This is doomed to fail and for many reason:
Steemit is not a social media site (and is not made for consumers).
This is a blogging platform for content creators. This is an elite network at it's core.
Mass market adaption simply won't happen, because 95% are consumers and they won't earn a dime here. Some will try, but they will be gone as soon as they realize that fact.
For the 5% content creators, Steemit is the exact counter-model to advertisement.
They are here, because they believe, that there are other reward models possible than advertisement. Otherwise, they would have stayed at YouTube or Facebook.
On the company side, big corps are lightyears away from implementing blockchain ideas and decentralization. Again, this is against their very structure - besides the fact, that these corps would need a consumer audience, that they won't get here.
You should not spend your time with something, that has no valid chance to succeed.
Case closed.
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This is a reasonable response. The contrast between creators and consumers has been problematic for me as well as I approach steemit. If you're here, it's because you have content that you want to be rewarded for. You're here to make money. I mean, that's the bottom line. Sure, if you can make money and also form a community and spread ideas - that's all gravy. But people will be attracted to coming here because they can make money (in some form) from their content.
But if everyone's here focused on the success of their own content, it's hard to incentivize the consumption of others' content. Of course some exceptional creators will rise to the top. But many will be disappointed because they are not the ones rising, and they will leave or become less active. And this means fewer people are participating in the community.
The question really becomes: how does steemit become valuable to content-consumers? In order for content-creators to be truly successful, they need to have consumers. A lack of consumers means creators will also fail.
Anyway, that's my take.
I think, besides what @joanaltres has said in the comment below about SMTs being the consumer friendly versions on the Steem blockchain, that we have basically two options where to take the Steemit app.
One would be to incentivize other uses and values than the monetary one (I have written about this 2 weeks ago here).
The other option is, to focus on the 5% content creators, who will also comment and interact with other creators and therefore also being consumers.
I kind of feel it just has to reach a certain critical mass to attract more casual consumers. For instance, I joined Instagram and have never made a post. It was entirely to follow a few artists who posted content almost exclusively on Instagram.
When more, and more prominent content creators embrace Steem, their fan bases will come along. They’ll begin using Steem like any other site, for entertainment, with the chance of having a comment or post rewarded as an extra bonus. People love when their favorite celebrities or artists engage with them on Twitter, or retweet them to a legion of fans. Add in the possibility of an occasional monetary windfall from viral content and Steem beats any legacy social media in every way... as long as the people are here.
Heh, maybe it's just me. The only reason I joined Instagram was to promote my project. I have no real interest in scrolling through it for other people's pics. :) And I haven't logged in there for months.
Ha! Pretty funny how it’s almost opposite for me. I use Instagram and FB to follow certain content (because it’s not here yet!) but am actually more averse to posting on them & supplying those corporations with content now that Steem & other viable alternatives are emerging.
I think we as content creators do have different takes on it though. I’m shocked at the number of comments on FB posts, YouTube videos, even online news articles! There are plenty of people who don’t classify themselves as “creators” but enjoy being active fans. I think Steem still has great potential to capture them in the future.
I agree the potential is definitely there. Except right now, every time I mention steemit to people I know in real life, I have to preface it with a long paragraph about how it actually works. :)
I have to disagree with your characterization of everyone here as being here to monetize content.
I literally have no interest in monetizing content. I'm not alone, although I probably am the very end of the pendulum's swing.
I think if this was just bloggers selling each other their blogs, it would never have been made. There are social media aspects to this site that attract folks more interested in substantive conversations than you might be able to engage in on Twatter, Fakebook, or in Youtool comments.
Should this platform further devolve into a cryptomining site, the ~10% YOY retention rate is liable to plummet. Your point is taken further, as we need more than consumers, we need consumers that aren't so unrewarded by Steemit that they actually stick around.
Thanks for the feedback. I think @jpgaltmiller makes the point that I was going to make, which is that for Steemit to be ultimately successful it needs to have good content and attract consumers. Yes, those that seek to make a quick buck will get weeded out, but I think if we can attract top notch content creators (Like with dtube) then their followers and viewers will come just for the content.
I agree with you. Steemit is not a social media site by anyone's stretch of the imagination. It's a blogging platform only and has always been that.
The majority of people on Facebook, Twitter, etc., could care less about making money online and would never want to spend time on a platform where most of the popular posts are about the platform itself.
The people who do arrive here and stay are here primarily to make money. Giving large businesses top exposure will just knock the little guys further down. It may raise the value of Steem, but if the little guys are making no Steem/SBD, it won't matter much to them.
Steemit must eventually become simply a central portal. Other and better platforms with their own SMTs are the future of STEEM and will fuel adoption of the token more and more.
DTube, as an example, will have it's own SMT when ready, and that will likely become a more largely adopted platform than Steemit itself. Others will arise and evolve. Some will fail, but some will thrive and eclipse Steemit.com in terms of "active" users. Steemit itself will grow, but as the gateway and central portal to everything else.
I think you've made some good points here, @joanaltres
Epic! Steemit IS the exact counter-model to advertisement.
But Sponsorship can be the vehicle for this thesis.