need.
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This may be perfect for @shellad she is just arriving here and will be much more likely to actually post something if she can just link up her instagram.
Will definitely share your link with her.
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interesting!!!
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indeed it is.
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It's indeed a great idea to allow users to keep using the apps they are used to - it lowers the barrier.
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You got voted by @votefun thanks to simplymike. To support development, check out @rishi556. Hosted on the @cryptowithincin discord.
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This post has received a 10.17 % upvote from @boomerang.
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I upvoted your post.
Best regards,
@Council
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You got voted by @curationkiwi thanks to simplymike! This bot is managed by @KiwiBot and run by @rishi556, you can check both of them out there. To receive maximum rewards, you must be a member of @KiwiBot. To receive free upvotes for yourself (even if you are not a member) you can join the KiwiBot Discord linked here and use the command !upvote (post name) in #curationkiwi.
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This post has received a 3.13 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @curationkiwi.
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Great post @simplymike! I will definitely look into this app. I’ve resisted the “quick post” apps for the reason you expressed about wanting to see more quality blog posts. So I’m glad you shared @taskmaster4450’s post ... he makes a good point.
And you’re right, integrating Steemit with already-existing platforms is a smart move. Not only will it bring in new users, but as people are able to use platforms they’re more comfortable with, sharing on Steemit will be less intimidating. And by putting all our social media content in one place (Steemit) where users are rewarded for that content, Share2Steem makes Steemit a more likely replacement for a certain social media platform that isn’t as rewarding. 😊
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I can only agree.
And @taskmaster4450 makes indeed a good point - in spite of the fact that I don't really like that it's a good point, lol.
But no worries, I think I saw one of the developers of S2S reply that people were working on a separate place for blogging. I haven't even read his reply decently, it just caught my eye.
But if it's true, my wish will be granted soon ;0)
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That doesn't do me any good since I don't use Instagram, but I am excited about the potential to open Steem to wider audiences. Pretty cool.
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I don't have an Instagram account for my personal account either. And my tweeting is all automated (when I publish a post on SteemIt, it's is automatically sent to Twitter.)
But it will definitely attract more people to the blockchain, and that's what we need :0)
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Thanks so much for this wonderful post @simplymike. I see we read the same article about dropping focus on quality. @taskmaster4450 is fucking right, even if I (so does @algo.coder I guess) like good content too.
I'm sure your demand will be heard, your blogging dedicated platform will be live soon (SteemStem will release a platform soon afaik).
Thanks again for your support, it's really appreciated.
Seb.
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I advise the signature and direct back to the profiles be moved to the end so the main photo and pictures show up, click my profile and you will see what I am talking about. @sebbbl and @algo.coder
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Hi @heyimsnuffles !
For Instagram : the first photo (or the thumbnail of the video) becomes the thumbnail on Steem. The problem is that if you edit your post, the json_metadata of your post, generated by the share2steem app, will be written upon by the Steem front-end you use and will re-put the "avatar" as the Steem thumbnail.
So I recommand that if you edit your posts, remove your avatar (or relocate it) and the divider.
For Twitter the system is the same, but I must confess there are still some problems in the formatting process (Twitter is much more complex in the different types of format and text it can receive so harder to reformat for Steem after that and cover all the cases possible). But I'm working on it.
For the more general reformatting : maybe the avatar and link to the feed will be put to the end. We are waiting for more feedbacks / returns.
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Your comment just made my day, @sebbbl. I didn't know about steemstem setting up a blogging platform. That would be awesome!
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FrancoStem announced it few days ago.
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I will go and try to find out more instantly :0)
Thanks for the tip!
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Hi @sebbbl! You have received 0.1 SBD tip from @simplymike!
Check out @simplymike blog here and follow if you like the content :)
@tipU voting service | For investors.
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Hahaha, just found out why I had never heard of the guy... I might be Belgian, but my French is terrible , lol
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Congratulations @simplymike ! You received a 1% upvote from @kryptoniabot & @kryptonia for your task of 650 SUP Today.
Remember to receive votes from @kryptoniabot
Run a task on Kryptonia.*Join free here Kryptonia Account
Use the tags KRYPTONIA or SUPERIORCOIN in your Steemit post.
Delegate to the Kryptonia Upvote by clicking links: 10SP , 50SP , 100SP , 500SP , 1000SP
Due to an increased amount of tasks, we have changed up the voting power to evenly spread out the Upvote amount.
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Great!!! Kryptonia @ianstevenson
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Upvote you in kryptonia@CEARrtou66
謝謝介紹,蠻仔細的.
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This is a nice post @simplymike . :)
upvoted by @anne0130 kryptonia
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Very good informatio Kryptonia id @mejia_martinez
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Share2steem! I'm loving this and it's time to get active on Twitter lol my. I'm looking at a future where we just seat at computers daily and keep posting to earn income no more rat race.
We are fortunate to be on the steem blockchain but until then we need to be patient and keep building the SP as we see more and more DApps evolve on Steem.
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The evolution is happening fast. Let's hope it all works out as planned :0)
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upvoted by @joancabz :)
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Hi @simplymike,
Just an update to tell you Youtube integration is now live !
https://steempeak.com/steemit/@share2steem/share2steem-dlive-is-leaving-post-from-youtube
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