Let's talk...
@tuwore (who has been on platform about two weeks I guess) mentioned:
I think you're the author who gives back the most to his viewers and people who actively participate in the comment section. You take your time to read, reply and upvote the comments on your articles, and by doing so helping your audience move forward on Steemit. So thank you for that too :) -@tuwore
Check him out as he seems to be putting a decent amount of effort into his start. Good work mate.
Yes, I do my best to engage in the comments section as I see the people who take the time and effort to read and comment well as valuable and I am grateful for their contributions and discussions. I see comments as little posts and will therefore generally bump them a percent or two to encourage engagement. It is not that I want people to only comment on my posts though, I am hoping they will use the little I give them to share on their own and other blogs also.
I write across some quite complicated topics and therefore get some quite complimented responses. What would be great is if people can discuss with each other in the comments section too. This would be a win/win as it takes a little pressure off me but more importantly, it builds strong relationships between users. Many of my follows have been because of engagement with people who comment well and I know many others who do the same. You can tell a lot about a person from their comments and this is a great way to connect.
The other benefit of engaging is it is a great way to be visable as thoughtful comments will slowly get noticed but, you shouldn't only aim to get seen by the article writer. Read other people's comments and comment there, it is a very valuable resource. The comments section in general is the best place to build your profile, but it takes time and work.
Currently, my 1% vote is between 11 and 14 cents. That doesn't sound like a lot but I post 4 to 5 times a day so a decent commenter could earn around 50c but, I often bump 2 or 3 percent, sometimes a lot more if I think them important. so with conversions, that starts to become significant in a week.
Now, this comes with some caveats, I will not upvote every comment and in fact, here is a warning; I am going to flag a lot more. I am tired of having random spam comments pour in. It seems that because I often upvote comments, people think it is a little tap and I have attracted a lot of Spam. I have done clean ups before, it is time for another. Comment well, don't bother or risk flags. Ignoring them hasn't helped so far and the clutter makes it hard to find others so, I will push them down. Hopefully in time, people will learn what is a poor comment and improve or stop. I also rarely vote on large pictures, especially random ones or flashing gifs.
Also, I am not so keen on voting on self-voted comments, occasionally I do it but, I prefer not to. The reason is that it can push them to the top even if they are not so great. I would love to have a fraction comment slider at Steemit to give 0.5 and 0.25 votes too. Not that I would use it often but for the much larger accounts, I think it would encourage them to reward comments more often.
One more thing...
I am not your boss, Sir and certainly not Dear. I sign my posts Taraz so that or the @tarazkp tag is fine. Perhaps this is cultural and an acceptable way to greet people in some places but, it is not a great one for an international community.
For the smaller players
One other thing for the smaller accounts to do is reward comments too, even if your vote is worth dust. Push the good ones to the top at least so they can be seen. Even though it seems so little, it is the gesture that is important and acknowledging those who put in the effort is important. Small accounts should always be answering well every worthy comment they get and be spreading their value also.
Also try not to post and run. Stick around for 30 minutes if you can or at the very least, don't wait days to answer comments as it is essentially bad service. Also, if you wait days, the chances are that post has already been forgotten since no one engaged with the comment.
For the larger players
Now, one thing for the larger accounts. Answer some of your comments, acknowledge your audience, reward them for taking the time and making the effort to visit, read and comment upon your posts. Too often I see large, heavily rewarded accounts with almost zero engagement with the audience and if there is, it is only on the large rep accounts. Sure, it takes time and effort to comment a bit but, don't preach community and engagement if you aren't engaging with the people who visit and comment on your own content. Essentially, the large accounts have influence and power and should be leading by example.
Thanks
I am grateful for the thoughtful comments I get and I apologise if I don't always get to them all and without notifications, it is even harder as I generally have multiple posts getting commented on at the same time. But, I do try to read them all and upvote what I can.
I am also thankful on behalf of my followers to @blocktrades who occasionally vote up some of the comments a touch too. I know the support is very appreciated by the community.
Okay, if you have any comment related comments, fire away. But, it is after 2 am, I have to be up at 630, our daughter is in our bed since she is very ill which means I have to sleep on the couch so, I will likely answer them tomorrow. :)
Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]
I will add one thing - as a smaller account - commenting means engaging and engaging means enjoying. If you enjoy your time here it becomes less monotonous, and you're likely to actually stick around for longer before the whole experience becomes stale.
If you're sticking around for no reason but money, and you're treating steem like a big pond and you're there with a fishing rod hoping to get a bite, you'll be gone in a few months at most because you'll realise that the fish just aren't biting and it isn't enjoyable anymore.
That's why I try to comment more than I post - and I don't say things like "Great content sir! Upvote!"
I totally agree. After just one week on this platform i've seen so many people who's interntion is simply to comment the most random stuff on every post (like "great picture dude" when there's no picture to be seen in the post etc) in the hopes to get rewarded for that? I don't really understand it. When I joined the platform I was excited to share my thought with other and to learn how to blog from those already proven succesful. The first days it was a bit discouraging to see so few responses on the questions and feedback I had. That's why I think people like Taraz are of huge imoprtance to this platform. First of all I like reading his articles because I think they're well-written and thought out, and on top of that I know he values my feedback and is open for discussion in the comments. That's why I'm here. The monetarily incentive is of course nice, but I'm not here to get rich. The focus should be on the blogging-side of things instead of the money-side of things. I'm here to learn, to become a better writer, to improve my English etc. The money is just an extra.
I agree that those who come in expecting big things for very little are mostly and (gladly in my opinion) going to get disillusioned fast. What does make this place fun is the relationships formed with all of the various people that one might never have a chance to have a decent conversation with in real life.
It's a bit of a symptom of crypto in general
There's this perception that a lot of people got rich by doing nothing.
But it's not true.
if you invested $1000 in bitcoin 5 years ago - yes you're filthy rich today if you did not sell - but it takes foresight, dedication, and effort, to hold on through the times where your portfolio has already gone up 2x, 3x, 5x, etc, to the point where it erached $20k+. These people were likely eating, sleeping, and breathing bitcoin (a bit like me lately with vertcoin). To do that for an extended period of time would be exhausting.
It's the same with steem. Except the effort isn't quite as passive, you need to actually put time in to maintain your account. I slacked off over the past few weeks as I had a few things taking my attention away. But I'm back :)
That also seems to be the perception of most of the current generation. They see instagram people making loads of money by posting pictures and they think that's how life is, that everyone gets a Maserati just because they showed up. They post 4 garbage pictures and give up because no one is following them.
It used to be that you slaved away your whole life at a job and that was it. Things don't have to be like that, but discipline and personal growth are required. You're probably not going to get rich quickly on Steemit unless you've got some big friends. Even then, you have to put in some effort.
that's because at the moment our generation is experiencing a shit towards more of a class system, and at the same time, things like instagram are providing a window into the other "classes".
And combine that with the fact that wages have been stagnating for the better part of 10-15 years now, slaving away at your job isn't worth it anymore like it once was.
Of course it depends on where you're from, but back in my father's day, he used to earn $35k a year or so, and bought a house for less than $100k.
That same job would now be paying about $80-85k, and that house is now worth around $700k.
so yeah, this generation is getting less patient - but with damn good reason.
Very correct @tarazkp. i just found your blog through @ilyastarar's resteem and i'm so glad i did. I could actually read and comment all day cos i already enjoy it so much. But it takes time and i dont have any business that is generating some income while I'm away, so I wont pretend that the money isnt important to me. But you are so right, while I am it, I am getting a lot of other incredible value: meeting wonderful people that i would never have met, having real fun, yeah; learning to improve myself and expanding my horizon of the world. Now, look at the meaningful conversation going on here!
Yes! I keep saying to people who complain about making just pennies here and there, not only do those pennies add up, but if you are also enjoying the interaction, you got paid immediately in the true measure of a successful life. Happiness!
I've had the same thought lately, especially when streaming on dlive and seeing spam pop up in the chat there it's so annoying. Hoping they will add some ways to mute users from that chat.
I hope I won't have to flag many comments in the near future.
I wish the chat wasn't just the post comment section, honestly. I think that is one thing that Twitch does better than dlive. It's probably one of the bigger reasons why I don't go watch people stream all that often on dlive, since it makes interaction a bit more difficult, and that's not even taking into account the spam crap. That's made even worse for someone in your position who has a big following and gets dozens of comments of spam a day. Would be cool at the very least if they added in some kind of mod feature where you could have someone watching the stream that you trust mute the comments so they don't show up in the chat, and only in the comment section.
Same opinion here, however, I think they should scrap the block chain element on the chat as I have to be wary not to post more than a couple of lines or I’ll lose my bandwidth :/. I’d prefer it to be just a temporary chat which you can really express your opinion in.
But then in the future you won't be able to upvote those comments as the streamer which is a really gamechanging aspect of it all compared to other platforms.
when they comment on the post it shows up immediately in stream?
Yea I think it does coz he once said it...
Yeah... :D
Here's my comment-related commemt, haha.
Comments are quite under-rated and under-utilised. And when they are used it is all too often by spammers, as you pointed out.
I generally upvote most comments on my blog too. I don't have nearly the voting power you have but I get tired of the short spammy comments like this one.
Now, you may be thinking that's not too bad, right? But the comment was hastily made on a post by a friend of mine who wrote about a loved one who had passed away!
Sorry to quote back so much of your own writing but that there is a big beautiful blockchain golden nugget!
You have a new fan. Thank you for all you do.
Yes, the people read the title (if that) and decide they are qualified to comment. Much like real life with people commenting on newspaper article headlines.
Glad to have you here. :)
I think @tuwore hit the nail on the head. I think I found your blog through your brother, @galenkp who I've been following for a while. The entire time I've been following you, your articles are complete thoughts that dive into deeper issues than most authors. It gives your audience cause to think. If they're not willing to take the time to think, it is much easier to tell in the comments.
I could see how your rewarding of comments would bring spammers. Who wouldn't want to get $0.14 rewards if they're just starting and the author is handing them out. It's a shame to do so though, because although I have certainly benefited financially from following you, I think there's even more value in what your write.
I often open your articles in another tab when I see them as I don't want to forget about them or miss them. However, I don't read them until I have the time to properly focus on what you're saying. Otherwise my comments will be generic garbage. Because you're so consistent on rewarding, I want to make sure that my comments are worth the reward. Otherwise, I miss out on learning something, and you might get disillusioned and either flag me or just stop rewarding altogether. Any of those options aren't desirable. So I take the time. Hopefully it shows.
Also, thank you for the rewards you give. I've been running contests to help newbies from time to time. Having funds to give away to encourage engagement is helpful.
Hope your daughter feels better soon. And that you have a comfortable couch. :)
I thought you found him through me ;) He is a good poster.
You have to do a lot to get flagged but yes, potentially the stopping of rewarding, at least for some comments. I don't mean you in particular and it isn't about writing a lot either. However, I write 4 or 5 posts a day, those 1-2% add up fast so I have to sometimes be less generous.
I hope so too and my neck will never be the same again.
Oh, did I say that I met you through him? I totally meant that I met him through you! Yeah, that's it. ;) I don't remember. Sadly, I'm not sure that I put two and two (or in this case 1 and 1) together until recently. Since you live in Finland and he lives in Australia, somehow I had you separated. :/
Ha ha, yeah, 5 posts per day with a rough average of 50 comments on each from other people, and that's 5 of your 100% votes right there. You only have 5 left for elsewhere. It ads up.
I've actually been enjoying the fact that as you are at a lower VP, it takes a lesser raw amount of VP (2% of 25 is less than 2% of 100), so I've been able to spread more votes around. It's my workaround for not having the slider bar yet. :D
I just spent 3 nights house sitting and sleeping on a bed that did me zero favors. I'd wake up at 5am even though I'd be dog tired. Couldn't sleep on it. I feel that pain too, dear boss, sir! Sorry, I had to! :D
Ahh the perils of being large enough to attract spam XD
Boss and Sir seem to be cultural (I heard a bit of usage of "boss" growing up as my dad often got called that by colleagues and even friends, sir/madam was a generic politeness thing at airports and hotels). Dear...I'm not quite sure what to make of o_O But none of the tiny handful of cultures I'm familiar with assume that level of familiarity on first contact (or even several contacts after that). The only thing I can think of is that it might be a violently mistranslated honorific?
Stop staying up late and getting up early, it's not good for you XD Hope the small one gets better soon :)
Yes, there are several possibilities but I still think there is a general international standard and since I use my name, that would be fine.
I hope she gets better too, first time she has ever really 'thrown up' and she is really scared. still cute though weirdly...
Ahh dear poor bub :< It's not weird she's just cute and everything she does is cute. When when it's not ideal.
When you said something about general international standard I suddenly wondered if they perhaps mean "friend". But still. Using the tag is probably a lot safer when in doubt!
I'm a plankton and I still get it!
But you're a smart plankton.
Haha! Ok, I’ll take that. :) 🤪
I really like this. I comment on people's posts far, far more than I post articles. But most of my comments never get a response at all. I don't expect a response to every comment that I make, but I DO want conversations. I don't seem to get that nearly as often as I would like though. Thanks for encouraging dialogue.
Yup @soleil-research. I guess we both suffer a pinch of the same discomfort to almost never get a response to our comments. But I also suspect, that this is mostly due to the actual different timeline zone that separate us from the authors we like to comment on in their posts. Therefore we are always late for the live party in their neck of the woods.
For example, every time I leave a comment in one of the posts of @tarazkp I know that I am interacting with someone in the future. Actually, dealing with someone literally living six and half hours ahead of my time. (Crap! he indeed should give me the winning lottery numbers everyday in advance.) LoL
Hence don't worry. And follow the advice of the quotes I've selected above. Just as I am doing now. You see? Then, that way, we could be a step closer to his next advice. }:)
Cheers!! :)
:D
I never considered the time zone issue before. I guess it surprises me that things would calm down so much due to time. Do people really forget about a conversation that they might have been having? I check my "replies" section all the time. I guess people don't do that once they have a lot of posts?
I also rarely ever think to check to see where someone is, unless it seems relevant to the post. My oversight!
I'll start commenting on people's comments more, as opposed to on the post itself to see if that gets a better response.
Have a great day :)
Yep @soleil-research! the time zone issue is kind of a troublesome barrier to establish realtime interaction even on this tiny blue ball on the space. Actually, if tarazkp were now in his native land, we probably would be separated by around 14 hrs. Much more time available to give me the winning numbers of the lottery in advance. :)
But so many people do not say where they are. Apparently Tarazkp is in Funland! I have no idea where that is, lol. Unless that is him being funny and meaning Finland...
Helo @tarazkp ....this post came up while I was already asleep. Saw you say it's already 2am, please what country are you in? Coz it seems your a little bit ahead of me with respect to time zone.
Well speaking about commenting. When I started newly on the platform, I was never a fan of commenting and woukd only read posts and disappear. But with time I wondered whatelse I would be doing on the platform if I don't engage in simple decent conversations with the content creator and boom, I started commenting. Over time I have been able to develope some kind of relationship with people here that commenting on their posts feel like we are having a convo over a cup of coffee and it's fun. I have come to meet some great minds, motivators and poeple who inspire me and getting to convers with them in the comment section just makes me feel glad.
This is something I won't stop doing anytime soon and I hope we have more people who will be engaging as you are on this platform...A few people who I respect so much for their ability to reply comments and engage in conversation with this who comment on thire posts are @humanearl, @surpassinggoogle, @anomadsoul, @acidyo, @donkeypong, @abh12345, @kaylinart, @stellabelle and a few other steemians.
¿WHAT? and the poor, pauper, weird, twisted & extravagant @por500bolos that engage in conversations talking up by the elbows... he's not also worthy of your respect @sistem?
¡Wadda surprise! I did not see that coming. LoL }:)
Hahahahaha....funny guy
This is what is great about it, many people, lots of coffee :)
I have a quite simple policy regarding commenting:
Am I (hopefully) generating more value for me and (!) the ones I am engaging with?
If yes, go for it - if not, walk away.
I'm reading a lot of different articles about a variety of topics, but I'm only commenting on a few selected ones, because I think, no serious author likes the usual "good post" spam and I'm simply not able to contribute something meaningful all the time - that's when I silently walk away :)
I think, that's not the worst way of handling it.
There is no problem in this and I would prefer this to good post, sir! There are regulars here who occasionally drop a word or two when they are in a rush, but they are regulars.
You da boss ; deer ROFL
now to the reason for my comment:
I watch you , acidyo , deadspace , saywha , and the bread man. mostly in the Chat. I watch more then I jump in . I learn so much . Got all messed up when someone changed my sentence. more like horrified.
Honestly I have no idea how you's make the time. It takes me at least 30-40 minutes just to make a comment. like this one. Then to answer a reply that I have received . Let along a post. I am a little fish who does have some understand time management. I spend a lot of time reading the post without making comments for fear of over committing myself. I am truly interesting in what they have to say Well maybe saywha not so much.
What I cherish the most is the engagement with people The ones who I have meet . Whom I consider as friends.
well its getting late, hope your daughter feels better soon
Your post is food for thought and one that I will remember in they future and apply
Thank you Taraz
Just throw your hat in the ring and give a few comments. You will find that it gets pretty easy in time. To start, don't try to answer the entire post, pick one or two parts to focus on. It also makes it easier for the author.
did not think about that. makes sense. a win win for all
LOL there you go again
42 mins? Oh, so I found someone like me! I read the post and a good number of other comments, really cos i enjoy doing it. Then, I make 1 or more comments. Now, as i usually do all of these on my phone, it really does take some time.
yes it does . Time management is one of the keys to secede here . writing post , making comments , but most of all reading what has to be offered . That is a lot for a a newbie . Especially if your computer skills like mine are lacking . I always said that the learning curve here was high . Hard work , putting your time into it and thanks to the community and a mentor who constantly help and support me .
@tarazkp posts gives me valuable information and if you follow and learn it would help you also
Thank you for you comment
You are welcome, following you now.
tarazkp
follow the one how made the post good info.. iM new too
I loved how you explained your intentions. Yes, when you are generous enough - people will flock to take advantage.
The best thing for newbies is to stick with the commenting for while and build their reputation. Once they are good, they should post more frequently. But never stop commenting, because it means you are engaged - ideas are discussed and the thought process is levelled up.
So there you go. Thank you Taraz.
"Currently, my 1% vote is between 11 and 14 cents."
Boss, you forget that this actually is way, way more due to the current SBD price, probably close to 50 cents or something in real usd. Writing this comment and reading your post took me 2 minutes or something and it's not like I got tired. Certainly, way more money than the average guy makes in my country :P Not to mention, the free exposure and the added benefits that come with it!
Yeah, I actually thought I had written it but apparently, I only thought it.
Hah. I get those, too. Perhaps I should start gently discouraging that, too. It can be a polite way to address people in some corners of the world but it tends to make me uncomfortable to be called sir. What sir am I except when being a patron in a restaurant in Pakistan perhaps? :) The only people in real life who address me as dear or any equivalent thereof are my wife and my daughter ("Dear Daddy ..." especially if she wants something) and I like it that way. I certainly do not appreciate being called dear by some neckbeard online or IRL.
My brother (@galenkp) wrote a post the other day about it too. 'Only my Auntie calls me dear' :D
This was a good post with some great info. I wrote a post a while ago about what makes a good comment and how to construct meaningful ones that have some meat to them. Likewise I have been making an effort to reply to most all comments on my posts that have or add value. Like wise even though my upvoted is only worth a couple cents I like to show the users who do comment well that I appreciate them. Basically everything you covered here. Your post should set people on the path to good comment habits.
It shows something about you, as well as them
You pointed out something I just figured out today, and it's good to have that reinforced. I had been thinking that my upvote was worth maybe a penny, and later in the day not even that (as my VP decreases). So I would upvote posts but rarely comments. Then I realized today that upvoting a comment moved it to the top of the comment stack. So that meant more people would see it. So now I'm trying to do that, though my VP is getting killed. I think I'm at less than 50% right now.
I also really appreciate your statement that doesn't apply to me in the doing, but does mean a lot to me in the receiving. Those folks who have been on here a long time who still take the time to respond to comments, and more than that, to respond to comments from absolute strangers discovering them for the first time, well they really make it much more hospitable here for us newbies.
Thanks always for your generous and helpful posts.
you are most welcome.
Two ways to see your VP easily.
fast:
https://www.steemnow.com/@indigoocean
deeper:
https://steemworld.org/@indigoocean
No doubt your topic is some time quite complicated but It is full with new information I appereciate your thoughts and work because it is true that you read every comment and and give a response with a good reply
I agree with you that with a comment we learn from each others its a good way of communication
One thing more i notice in you that you also check you comment box regularly on every post not only in one time some time reader might too late for reading post and when he/ she drop a comment on your post you gave a response to them that is good and i like this because every follower is not online every time so when that come online read a post drop a comment than you give a response That is not on other users because they only saw comment box in one time and that after it ignore at all
Master Taraz... I still read even if I do not comment. I missed the grade school lesson of being focused on self image. Neither do I crave rewards. I do however attempt to comment as a reminder of polite conversation. Sleep well with big dreams.
I see you often enough ;)
It really is appreciated @doctorjohn and I am glad that you are here posting too. I think it helps people quite a lot.
Well said your Majesty my dear Sir Boss @tarazkp. :p }:)
I can see your new celebrity status already has robbed and kidnapped you most of your cheerful free time of quiet tranquility as to be able to keep ahead capturing every bit of feedback within that avalanche of comments that today get your increasingly in popularity posts. Hahaha
It's not a big surprise for those who follow you and religiously read your content since a long time ago, that they notice now, that naturally your attention and interests must have diversified beyond write & produce great content and regularly check the tsunami of occasional nonsense here & there that your posts lure along the comments section nowadays.
For example, in addition to your usually tight working agenda in the walking life. I know that lately you are also spending online lotta more time engaging in realtime interaction on chatrooms. And also lurking but trying not to fall into old gamer addictions one more time. LoL
Therefore, having said all the above, now I have no choice but grab your attention towards a handful of my always entangled and thoughtful comments that evidently they all have slipped below your radar. And that as you will understand. I can not afford the luxury of you leaving unharmed without reading em all. }:)
In chronological order: Comment 1, Comment 2, Comment 3, Comment 4, Comment 5. That's It, just a handful as promised. :)
Oh! and yes. I certainly concur with @ryivhnn and her great advice. ¡Sleep well mate! There is no better rejuvenator and repairer of energy than a prolonged time in the loving arms of Morpheus.
Cheers!! :)
At the moment, I am getting gateway errors on your links :D
It is taking it out of me but, I do enjoy it also. Gotta die of something, I choose work.
Your Majesty works for me actually.
I have been actively reading the comment section of posts and commenting for the last few weeks as I found this to be a way of learning how Steemit works and forming friendships, it is also nice when that comments gets appreciated with an upvote, but I do not expect it. There is a wealth of information in the comments section, and some of the comments I have read are better than some of the main posts. I have also found some great like minded people to follow, yourself included. I also appreciate that you respond to comments, there are some that do not, and it can feel like you are being snubbed, especially if that user has a small following. I always upvote those that respond to me because it shows my appreciation of that person replying to me even though my vote carries little to no financial amount - that is why my voting level is very low!
Yes, it is a place where you can get a much better understanding of the issues at hand, no matter the subject of the post.
With low Steem power, it is the act that matters more than the value.
yes, this is something I learned early, as in life replying with a thank-you always goes a long way in fostering good relationships
Thank you so much for the shout-out Taraz. Like I mentioned below, I think this side of Steemit is indeed not yet where I want it to be. Too much focus on the monetarily incentive and too little focus on what blogging is all about: learning from eachother, sharing thought and experiences and building connections. The money involved should solely be seen as a nice extra. I hope your post will reduce the spammers and will attract even more discussion and overall value in your comment section. You deserve it.
I usually don't do this before but I just did... I didn't even read this post before I did.
There is always something to learn from every of your post.
In respect to the smaller accounts which I think I fall under... I don't reward other comments because like you said
But I will take your advice on this on. Thank you.
Yeah, you do it properly . Our post visitor's feedback and our response to them are the best hints to invest our time productively. Many thanks for your great efforts. 👍👌👏
I won't but I can literally copy the whole text of this post, change the value of votes to mine and publish it without anyone doubting of its originality. That is because I believe in the essence and strategy given in this post about commenting. People know me for egagement through comments. I preached commenting to newbies and minnows a lot.
It's wonderful to have people like you on the platform. I am sure that reading this post will help people, so I am resteeming it.
And thank you for resteeming this post @ilyastarar, i found him and keep finding others and learning on your blog.
@tarazkp, if what @tuwore says about you is true, I thank you for being that kind of influential and pay-it-foward Steemian! It's an honor to meet you here!
I am a 46-day old "small account" who LOVES to meet new people and learn about their talents, dreams, ideas, their lives on the incredible platform! My first month here was spent tumbling down amazing rabbit holes only to find more awaiting for curious investigation! I definitely comment, upvote, resteem way more than I post and it's a wonderful experience! My vote is "less than dust" but it's enjoyable, period! I don't know if this is right or wrong but I am meeting amazing people in the process.
I thank you again for caring about the newbies and encouraging us on this journey.
I will be following both you and @tuwore, Upvoting (less than dust - hehe) and Resteeming this post
What surprised me most about steemit at first was that I was more likely to earn on commenting then on my posts even though a lot more work goes into my posts. I'm hoping that changes one day as more people read my posts, because it's discouraging when nobody or hardly anybody reads them.
I believe engagement with your followers and on posts you enjoyed reading or learned from is important, maybe even critical in a social environment, otherwise it's not social or rewarding at a deeper level at all, it's just a milk cow, at best.
You included this recommendation for those who address you:
I am also an adept of the familiar model, mostly coming from the Anglo-Saxon cultures, but... different cultures, different habits, and sometimes they are very well hardwired.
In some cultures, it's very rude to call a person by his or her first name, unless you are close, thus "sir" is used by many. Just like French won't say "tu" if they just met you, they'll say "vous", otherwise it's considered impolite.
About "dear" I agree, it shouldn't be used to address someone they hardly know. And even if you are close, "my dear friend" is acceptable, while "dear" is not, unless they want to move in with you.
extraordinary & encouraging!
if i have chance 2 upvoting i 'll do for you.
i like your post.