So I'm coming up on my 6 month steemiversary and wanted to share some insights for new users. Recently I've been spending more time seeking out and helping new users, and trying to get a few of my friends to join, with limited success. So if they do ever come I will send them to this post.

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1. Find you Niche

I think it's important to know yourself and your blog plan a bit. Now I'm not really taking this advice since my blog is a mess, it's got a bit of everything (although if you dig down it mostly has some recurring themes), but I started niche and have been adding layers. If you like cars, find others talking about cars, or fitness, or silver or travel, there's so much going on here on Steemit. Many of these niches have there own communities so it's a great way to start to establish yourself in them. Follow those tags and comment regularly, soon you'll start to notice there may be 50 or 100 active users in those tags and that's going to be your core group to start.

2. Comment, Comment, Comment.

I think commenting is the best way to build you following when your new. When I started I remember someone suggesting only comment (and don't bother posting) until you have at least 200 followers, but I'm not going to go that far. Leave insightful and engaging comments on users with similar interest to you. Most people will follow people who leave good comment, and especially when you see a few from the same user. Others reader of the blog your commenting on may follow people who leave good comments. Plus they'll likely get upvotes. When I started my comments often paid way better than my blogs. And since your following people in your niche you know something about the topic so it's easier to showcase yourself. I wouldn't start commenting on all the crytpo whales if you don't know shit about crypto, you'll just look like a fool. Don't hesitate to tell people your new around here and ask for help and ask about the platform, most are happy to help, but don't milk the newbie status either and for goodness sakes don't beg, or ever ask for votes and follows. It's also a faux pas to drop unrelated links, unless it's super relevant for some reason.

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3. Get Involved, Join Contests

It's hard to get noticed in the wide world here, but entering some contests or events in a great way. Some pay a few steem to everyone the enters. That's a lot starting out. Plus those contests often have an established following, those tags might be less busy or come with a resteem for people that enter. This was a game changer when I started. I got in a writing event and my account just took off like crazy. Of course same thing, get involved in something your interested in. There are also lots of events that occur in the comments of some blogs as well. Take part you'll build some comradery with those other users, and don't hesitate to comment on other comments in a blog, get a conversation started.

4. Join a Discord community

Discord is a chat app, that a lot of steemit communities use to host chats between members. The largest is the minnow support project, it's whole mission is to help and support minnows (new members) on steemit. Check out there account @minnowsupport and I'm sure you can find out more about them. They are massive and very ambitions, there are vote bots you can use, geographic communities to be part of. They even have live radio shows put on by members, there's some serious stuff happening there. And everyone is so nice their.
Another one is @thealliance, but there are so many more, don't be shy, it really helps, take a look around.

5. Don't worry about all the curation, vote power, HTML markdown etc stuff

All these technical things that happen behind the scenes can really get overwhelming and lead to paralysis by analysis. Ignorance is bliss! Your curation rewards are small and so are your votes, so trying to get this all balanced and limiting the votes you cast isn't going to make a difference. Don't worry about all the external sites that show your voting power and votes and all that. It quickly gets overwhelming. Take your time and learn about this stuff slowly. Hopefully you have it by the time you have a vote slider around 500 SP. Don't get bogged down in HTML markdown either. I never used this stuff when I started, it will come and eventually your posts will look better and you'll get the hang of out, but don't get overwhelmed with it.

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6. Blog, but don't pour your soul into it(at first)

I don't know if this one may be controversial, but this is just my opinion. Not a lot of people are going to read you stuff at first, sure maybe your lucky and your amazing post does get found and resteemed by a big curation team, but that's like winning the lotto. It will probably even happen, but probably not on the post you expected it to. It's discouraging to spend 4 hours and blog your heart out only to make $0.10. I'd say start by just having fun. Make your introduction post, tell people about yourself, it's a great way to start. They have fun, don't overthink it. Don't right your manifesto and give away your best stuff just yet, But don't shit post either. Try for like 200-1000 words and a few pictures. Showcase your interest and what you have to offer the community. When you start building your following then you can slowly start ramping it up a notch, give them the real good stuff, then your follows may start sharing your content, but it's damn hard to get noticed at first. Also don't get overwhelmed buy the idea of "blogging", it's really just posting a few photos and talking stuff, don't overthink it. Look back though my feed, I'm doing okay around here and my stuffs not earth shattering.

7. Be Persistent

It's like anything, you get what you put in. Commit to post something everyday or every second day. Commit to make 10 comments, or whatever you decide. It will pay off dividends in the long run, understand that if you want to come around once a week, things will happen for you much slower, but be aware of that. There's nothing wrong with taking a slower approach as well.

8. Focus on the community

Have the right mindset, if your here to just make post rewards and get rich, people will probably see through you. There is a community here, make friends, learn stuff, get your eyes opened. The best time I have hear is just chatting with the friends I made on discord. Some nights, I'm having so much fun there, or listening to a radio show I skip posting, or just stay up way later than I planned(like every night) I'm learning so much about homesteading and gardening by just reading material in those communities. My eyes have been opened to the future of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. The other creators here have so much to offer, focus on that and the rewards will come.

Wow, did I say community Enough

I just proof-read this and heck I said that a lot. To me that's really what steemit has become all about. This is like one corner of the internet world were people are pretty nice, and sharing and supportive. We are all early adopters here and passionate about the platform. People are deeper here and have discussions and debates, I've never encountered a troll here. So don't be shy, or nervous, just get involved and get started.

Anyways hope that helps a few people, and good luck here on Steemit

Remember it's only my opinion too,so feel free to forge out on our own as well.

PS if your not a new user but one of my followers, feel free to drop any other tips in the comments. I'll likely link back to this as I find new users to help out

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