The content of mind and heart
There are only two types of engaging content on Steem, that which stimulates the mind and that which motivates the heart. Well, this is not really true, but perhaps from an end user consumer perspective it is a way to declutter and bring some focus on what "good content" is. I think good content is better than the common use of "quality" as the label, as what is value-adding doesn't necessarily have to be of quality.
There is actually a thing called The IKEA effect where people add disproportionate value to something that they have partially put together themselves, regardless of the actual quality of the product. I see this is an extension of the sentimental value added to a piece of artwork from one's own child, regardless of how horrible art made with macaroni elbows is - it gets treasured.
When it comes to valuable content on Steem, it is hard to put a finger on exactly what that means, as it is going to depend on the target audience as well as the current conditions of the platform and world at large. However, it is also useful to think of value as level of engagement or attention, but again, it is going to depend on type of content. Comments are a good indicator of internal engagement but aren't overly useful when evaluating what gets seen externally, what attracts outside viewers and perhaps introduces them to the Steem ecosystem.
Lately, I have been sharing content on twitter for @ocd's #PoSh (Proof of Share) initiative and started a new Twitter account for this. I started it toward the end of November and have been slowly growing it by pretty much only sharing Steem content.
November
December
January so far
As you can see, with only 10 tweets of content so far, the impressions are close to that of all of December and,most of the posts are getting click throughs to Steem. Whether this makes a difference in the long-term future of Steem is still an unknown, but not doing this means that it definitely doesn't have an impact.
Mind or heart?
Going back to he mind or heart sides of content creation, I think that I prefer to try to find the happy medium between giving information that engages the mind, and connecting the audience emotionally to what I offer. I do write a lot of Steem content but only, very, very rarely is it purely information or technical as, that is not my methodology for learning or consuming personally. The content I connect with the best is that which engage my heart into the dialogue, and it is a dialogue.
What a lot of people tend to forget when creating content is it is actually a conversation with the audience, as based on what is offered the viewers mind will create a personal viewpoint, raise and answer questions as well as build a relationship with the content, including the writer. I believe that those who are the most consistently engaging users on Steem are those who offer a blended approach to their content. Too dry and technical wears on the concentration, too emotional desensitizes quickly.
There are plenty of outbursts that get a lot of engagement on Steem, but if coming from the same users over and over again, it is much like the boy who cried wolf and it becomes unbelievable and inauthentic, or a symptom of instability that will eventually lead to distancing rather than getting caught in an emotional spiral. Drama creates a lot of interaction because that is what the internet has been designed to propel, but it is always short lived before the next cycle arrives.
What has been interesting over the last few months where the showcase-sunday tag has been supported is, what kinds of content gets reposted. It isn't the price information, or news that this coin is going to the moon - or the outbursts. It is what people connect with at a more enjoyable and personal level, art, stories or in what I usually share, observations about the world. Nearly all of it is evergreen content, content that is timeless.
Evergreen content can be mind or heart, but when most people dredge up a post from 2 years ago, which one is more available in their memory? Nearly every time, emotion trumps thought, which is something to remember when creating those outrage posts. In time and if the Steem SEO capabilities are utilized (a different post perhaps to discuss this), this kind of content could find its way as becoming part of the Steem content catalog that gets found time and time again, rewarded or not. This is especially true once niche communities form and content narrows to serve more refined purpose.
Personal and heart engaging content is great, but what most people will find is that unless it offers the audience something of personal value for them, it is hard to keep engagement long term. And, while some people like to write what is akin to an emotionless high school book report, this offering will have to compete on a case by case basis and essentially start fresh each time, as the relationship between the audience has not been created with a strong bond.
I see it kind of like an actor who can release a movie and have people take the risk and pay admission on the reputation and relationship they have with the actor. Many people see celebrities like family members and friends - "Did you hear about Brad and Angelina" - using first names when they have never even come close to talking. This is the dialogue and relationship built between content and audience and generally, it is a one-sided conversation held between the heart and mind of the viewer, catalyzed by the delivery and presentation included through the content.
Personally, I have spent a fair bit of time considering what I find "good content" to consume for me, and it will likely differ from your preferences. But, when it comes to content creation, do you spend time considering the conversation you are part of whether someone comments or not, whether an upvote arrives or not or - if it is discovered a month or a year from today?
I know that some do, and they generally deliver what would also be seen as quality.
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]
To note and bring some more awareness: 10% of the rewards of this post will go to @sbdpotato as part of the @ocd *beneficiaries experiment.. The "ocd community is found under the #hive-174578 tag and you can join the community through the Beta site https://beta.steemit.com/trending/hive-174578
@tarazkp, In my opinion we can divide Content Motivation on Steem Blockchain as Heart - Mind - Steem Power. Stay blessed.
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Steem Power is mind and heart :)
Ha ha. 🙂
Sounds True. Have a Mindful and Heartful time ahead. Stay blessed. 🙂
Beep BeepTweet Tweethttps://twitter.com/tarazkp1/status/1214544020036366336?s=19
Content creation when I started out it was something top bloggers kept saying, stick to the 20/80 rule 20% what you eventually wish to draw people to follow through on, 80% getting to know you through lighter posts keeping contact.
When some drives the same content hard and fast daily, audience may lose focus. Just my opinion I still prefer the 80/20, even tutorials one needs to break, many literally should from the rooftops about crypto, sometimes whispering is more effective.
Enjoyed the read thanks @tarazkp
@tipu curate
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 0/3 - need recharge?)
The Pareto principle is in play here, just like many things similar and is a good way to look at it. I have decreased my posts a day by about 50% the last year, especially since they are attracting higher payouts. It is hard, as I like writing these. I use the comment sections a lot for the personal stuff and having fun with others on and off my own blog.
I agree about the whispering, and it is why the focus should be drawn away from the earnings on Steem and talk more about the other aspects available. Create, share life and have fun.
I would never have remembered it as the Pareto principle, it just stuck as the 80/20 which sounded right.
People don't spend time actually reading, now scan reading with picture story telling helping to absorb massive quantities we consume. Video and vlogging, tutorials or information sharing continually developing as we speak, all going onto blockchain technology, very exiting times.
Steem is offering so much more than just earnings, over the past three years this has become an interesting space to be in. Learning first, earnings later, something new comers to blogging or earning on line don't fully grasp initially.
Have an awesome day!
Yep, and the future potential for many is enormous, not to mention all of the spin off products and services that will develop as a result. The ecosystem isn't just on Steem, it connects heavily to the real world - or could.
You too :)
Your writing is great! I read the whole post without scrolling down.
Especially I liked the part where you said that not doing it will surely have no impact.
That's exactly how I'm going forward. You have to craft and create in order to succeed. It's only possible if you put in the effort and hours.
Great read!
Have a wonderful day!
I believe this is quite rare these days :D
Like with anything of value, very little of it comes easily, at least to most of us.
These are great things to think about for any blog. If you want to build an audience that is engaged with your content, you absolutely need to provide engaging content. But I think most of us don’t take the opportunity to evaluate what that might be. I have been working at making my posts interesting to read — whether they are stories or shares about pictures I took out on a trail. I always feel like I could do much better, and like I keep the audience at arm’s length, in a way. So one of my New Years resolutions is is to be a bit more self-revealing and personal.
You really hit the nail on the head about the balance between the extremes of dry/technical and overly heart focused. I gravitate toward posts that have that balance and it’s actually a huge spectrum, from posts about travel to DIY projects to beer tasting. It’s really as much about voice as it is about content. I personally don’t tend to read or write highly technical posts even though my background and work are in tech.
I’ll look for your post on SEO. Steem posts are indexed by Google and the ones Google search engines perceive as high value are very sticky, remaining at the top of searches for years, even well after more updated posts on the same topic come along. Funny story. The other day I was trying to find one of my very old Steem posts - a short story about a historic event (freak storm) that happened many years ago in Minnesota. Finally I google searched “Armistice Day 1940 Steemit” and there it was.
This is something that while in the real world I am very open, online I have had to learn to open up a little. There are risks of course, but living a life behind barriers all the time has risks also. Good luck and I followed you o keep you honest ;P
It doesn't really matter what it is, it can all have some soul in it. I spend a lot of time with highly proficient and technical people, and those who love what they do are a joy to listen to, even if I don't understand it all.
I have heard that the SEO for Steemit is strong, it is a pity there is so mu from J.Banfield to be found. My post won't be technical, more question based as I think there is the opportunity for frontends to assist in this.
Have a nice evening.
There can definitely be a downside to SEO! Agreed about the Banfield clutter.
@tarazkp Such a deep info. Thanks for sharing!!! I really appreciate!!! Good luck for your future articles!!! Keep steeming and one last thing that I would really appreciate and feel good if you go through my content and give your review!!! Thanks 😊
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Love your insights.
@tarazkp You're right: you can create timeless, evergreen content when you combine mind content with heart content.
Animals want to eat and to reproduce.
Our basic needs are a similarity.
Our evolution needs might be a difference.
We can use our unlimited potential to grow, we can become more, we can evolve.
At this moment this level is fiction. Now people are busy selling stuff that are not necessities.
Because there is Demand for stuff that are not necessities.
When we meet our basic needs we feel good.
I don't know, and I don't think it’s epic enough.
You're right in your previous article. Now we live mad times:
This might happen because working on the cause implies chance and people are afraid of change.
Remaining the same and expecting different results.
What are some specific stuff we can do to reach the next level of our game?
People are beneficial for control because they are not aware of our context, of fact that we can enjoy the next level of our game -where the control system no longer exists.
Evil exists as a challenge.
After 12 years of education system we have zero education; information is kept hidden, because uneducated people are easier to control.
The good news is that waking people up is within our reach. Soon enough, we end up in a world of total Control, so a good question might be:
It depends on what you are willing to think about. For me, it all has an element of mind in it as I spend a fair bit of time in observation and reflection.
Turn off the TV, stop gaming, reading , moving and wake up and realise that the ego we protect holds us back from understanding.
I do not think that evil exists as a challenge, as I do not think it exists. Again, this is ego applying meaning of right and wrong to protect itself.
You have an interesting way of writing, but it is very hard to read or comment on for me.
You're right, a comment is not the best way to offer more context.
For this reason I created a Recreative and Constructive show: to bring people up to speed and there's no need to complicate stuff: When people are aware, they have the power to choose their response and they can return to our human nature.
Lastly, 4 repeated questions as I received no answer:
I guess you skipped these 4 questions i.e. the most important part of the comment; maybe because I failed to offer more context. Somebody asked me:
In case you're:
We do NOT have to be genius to know that in war times:
Breaking news: People died in past wars, people die and people will die in our current war -their target is about 95% of us. All because of the much Protected interest for control.
The organization (people who control us) is more than happy about WW3. This war that is already a reality is part of their interest. After this war there are gonna be less people on this planet. This is exactly what they want:
They will be more than happy when only 5% of the current population exists on our planet.
The good news is that programs like: destruction, consume, obey, watch a screen, are not part of our human nature, so the solution might be about helping people return to our human nature.
After our current war, all countries are gonna be too weak to oppose their new world order.
At this point we can NO longer work in the direction of waking people up because we NO longer exist. Is this a good way to define: in Good time?
History repeats itself. This might happen because people are charmed by different forms of the SAME prison. Plus:
Is Easier than saying: Hey, How about we Overcome our challenge?
Denial isn't just a river in Egypt.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world it didn't exist.
As long as people are NOT aware, their fragile nature is gonna choose what's easy.
When we choose what's easy we're too fragile to choose what's right.
The more we choose what's easy the more fragile we become. Why do we live:
When we use our life as an opportunity to become more fragile then,
Heart content is written with feeling, from the heart. It is not topic based at all.
They want to feel good, they want to feel justified, they want to feel right, they want t feel that they matter, that they are relevant in some way.
No, we are animals.
Good time? What is that? Before it is too late? Too late for what? If anything, before trying to wake anyone else up, one better be damned sure one isn't asleep oneself? Do you believe you are awakened? How would you know?
Do you actually read anything before commenting?
I guess you skipped this part of the previous comment.
Again, you're asking questions for which you have answers in the previous comment.
I guess you skipped this part of the comment. No problem. Now that you read it,
So from your perspective, our only needs are survival and reproduction (needs that are common with animals). Interesting opinion. I found a similar opinion in this article:
Did you know that our government earns its money from us?
After 12 years of education system we know Nothing.
Denying our challenge is Easier than overcoming our challenge.
The more we choose what's easy the more fragile we become.
Lastly, 1 repeated question as I received no answer:
Because it is not the goal of the war in my opinion. War will never reduce people enough unless through complete destruction. Control is much easier to handle through fear.
A pathetic strawman attempt dude.
I didn't say that. I said we are animals. What an animal needs can vary.'
You are asking the wrong question. You should be asking yourself why YOU live.
This kind of approach to conversation might work on getting inexperienced college girls to hold your hand, but it is quite immature.
So far you have spoken a lot without offering much of anything.
People throw missiles in each other even though it's not necessary and when it comes to think at solutions,
They say:
How else can they avoid our challenge?
How mature is that!
When people are aware they have the power to choose their response so a good question might be:
So far you didn't address this question. It just keeps going around in circles,
I have addressed it.
Stop trying to wake people up... take a look in the mirror.
I don't know how clear I need to be, but I think that is pretty clear.
Where?
Nice try. Looking in the mirror doesn't stop us from improving our world.
Only ignorance can stop us from changing the status quo (the mess we're in).
Ignorance is easier than responsibility.
Inertia is easier than change.
When we're born we don't want to self destroy, still,
Children buy poison and stuff that are labeled as food even though they have zero value (with fiat currency or crypto currency) and consume these products because after 12 years of education system:
By the way: the status quo is not necessary: the same buildings can be used to help children be leaders.
Clear about what?
For me the pattern is pretty clear: when it comes to challenge the status quo, you say:
The question is
Maybe because protecting the status quo is easier than changing the status quo.
As long as people are fragile, they prefer what's easy.
Take a look in the mirror.
Why do you continue ignoring our challenge?
Well I don't think most of my posts are of the heart... probably more of the mind but you make a good point. Hehe. When the price of Steem skyrockets again I'm sure more people will sign up or come back.
Since last year I just post whatever I fancy. Also I do posts that can help promote my real estate, health products and art business too.
Price always brings people back, the problem for them is that they are motivated by a narrow use of steem and one that isn't omni-present.
We should all write about what we want, but if looking for outcome, consider our delivery.
Yay for your Twitter going well? XD
It's been ages since I've had people encouraging me to join but to this day I still cannot bring myself to Twit because I talk way too much. Consicion what's that
I still hate the term value-add x_x and no I don't consider stuff when making things, at least not consciously (I don't always know what my sub and unconscious are doing). But I'm boring and don't really pay attention to reaction things (I still don't understand the appeal of the reaction videos my kids like to watch sometimes, right up there with unboxing videos). I know I probably should but I find it hard enough to just keep up with what's going on in my head ^_^;
I probably make things differently from you though, you seem to have thought about what you're going to write before you write it (even if it then ends up somewhere else because in the writing you've found interesting new thoughts to pursue XD) whereas I'm kind of watching what's going on in my head and trying to make sure I've got it down right (because surest way to fail is wanting something to happen that doesn't happen, kind of like real life XD)
It sounds a bit like upsizing a coke, but it is what it is :)
I don't understand most of what people consume on the internet these days.
Kinda and kinda not. I tihnk that when I have an idea, it is normally catalysed from something in my life and I process it on the fly. Later, I have a rough direction, but not much else. Sometimes, I have a title only :D
Forcing things rarely works for me.
Given the jokes that have been flying around here lately I took "coke" in the original meaning and had to think about it for a bit, my coffee hasn't kicked in yet XD
Sounds like we're getting too old and need to start shaking fists at kids on our lawns XD
So you don't know what you're going to write about when you sit down to do it and it just happens? O_O
You don't yet??
I feel bad about it, but topics and flow for writing come pretty easily. It still takes time and effort though, and I do try to make it somewhat interesting and absorbable :)
LoL! No not yet, maybe I'm still too immature despite my old age XD
Why would you feel bad about something like that? o_O
Because people seem to think it should be very difficult to do everything :)
Pffft you don't need to feel bad about finding something easy just because it's out of capacity for someone else XD
I agree. Society often doesn't. People want equality of outcome and rarely factor inequality of experience and skill.
Nice!
Very great!
Steem is power. Your blog is important for steem power😊