To a large extent, there are elements of demand/supply, risk/reward at play on the Steemit platform. Being a fairly new platform, not much is known about the user base and what their preferences for "valuable" content are. But that's the beauty of the system, as more users join, create content and good content gets voted up and bad content gets ignored.

As you rightly pointed out, if the effort is put into content that is not valued by others would end up just that - effort without value. This is the risk all entrepreneurs face every day while they try to figure out what the market wants/needs and tries to create products and services that best meet that need. Many business have created great products (even the mighty Apple) that failed to sell (ala the Newton), it just comes with the territory.

I do believe your content has value, and will continue to follow your contributions to Steemit. Keep up the great work!