The Engagement Challenge

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I have been thinking about engagement a lot lately. I have noticed it has dropped a lot over the last few months as a result of blockchain changes, interest, price, and a number of other reasons.

What can we do to raise engagement?

I have run many contests in the past for the sole purpose of raising engagement and giving people something to do while they are here.

I was recently talking about professionals talking with other professionals in their field, namely the STEM community. Scientists like to talk to other Scientists but get discouraged when there isn't anyone else talking about what they want to talk about.

The thing is, someone has to make the first move. Remember your first school dance when the girl you wanted to dance with was sitting with her girlfriends? She may even have looked over to you, but you were afraid to make the first move.

Engagement creates engagement.

If you write about what you are passionate about, others of similar interests will come and do the same. If you decide to not write about what you love because no one else is, or you feel there isn't a lot of people with similar interests, then that will always be the case. Someone has to make the first move.

As the owner of the STEMGeeks tribe, I find it frustrating there is not a lot of good Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math content. Sure there are a lot of people regurgitating news articles and even flat out plagiarizing them, but there isn't a lot of original content. This discourages others from wanting to create content as they feel there is no interest.

Community

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Source

I can't wait to see communities as I believe they will be instrumental in giving users a feeling of belonging. When you feel you belong somewhere, you tend to put more effort and your behavior tends to align more with the community.

Communities are a fantastic onramp for new users, this is the primary reason I built STEMGeeks. I wanted a focused community where users can talk things they love with people who have the same interests. It is also far easier to moderate a niche community than it is to moderate a fire hose of topics. Members of communities tend to have a little more pride in their work and those in their community.

The Engagement Challenge

I am proposing an Engagement Challenge. The challenge is simple, for the next 30 days, go out of your way to find one post or comment you normally wouldn't have commented on, and make a genuine thoughtful comment for the sole purpose of sparking a conversation. Step a bit outside of your comfort zone, it is only there you can grow.

That's it!

After 30 days, make a post summarizing the result of your efforts. Did you meet anyone new that you have developed a bond with? Are you now following new people you would never have in the past? Have you noticed more engagement on your posts?

Use the tag #engagementchallenge when you make your post. Feel free to write a post at any point in the 30 days if something great happens. I even encourage you to write a post in response to this one if you plan to take part in the challenge. I encourage you to do so, and if you do, mention three other users who you think might be interested in taking part or you just want to apply some peer pressure.

I challenge the following users to take part:

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Before Steem I used to read Hacker News on a regular basis. One of the most interesting things there was that the comments were often MUCH more interesting than the post that they were commenting on. Many times I would just get the gist of the post from the title and skip right to reading the comments.

No matter what the topic (it was all tech/science type stuff) it seemed there were people who were extremely knowledgeable about the subject posting in the comments. The comments also served as a good way to judge if the post was worth reading at all. The comments would let you know if it was BS or actually something interesting.

Anyway, I always wondered how they were able to accomplish that and wished certain Steem communities could be like that some day.

Yes, I agree. The many different perspectives shared on comments make the discussion much more interesting and intellectually richer as well.

Cool idea! I have a science degree and I really never even thought about posting science stuff on here. Like you said I guess I figured since no one else is why bother. I will be checking into #stemgeeks and I will try to take part in this challenge! I hope others do as well.

You can use any of the following tags to be eligible for STEM tokens in addition to your STEEM rewards.

  • STEM
  • Science
  • Technology
  • Engineering
  • Math

You don't need to use https:/stemgeeks.net but that will lock it down to just those tags. You can also use SteemPeak and select the STEMGeeks Tribe.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could fuck your kid together?

I like it @themarkymark! When I got to steem a couple of years ago that was about all I did, comment. Everything from serious engagement to wacky shit just to get a response. Not only is it a way to learn more about the subject of the post, it's WAY EASIER than making a post. Sssshhhhhhh, don't tell anyone.
P.S. I also love to leave popcorn, so thanks for that.

Wow, what a thoughtful challenge. I'm going for the challenge as soon as possible. Thank you @themarkymark. You are doing great and we know it.

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Well very good initiative and I think it will be very helpful initiative to build up a good and effective engagement.

I challenge the following users-
@priyanarc
@blind-spot
@madushanka

Challenge accepted. If one hundred people do twenty comments a day it be six thousand in finish of challenge...

I agree with you. very difficult to get other people involved. I have repeatedly tried to introduce the Steem platform to many people. but when I introduced Steemit, many people didn't really believe that Steemit provided payments through digital currencies. and many of them don't know about digital currencies. and sometimes they fear that steemite is a fraud.

I keep trying to explain. there are some who don't care when I explain it. and there are some who care and get involved in steemit. but just a few weeks, he stopped. and the only person who doesn't take long to love steemit, he is @tya.saputry.

in just 2 weeks involved here, he immediately made a purchase of steem with the amount of more than 1 thousand. and I helped him to make a purchase. at present he has been here for more than 1 month. I keep trying to support him so that he feels at home and loves steemit more.

According to a survey I have done, it is difficult for people to be involved here not because of price. but because of lack of knowledge about cryptocurrency, and the influence of many media. many media say that digital currency is not good to buy. It was a fraud, and caused huge losses. and there are some people who commit fraud by doing bitcoin mining projects. and they ask someone else to make a deposit first. and finally they deceive people who have joined. this is the doing of some scapegoats which cause bad digital currency in the eyes of the people.

In my opinion the best course of action to increase people's involvement here is to clear misconceptions about digital currencies. and after they understand about digital currency, maybe they will be young involved here.

challange accepted 😊

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I am interested....I think I will!

Hmm. Maybe we need more spam! I am being completely facetious, this is a good idea! Support comes in more ways than just upvotes and I have been noticing the comments slowing down as well.

The problem is that to engage people, you have to create content, lately I only read thoughts, memories, opinions and things like that, they usually don't motivate me to comment, as a good piece of literature would do, for example.

I will start with this post. I have never written to you before and it is the first time that I read you, I did not know that you encouraged to write about science and I take the opportunity to congratulate you on this.
I have seen you as 2 times in the PAL discord channel, and I have greeted you, you may not remember it since we are always on the channel.
I take the opportunity to invite you to sing in my program, which I do on Thursday on that same channel, as it is about doing new things, so I encourage you to join us, I challenged you to sing, but something important is the program in Spanish, but to enjoy a pleasant moment is not required, understand but enjoy.
As this challenge is about commenting and finding new people, then I will enjoy it a lot by visiting different users and starting a conversation.
I share a big hug and best wishes. Good vibes.


Español:

Empezaré por esta publicación. Nunca te he escrito antes y es la primera vez que te leo, desconocía que alentabas a escribir sobre ciencias y aprovecho a felicitarte por esto. Te he visto como en 2 oportunidades en el canal del discord de PAL, y te he saludado, tal vez no lo recuerdes ya que en el canal siempre estamos en movimiento. Aprovecho para invitarte a cantar en mi programa, que realizo los días jueves en ese mismo canal, como se trata de hacer cosas nuevas, entonces te animo a acompañarnos, te desafí a cantar, pero algo importante el programa es en español, pero para disfrutar de un grato momento no se requiere, entender sino disfrutar. Como este reto se trata de comentar y encontrar personas nuevas, entonces lo voy a disfrutar mucho visitando a diferentes usuarios e inciando una conversación. Te comparto un gran abrazo y mis mejores deseos. Buena vibra.

I wasn't aware of stemgeeks before. Will definitely look into it.

Thanks for engaging with my post!! :)

Challenge accepted!
"Science" is broad, I often tell myself that people in tech won't be interested in the area I'm most interested and knowledgeable in: behavior, learning, and neurological development. But I'll step outside my comfort zone over the next 30 days, let's see what happens!

I am really bad at engagement. I rarely comment on something but I want to get comments myself. Perhaps this challenge will force me to change my bad habits.

I challenge:
@celestal
@rubencress
@ruth-girl

Communities. You're right, these will do wonders for engagement, I believe.

I also find it a bit disappointing when I talk about code I'm working on and there's no engagement.

Communities will solve this problem of account based following. So a person can follow code related ideas without flooding their feed with other things I might post. So I can post my code ideas in a community where I know people will appreciate and engage, and I will post my thoughts on crypto in a community that's discussing that.

Interest based "following" and not account based following is the way to go.

Thanks for all that you are doing for the community.

Lol @themarkymark.

Well, that's what I love to do here on steemit. Engage others. Comment and make new friends. Though I have Msc in Chemistry, but I really didn't think people are interested in science talk. Perhaps I was wrong. So thanks. I'm in for the challenge. Hope your friend @berniesanders won't go on a downvote spree on my account as usual😂😂.

Thanks once again. Challenge accepted✌😍

I challenge these users:
@silversaver888
@boosta
@justineh

But wait. What's the reward for entering into this challenge?😑🤔 Didn't see that in your post @themarkymark

Odd you would challenge yourself @boosta, but I guess it is always good to challenge yourself, it is the only way we can grow.

The reward is more users, more engagement, and a place where people want to be a part of.

Your first paragraph looks odd😌😌

. What do you mean by "...you would challenge yourself @boosta..."? @themarkymark

Seem to be talking dust to me. No offence

This is something I've always tried to do and not everyone engages you, but I can confirm it works. I've had some great conversations and met some incredible people. This has led to a lot of support. And I'm an introvert! In ways it's easier to approach people on here than in the real world.

It's a catch 22 situation in a way. There aren't many active users here, so its hard to find others you can share similar interests with, so people leave, meaning that we stay low on active users who'll stick it out.

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Sounds good. I hope you are having a great day. I need to do more engagement but I have college and not a lot of time. But I'm doing my best

I have started writing about my Human Design journey, even though not many people about that. It is lovely when someone find your post and make a comment. I found another lady interested, it feels good to share and even better to be read and exchange with people who see you. <3

Here is my entry post for your challenge, @themarkymark.

https://steempeak.com/esteem/@bxlphabet/my-entry-for-the-30-day-engagement-challenge-by-themarkymark

I am very happy to be a part of this, and already see good results.

I nominated 6 people:

At the top of the pond:
@taskmaster4450
@whatsup
@exyle

And down here where I swim:
@myjob
@deeanndmathews
@marblely

I hope they will all take part too :)

Hi,

we haven't talked yet, it's the first time I'm commenting on you (or so I guess).

I tried to get an overview of your interests and therefore sorted your last 1000 articles by tags (through steemworld.org). There is an overhang in it, so I interpret your majority interest in gaming, technology, and crypto-relevant and based topics.

I think you've basically gained a valuable insight that you can apply primarily to yourself. Speaking of comfort zone and growth (do you mean that in the sense of maturity?).

Since I cannot derive any quantitative numbers from your tag-use regarding your own habit (on comments) here on Steemit, I would ask you for an estimate: On a scale of 0-10, how high is your commitment beyond your own special interest? 0 stands for "not there", 10 for "very high". Would you trust your own assessment?

The call to the community to act against their habit of interest is basically a useful one. However, if someone does not have multiple interests and basically wants to act like a "good Steemian" to please you or others, a comment/engagement is likely to be less profound and the person receiving it will not necessarily be particularly impressed or authentically perceive commitment. From a psychological and philosophical point of view "pleasing" is something we actually repel. But the ego thinks otherwise.

You can't fake authenticity, incentives just cover up a lack of interest that can't be manipulated after all (certainly not in the long run). In order to maintain this, you have to give these incentives constantly and steadily in order to keep users happy. This will bore you at some point and you will go back to the special interests that actually inspire and encourage you. Man is happiest where his creative resources can unfold.

In case, you can fake authenticity so well that your recipient engages with you, you will accidentally transform a "fake into make" :)

Overall, I assume Steemit is a landscape dominated by developers, players and technicians. It's a neutral observation that doesn't judge. Those who enter the room as otherwise interested bring diversity with them. However, the developers, technicians and witnesses could hold back and also make this space available for this diversity. In my opinion, if you do, it often has the taste of something arduous.

Don't get me wrong, but you early adopters (or witnesses) want to be many things in one: community founders, technical developers, advisors, encouragers, players, etc., etc. - Anyone who has reached a relevant amount of VP/SP here runs the risk of flattery, attention and even fighting going to their head. I've never heard anyone say that one of big ones here is looking for an advisor (or fool) who is not aiming for his vanity, but for valuable feedback in the sense of a maturing in character/leadership.

Don't you already know the outcome of your quest? From what I think, you are not going to be very much surprised. You'll get the usual responses. But isn't it the unexpected you aim for?

I invite you to my blog and see if there is anything of interest for you. I am here for two years and a bit and I rarely saw any witness, developer, technician visiting what I write about. No blame, but it pays into what you talk about here. If there isn't anything which catches your interest or inspires you, I prefer an honest answer.

Bye from Germany!

Well @smooth seems to have embraced your challenge. He encouraged my community to step up in the engagement game and sponsored a contest for us (steem silver gold) that just started today.

Already we have had comments in our contest from steemians I had never heard of before who themselves are giving kiddos to other steemians I had not heard of before. It is a pretty cool ripple effect. 😍