NOTE - This is a post (first in a series) I put together for my WordPress/social media friends, but I'm sharing it here as well. Feel free to shout out with any resources you'd recommend in the comment section, and I'll add them (giving credit where credit is due, naturally) to my WP post, or to future posts. Also feel free to yell at me if I've made any booboos. 😊
Imagine that Facebook, WordPress, Reddit, Snapchat, World of Warcraft, and the Stock Market got together one night, had a little too much to drink and did things they regretted in the morning. Then, nine months later, a baby appeared. That kid would be Steemit.
This relatively new (March 2016) social network built on a blockchain, that produces Steem and SBD (Steem Backed Dollars) forms of cryptocurrency might seem a bit daunting at first, but I promise - if I finally wrapped my brain around it, you will be able to as well.
So, what is a blockchain? What's the difference between Steemit, Steem, and SBD? And how is this cryptocurrency stuff going to make me tons of money?
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First things first - forget about the money.
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Yes, I said it. Don't get me wrong, the money is the reason I checked it out at first. However, IMHO, it's far more important to spend time in the beginning establishing yourself, making connections, and creating quality content. Do that, and the coinage will follow.
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First up, sign up
Before we go much further, I'd suggest going right over and signing up for a Steemit account. All you need is a user name (pick a good one, because you can't change it), a valid email, and cell phone number (to receive a text confirmation code).
Unlike other social media sites, the Steemit Powers That Be actually vet their users (when signing up in this manner, anyway - and I'm not going to confuse things at the moment by talking about other options... crap, so I should shut up about this already, right? LOL!), and there's actually no guarantee your account will be approved. Even if it does get approved, it can take anywhere from 24 hours to 7 days (and some people have said it's taken up to two weeks). So the sooner you start the process, the better.
Here's the link to the signup page -
And here's a YouTube video with step-by-step instructions on the quick-and-painless process, put together by a Steemian named @deeplizard -
Next, create some kickass ORIGINAL content
Okay, after writing a whole bunch about creating content, it occurred to me - I'm gonna be talking to people who most likely aren't on the site yet... LOL!
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Suffice to say, there will be a part two to this that will deal content creation. But if you blog, or post to Facebook and/or Instagram, no worries - you'll have content to spare. Moving on for now...
So getting back to the question - what the hezmana is a blockchain?
Here are two short videos that helped me make sense of it all (to a point, anyway) -
And as for the specific Steemit blockchain, here's the official explanation from The Steemit FAQ
What is the Steem blockchain?
The Steem blockchain is the publicly accessible distributed database, which records all posts and votes, and distributes the rewards across the network. It is where all of the text content and voting data is stored, and it is where all of the reward calculations and payouts are performed.
But seriously - how does this make money?
For an explanation from someone who actually seems to know what he's talking about, check out the post - Steem: Where DOES the money come from?
There's also this rare short video (I mean seriously - most of the ones I'm finding say, "Quick & Easy Explanation" and the video is over 15 minutes long!) about how it works, from another Steemit account, BitSpace -
And now here's my breakdown of how it works -
Essentially, you can earn a couple ways - on the stuff you write, and the stuff other people write.
Stuff you write
- For example, I write a post, and upload it to my Steemit blog
- People I've
dug up blackmail onconnected with see that I've posted something new, then pop on by to comment and possibly (depending on how juicy the blackmail is) upvote. If my post gets enough attention, even people I don't know might drop a comment/upvote on it. - A number of factors determine how much that upvote is actually worth - the reputation of the person who voted (which, despite my silliness about the blackmail, has to do with how much Steem Power they've acquired, not the company they keep), the market value of Steem at that particular moment, technical stuffs like that.
- Some people might like it enough to resteem (much like reblogging), gaining it extra exposure, and increasing the chances of people visiting/commenting/upvoting/resteeming
- It's even possible that when you comment on other people's stuff, you might get an upvote or two (in fact, I've had some comments pay out more than some of my posts...LOL).
- After 7 days (and this is absitively posolutely written in stone), the post payout happens, at which time you and your curators (getting to that) get your steem monies. From there on out, the post is forever and ever part of the blockchain. Anyone can read it, but it can no longer be edited, and any further upvotes/resteems don't count for anything.
Stuff other people write
- When you upvote other people posts, you're actually getting something in return. Say for example, I head over to @jaynie's (she's the ROCKSTAR GODDESS behind @steemitbloggers) profile, and see she's posted one of her awesomesauce #TRACKOFTHEDAY - What song is "DOING IT" for you today? posts. I give it an upvote. When the post pays out, 75% of the money goes to the author (@jaynie) and 25% is divided up between everyone who upvoted it, who are considered the post "curators" (see, I eventually got there).
- You can also resteem a post (like I said, much like reblogging) and while you don't get extra monies for doing so, you'll be getting the post more attention from your readers, which might lead them to head over and upvote it, thereby increasing your curation rewards.
There's a flipside to this as well - the dreaded downvote/flag. This is in place to try to keep everyone as honest and/or polite as much as possible. After all, if you know your posts/comments can be flagged (also known as downvoting) which removes monetary value from your stuff, your motivation to shout, "UR a stoopidhead" is somewhat lessened. However, because both upvoting and downvoting are tied to the voting person's wallet, it's not something done willy-nilly.
What, can't you also make money by investing in Steem? And, what about upvoting before/after 30 minutes, or bid bots, or getting the attention of whales, or...
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Yes, there's a lot more to it, but I kinda lost my brain trying to figure it all at once. Hell, I still lose my brain over some of it. But I promise, I'll get into more detail about that stuff in future posts.
That's all well and good, but this isn't real money, right?
It really is. Back in January, I decided to take some of my SBD (steem backed dollars) and see if I could get them into my "real" bank account. I followed this awesome tutorial by Steemian @joeparys...
... and a few days later, my $10SBD (thanks to the high cryptocurrency exchange rate at the beginning of the year) turned into this -
Since that time, I've been reinvesting my SBD into my account, to increase my Steem Power which increases my vote value and.... yeah, that's a story for another day. Like I said, once you get into the swing of the site, the currency stuff starts to make sense. Well, a least a little bit.
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Okay, so what's the catch? I'm gonna have to cough up some cash at some point, right? And what do you get for getting me over there - is this some kind of MLM (multilevel marketing) scheme?
Wow, and I thought I was cynical! Oh wait, this is actually how I approached Steemit in the beginning... LOL!
Seriously, there's no catch, but it's also not a get-rich-quick kinda deal either. Come to Steemit for the cryptocurrency, but stay for the awesome people and amazing community connections. And no, there's no hidden fees, or kickbacks for getting new members on the site.
I mean truly, what have you got to lose if you post something on Steemit first (so that the measures in place to discourage/prevent plagiarism don't flag it), then upload it to WordPress/share it on social media?
Like I said, I was extremely skeptical when I joined back in September, but when I really started paying attention in December, I was hooked. There's a high learning curve and lots of moving parts, but once you get it, I can almost guarantee you'll love it as much as me!
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Stay tuned for my next post, "Creating Crypto Content & Connecting With Communities" (yeah, gotta work on that title). And please feel free to shout out with questions - if I can't answer it, I know some wicked smart people who I can pester for answers. 😂
and edited (slightly - LOL) on Canva
All words and images are mine (unless otherwise indicated),
and can sometimes also be found on my various social media sites.
Speaking of...
I have one billion many homes on the interwebz. Here are a few -
- My WordPress Blog - Traci York
- Facebook - Traci Cavanaugh York
- Facebook Page - Traci York, Writer
- Instagram - traciyork_aka_internetg33k
- Pinterest - Traci York, Writer
- Twitter - @TraciYorkWriter
- YouTube - InternetGeek
- Ello - @traciyork
I might get a wicked small commission, with no extra cost to you.
You rock, @pixresteemer! 💜 📷 😊
I know...
looks at @pixresteemer's "face"...
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What an awesome and entertaining way to learn about Steemit. Had a few chuckles and I think this is a perfect intro post about all the goings on here.
Thanks, @jusipassetti! I was trying to find the balance between informative and info-overload. Still managed to make my brain cramp a number of times whilst writing it though...LOL!
I've been trying to convince my friends to join for a while... The idea of getting crypto without putting up some cash still leaves them scratching their heads.
Shared this on my facebook, hopefully some new people get on board!
Coolness, @t-a-r-o-t - thanks for sharing! I've also shared some of my Steemit posts to Twitter, FB, and Instagram (in lieu of their WordPress counterparts), figuring the more people see content from the site, the higher the possibility they'll stop looking at Steemit like it has three heads! LOL!
My post on the fool has gone up... Magician and the Aces (and tarot tuesday) coming this week!
Nice!
Finally, a promotional post for SteemIt that tells people the truth!
Very well done, @traciyork.
If I wouldn’t have an account already, I’d sign up instantly! :0)
LOL! Thanks so much, @simplymike! 😂 😊
I read your post and i loved it, first i laugh for the mem with dart veder but also the last giphy is so funny ( Any others steemit addicted over here?) i like the way you trated the blockchain subject and the way you explain how steemit works and why you come here, in a funny way, a bit sarcastic, truly i loved it! Great post Tracy!
Thanks so much, @noemilunastorta! I'll be sure to tell my kids that someone appreciates my humor... LOL! Your comment wicked made my day! 😊
Here's a question @traciyork :
If a user ends up having body of work of say 100 or 200 or 500 posts which are all past payout, but they still have value to the reader, is it tolerated to post crypto addresses for people who might wish to make small donations, or is this frowned upon. After all, at a certain point a huge amout of work has been invested, but it can only earn for one week. I know the tipping bots try to solve this, but there hasn't been widespread uptake yet.
And there will always be people who think it's somehow 'unfair' to continue earning from ones work beyond payout date.
To be fair, I see a lot of jealousy from users who see other users making significant money from their posts, but they ignore the effort that's clearly gone in over an extended period to warrant that income.
Just wondering...
Wow, I had to get a second cup of coffee for this question, @t-a-r-o-t! 😂
I'm not really sure what you mean in regards to posting "crypto addresses for people who might wish to make small donations" to old posts, but I do know there's a rather robust debate in Steemian circles on the topic of what to do with posts past payout.
My perspective is this - in late 2014, I decided to blog on a schedule (on WordPress), and I began writing 3 to 4 blog posts per week. While some content was reused to a point (like the basic framework for my Tarot Tuesday posts), the vast majority of it was newly created. To be fair, in the past year or so, on the advice of other bloggers, I tried posts entitled, "Revisiting" then the original post name, but it just didn't click for me.
How much revenue did it generate?
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So now that I'm here on Steemit, I see any amount of SBD earned on a post as total icing on the cake, and I tend to focus on creating new content, not worrying about the old. And speaking of (because I need cake with my coffee...LOL), think about all the amazing bakers out there who spend hours and hours making creations like this (yes, this is a cake!)-
photo via Charm City Cakes West
The bakers get paid for making the cake, the cake gets eaten, and life goes on.
Not sure if that answered your question, @t-a-r-o-t, but now I'm hungry! 😊
I so wish I had this when I started. Very nicely explained and easy to understand intro to it all
Thanks so much, @onethousandpics! That's what I was going for - the guide I wish I'd had. 😊
Nailed it!
Great intro post! Good job on this! 😊
Thank you, @thekittygirl! Much appreciated! 💜 😊
@traciyork - this is a great post - really. I am still learning so much about this platform and the whole issue of Steem, SBD, etc. that I've saved this to read properly. And I shall be sharing it with others I think might want to join this platform.
Awesomeness, @fionasfavourites - thanks so much! And another reason I wrote this is because it forced me to pay attention/figure out some of this stuff. I'm hoping after my future post dealing with Steem, SP, & SBD I'll be an expert (hey, a girl can dream, right? LOL!).
Well, after today, you could also write something about bandwidth and voting power. Total gobbledeygook to me! Look forward to your next posts :)
That's definitely one of the upcoming topics, @fionasfavourites - maybe I'll even understand it when I'm done. 😊
Hahahah when I reached here, I laughed. I love your wittiness and your funny way of writing @traciyork. Thank you so much for this write-up that covers almost everything to persuade and also answer the questions of those are yet to be onboard. I have been talking to my sister and from her look, I know she is being skeptical. But I'm gonna send your post link to her!!! Thanks for doing this.
boosting you from #steemitbloggers If it isn't because of Steemit, who would have thought we can meet on this platform from right across the other side of the globe right??? I love the communities here and yeah when I write, I also feel my life is improving. So thankful for Steemit and for you too :)
Aww, thank you very much, @happycrazycon! I'm so glad I made you laugh, and I totally get what you mean about your sister - I'm getting that same look a TON lately! I completely agree too - while I've met an amazing number of bloggers across the globe through my WordPress blog, Steemit, and @steemitbloggers has taken it to a whole new level! So thankful for you as well! 😊
This so entertaining at the same time very well inform post.
Great post @traciyork! Resteeming this as well.
Much appreciated, @roselifecoach - thank you so much!
You are most welcome!
I am soooooo going to resteem this. so much info nd so much fun. and of course the gifs. Love it. Oh yes instead of going to the darkside, we are here on steemit. ;)
Thank you, @iamjadeline! And the heck with the dark side - we'll just earn tons of crypto and buy the cookies ourselves...LOL!
Love it! If you don't mind, I could I share this link with friends and family? Trying to get my people on to the platform, but explaining Steemit often feels like pulling teeth!
Most definitely, @sweetpea and thanks for asking! Yep, I did this post (and the ones that will follow) because I was feeling the same way! 😊
I'm still learning the ropes here and this is very helpful! Had a little giggle to myself whilst reading certain parts so thanks for that! 😄 Look forward to more content! 🤘
That's awesome, @letsgetquirky! Glad to hear it was helpful, and most importantly, made you giggle! Much appreciated (love your handle, by the way!). 😊
Love it! I'm sending this to my sister-in-law who refuses to see past Facebook! Ugh!
The baby analogy is pretty cute too :) I'm looking forward to the rest of your series now!
YAY! Yep, I hear that, @lynncoyle1 - however, in certain cases (like my mother) I'm very happy they have Facebook to distract them from my swear-filled posts over here. LOL!
And thank you! I started off (when explaining to people) with, Imagine FB, Reddit, and WoW had a baby... it kinda grew from there. 😜
Hi! I am a robot. I just upvoted you! I found similar content that readers might be interested in:
https://www.traciyork.com/come-to-the-steemit-side-we-have-crypto/
Interesting that you're popping by now, @cheetah - I just edited this post (originally went up two days ago), and now you're finding my WordPress post that I uploaded...a half hour? Hour? Something like that - later than this one. But thank you for being you! 😊
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Great post Traci! Your wonderful sense of humor shines through making this a delight to read!
Aww, thanks so much, Roger!