Well it is a hard question to answer but the great thing is that if you can combine all the answers given here, we will have a decent shot at reaching $10 before the end of the year. Regardless of being tied to Bitcoin, regardless of the launch of SMTs (while this could certainly help).

At the moment it is claimed to be a social media platform, well I beg to differ.
It has everything to be the next social media platform but the most of us are to focussed on the money, we can not already predict that while the value of Steem is low, the activity here will drop! But that is the answer on another rant from my side, so more about it later on in a comment or post!

1. Interaction and engagement
   At the moment there is a post/comment ratio just above 2. This is ridiculous low compared with old social media platform where it isn't possible for John Doe to earn some small nickles!
   People should interact more with each other and that's were communities comes in. It is hard to set up a community but it can increase engagement and interaction. We have recently started the Steem Betting Community (@sbcbot), where we want to give sport better blogger a push in the back. This with small upvotes (free of charge) and lots of advice about the steem blockchain and sports betting in general. For sure for these kind of post, it is hard to get support from other communities, so the burn rate is much higher here than the overall already high burn rate!
   Now, this real life example is about sports betting but could be valid from all kind of niches, from sewing towards climbing!

2. The whales, orcas and dolphins should give the good example. Form flagging content which deserves it towards spreading some votes downwards the ecosystem! I do know that there is a sport to catch a whale, but it should be the other way around! I am not telling that all whales ans witnesses are just counting their money, which they did delegate to bid bots. But let's be honest lots of them do. How can we then expect from red fished toward dolphins that they don't do the same!
   They must understand that starting now, could feel like a nightmare and that it would be great to see some activity from the leaders of the chain!
   Just my 2 cents!
   I do hope that this brainstorming does add value to the Steem price!