I've thought of making a post like this, but then I didn't. I just felt I don't have the influence to make people read it, and I didn't just want it to be another post where a curation team just drops an upvote. But I'm glad someone of influence has written this, and I'm glad about the comments I've been able to read.
I've tried onboarding people, and so far, I've encountered 2 major problems and you stated them here;
- They think it's a scam.
- Hive doesn't seem so social.
I won't dwell on the first point because it's like general knowledge now for millennials. Most times platforms promising rewards for certain activities turned out to be scams.
The second point though, is where I think the major problem is. Hive isn't a social media when you put in the stereotype of other social media platforms say Facebook or Instagram.
On those platforms, users could post seemingly anything, and if they've got good following they could get thousand or likes and hundreds of comments. Now, those are worth something on Hive not Instagram.
But then, what's the probability that if they joined the Hive and made that same post, that they are going to get the same reaction. To be fair the probability is zero.
On Hive we here about original content, valuable content, no plagiarism, plenty this and thats, and that's why using the platform doesn't sound appealing to casual users.
A lot of prospective users are unwilling to put in the work that is seemingly needed on Hive. To them, the work is placed higher than the possible reward. And that's because the rewards aren't guaranteed.
Even for me that's been on the Hive for good period of time now, I still struggle with the negative emotions I feel when my seemingly valuable post is overlooked. I wonder how newbies will feel?
But then again, I don't think onboarding is the major issue, sustainability, or rather making these new users stay is what should be discussed.
I might have said a lot of rubbish, but this is my 2 cents.
Yes, it is a different animal and not really a social media, that is only one aspect of it. People aren't used to the idea of working on the infrastructure level. The social part could be one platform, the gaming another - all tied below by the blockchain. It is kind of like websites leveraging the internet. Most people don't know anything about web protocols - they just use one the interfaces.
I think this is part of the problem with the idea of work. For example, I see work as having value without pay - for example, cutting my lawn. I like to have a neat garden. I write my posts regardless of the reward because, I like to present my thoughts well and I enjoy writing. Because of this, the work I see as valuable has over time, built up a following who also value it. It wasn't always this way and still, none of it is guaranteed. I have taken plenty of downvotes over time, far more than most.
Ever published to Medium? I have. I am a relatively decent writer, the engagement there sucks ass.
This is part of it, but this particular discussion is why they aren't here in the first place. Can't retain what we never had.
Well, I don't know how to say this, and I don't know how you joined Steemit and consequently Hive, but then for new users that we might want to onboard, we sell out the idea that they could get "rewarded" for their "WORK". So most of them will probably join because of that attracting factor, and not necessarily because they just want to share their work.
I mean if that[sharing their content] was the case, why would they choose Hive or Facebook, Twitter or Instagram were they have good following?
But then, if we tell them about Hive without the reward aspect, why would they want to join?
I'm a photographer. Prior to joining Hive, I shared my photos on Instagram and Facebook. And I'll be honest to say that if I wasn't hoping to get value for those content on Hive, I wouldn't necessarily be here. Seeing as it'd have been that I was even getting value on Instagram. Because prospective clients would see my jobs and book me for sessions.
On the Hive, I don't expect anyone to contact me for a job. I hope for it, but I don't expect it. So for me, the compensation is the fact that I could get upvoted for the content I share here.
However, I've been able to see beyond all that now, as I still continue to post regardless of the reward I get from posting. Also, I've been able to build some level of rapport with other users.
But how many newbies will get to that level of mind development? Especially when the concept that is sold to them is; blog and get paid.
Most came with a "your voice has value", work wasn't mentioned.
Yes, this is the value of having lots of people on a platform, it starts generating secondary economies. WE aren't there yet, this is an immature industry (social blockchain/crypto) in an immature industry (blockchain/crypto) - the introduction of value changes the dynamic heavily from a regular social media that is fully controlled centrally - including at the development level.
What about the support of those who share their content? Everyone wants value for their own content without thinking if they should also be adding value to others. What I like about Hive and having stake is that big or small, I can have some impact on the lives of other creators in a very real and direct way.
This is what has to be a global paradigm shift and it isn't easy being at the front, as there are no leaders to follow.
My point exactly.
Well, to be honest, I wish I could add value too, but right now, my influence on Hive doesn't worth anything. So I don't exactly seek out posts to upvote. However, for posts that catch my attention[like yours, and posts in my niché], I do leave valuable comments].
Right now, I'm mostly building rep and relationships on the Hive. If I get to the point where my influence has value, then I'll begin relating with posts more by upvoting.
How do you build rep and relationships without seeking for posts to upvote?
How do you think a person gets to a point that their influence has value on Hive?
Well, I think organic comments help. Reblogging helps too.
For this, I was talking about monetary value.
Comments help, participation helps - building a network is like building many friendships - there is a lot of giving.
Anyone has the option to buy in. It isn't always possible for everyone though, so it means doing the grind. For a little information though, having a large stake doesn't come with influence, there are plenty here who seem to have very little voice at all, no matter how much they have.
That is some deep bullshit. Not the part about enjoying writing. The part about why you don't turn off rewards to stop draining the pool. Oh wait you didn't say that exactly did you.
This is where we differ because my theory of value says my contributions are nearly worthless. (*) That I earn anything at all on them makes me very happy. I earned next to nothing in the latter half of 2018. But I kept going because I know I would've done so anyway, only on a platform paying me absolutely nothing.
*) I've lived all my life in a 90% Evangelic-Lutheran country. It was always emphasized in all of the religious teaching I received that following expulsion from Paradise mankind was destined to earn its living through sweat and toil. Work was God's punishment for Adam's transgression. Mercy is also a big theme in the Lutheran brand of Protestant Christianity.
Now, I'm an atheist but I'm a Lutheran atheist owing the fact that I grew up in a culture infused with Lutheran ideas by 500 years of indoctrination. The book of Moses says no pain no gain. Earning author rewards on Hive from posting something that billions of people post entirely for free is thus Paradise made possible by the Gods of Token Mechanics who created a system where value is taken from greedy speculators and given to creatives who demonstrate willingness to accept Hive and its everlasting mercy.
Well, we can't all share the same opinions can we? Life would be boring!
But then, we can learn from the minds of people, and I think your opinion is completely valid, and it kinda resonates with my comment at the end where I said I still published posts regardless of the reward I got from it.
But my comment wasn't exactly addressing a me problem. Maybe I'm wrong to assume, but I was also putting the thoughts of other people into consideration. Newbies especially.
For me, I've decided that I'll keep posting. And here's what I tell my friends that get discouraged from posting. Most of them are photographers like me, so I tell them or ask them rather;
What is the value you get from not posting your content on the Hive? They don't answer this question. So I go ahead to them to see the Hive as just another regular platform with the probability of earning a reward from it. If you don't post, you earn nothing. If you post, you might earn nothing too, but there's a slim chance that you would.
You asked good questions. Something like you suggested must be going on in the minds of some people who dip their toes into this place and decide it's not for them. And I've seen my share of people complaining about their rewards all the time while remaining here.
What is the value you get from not posting your content on the Hive? They don't answer this question. So I go ahead to them to see the Hive as just another regular platform with the probability of earning a reward from it. If you don't post, you earn nothing. If you post, you might earn nothing too, but there's a slim chance that you would.
That logic is impregnable. Apart from an insignificant loss of time, there is no cost to sharing your photography on Hive, too. Dropping by to engage is likely to be worth your while if your content is good.
as someone who likes your photography, and i seen that you sometimes struggle with lack of engagement (as most of photography people do here, because a lot of the times there is not that much to comment on those posts than "great photos", "really liking this"... and because we usually don't like to criticize (that i find ridiculous, if you see something that could be done better pleas tell) i think you are wrong in that part that i quoted.
try opening new instagram (youtube) account, and not telling about it to people you know. and start posting photos. how engaging would your posts be? you would need to be extraordinary artist and you will still need a push to get some decent following from just posting. seen a lot of really good artists that don't have crazy amount of followers.
You are quite correct @bil.prag. Wether it's on Instagram, YouTube, or here on Hive, working is very essential to finding success on any of the aforementioned platforms.
Putting it this way, I think the problem is the misconception that comes from how Hive is promoted. So most people think that they are entitled a certain level of value to anything they put out.
that was interesting selling point (especially when it was 5$) to get people to join, but it was not a good selling point for people to stay because of expectations.
When i joined in January 2018 and seen some posts that earned 250-500$ i thought to myself "if they earn that with this posts, i will be a millionaire" :D
I laughed so hard at this. I almost wanted to type my reply in Nigerian pidgin. I'd do that anyway. I'd have replied "E be things".
This isn't necessarily correct, they might not earn money from the Instagram company, but they can earn from sponsors, patrons, ko-fi, donations, commissions, ads etc.
Also it seems those creators who earn well on Hive, know how to use other social media and are probably earning something, just without a dollar value on each post.