Giving back to Minnows, as a Minnow

How do we build Steemit as a community when we have little power?

Well, let's start with that statement...we have little power through upvotes, specifically. But there are other forms of power we can bring to bear.

Instead of dwelling on academic definitions of power, let us simplify the view of power to the tools of Steemit.

• Upvoting
• Flagging
• Currency Transfer
• Commenting
• Networking

Maybe a little over the top? Nah, CHAAAAARGE!

Let's start with the first two, as they are interrelated. As Minnows, we have little power via these devices. However, we shouldn't take the view that out votes are no good. They are still a mark of approval and encouragement, and we should take advantage of that to support each other, regardless of curation rewards. Note that I don't say don't try to get curation points, but don't hoard your upvote when you can give other Minnows a vote of confidence.

I have seen Minnows get discouraged from the platform after lots of upvotes and little payout, so be sure to leave a comment of encouragement as well; something along the lines of "My vote might not count for much in payout, but I like your work, and I hope you keep writing!"

I won't get into flagging. I do not want to be associated with any organized flagging.

We can donate Steem or Steem Dollars to each other - Straight up donations are not going to be the best influence tool we have. Don't that let that stop you from deciding to shower a little love on something that you want to. Currency transfers, however, CAN be used to encourage contribution to the platform...I'll go into more detail on this in a moment.

Commenting is going to be an important part of out influence toolset. A good comment on an author's page is not just an encouragement to the author, but it adds value to the post and hopefully attracts more attention to the post for a potential upvote with payout. TL;DR? Commenting adds value

Please only add positive comments. I am guilty of this myself, but have made an effort to quit doing so - don't crap on someone else s page. It discourages them. Be careful of constructive criticism, because people tend to even be insulted by that.

If you want to ridicule an idea, make a post about the idea on your own blog. There is (usually) no need to target the author for repeating bad information or indoctrinated propaganda. Feel free to accept hostile commenting or to not tolerate it; some people love getting in net fights (why are you looking at ME? /snort)

Yes, there are trolls here. Just take care in the identification and treatment of trolls, One man's troll may be just an under-informed partisan

Networking is going to be very useful in identifying and supporting those Minnows who constantly provide good posts in one or more areas. Networking will provide a mutual audience to reinforce each other's work. Networking leads to reSteeming valuable posts.

Remember, posts don't last long in the feed. A really good post can be ignored not from lack of quality, but from the timing of being published. So keep upvoting, commenting on, and reSteeming those posts of value so that a Whale or a Dolphin might be given the opportunity to upbuck that post.

OK, I am going to return to the idea of currency transfer now, but I am going to put in the chamber with a hot charge, Let's get some bang for our buck

By Ad Meskens (Own work) [Copyrighted free use, CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Giving something away is never as good as having something be earned! When we give Steem currency to another Minnow, let's make them EARN it by contributing to the platform. Let's do some contests.

Creative contests can do several things:

• They add content to the platform
• They provide a natural framework for networking
• They provide a reward for an author who may not be seen or upvoted by a Whale
• They provide some attention to the creator of the contest (enlightened self-interest)
• They are FUN

There are some things you need to do when coming up with a contest:

• Decide how payment will be made
  +A flat reward will come out of your pocket, but offers an defined reward for the contestant
  +A share of the post's earnings saves you currency, but may not gain the participation to the contest that would make it worthwhile
• Make your rules clear. Someone that thinks they won and didn't get paid is going to smear your rep
• Give the contest time to work.
• Set a clear end time for the contest
• Ask for a reSteem as part of the conditions of the contest.
• Make contestants give SOMETHING to the platform; a post, a picture, an argument, a story, a poem, a song
• Be fair
• Make it FUN! in CAPITAL DAMN LETTERS FUN!

In creating content for the platform, in rewarding other Steemers for contributing, and for having fun, contests can be a guerilla weapon of the Minnow; it combines creation, networking, and reward.