Creating a following can be daunting regardless of the platform. Comparing Steemit to the various platforms I have used, I find it to be much more inviting. The fact that there exist such a wide range of groups to help newbies is encouraging, since it means that for many people the community is just as important as the potential income you could generate.
If anything, I think the UI is the biggest obstacle. And then there is the writing itself. Not being a part of any type of team right now, when I see someone with good ideas, but a poor writing style, I am not sure if I should leave them a comment or move on. The community side of me wants to comment with encouraging words about grammar and syntax, but without knowing the person, I fear it will not be well received. Groups like the ones you mentioned can do this with newbies, thus enhancing the overall quality of the community posts.