and some even think there's some hidden referral benefit I'm working towards.
I know what you mean by this, they think you are 'up to no good'
I mentioned in another comment I am no fan of AppPics, however if it encourages posting and engagement without all the complexities then that's good by me.
However, people should not expect huge rewards for minimal content.
It's quality of quantity to me. A 30seconds video could carry more than a long ass "article" with zero fucks given about grammar or actual relevant content. Either way, it's quality we're after. Appics is still really new though.