I am a Reddit fanboy. Reddit and Steemit have so many similarities but when I say "How can Steemit be more like Reddit." I meant how can Steemit have a robust community with dedicated people like Reddit.
Now before Steemers jump on the bandwagon and tells me how great their community is great, let me say, not like the community in Reddit. I know Reddit has been around for more than 12 yrs. So comparing Reddit to Steemit will be like comparing Toddler running speed with an Adult Runner. And despite Reddit and Steemit similarities, they have so many unique functions. Otherwise, this conversation is pointless.
While you can share links and texts in Reddit, you have to share original (somewhat original) article in Steemit. Now that's a challenge because not everyone has time to write articles.
If I want to find the best book in Psychology or look for cutest Cat GIF, I will go to Reddit. Because I know I will find the best things in their respected subreddit which got most upvoted via the people. If I want to ask about the best bagel in NYC, I will do that in Reddit. Because I know someone will share their best bagel story. No one is paying redditors to comment or share their stories, but they will do that anyway. They will not just do it, many of them are passionate about it. That's why conversation in Reddit is so lively and robust, even more so from Twitter or any other social media platform. I know Reddit has its own problems, but that's not relevant here.
So when I asked how can Steemit be more like Reddit, I want to know how to create a marvelous community like Reddit. They have done it so successfully without paying its redditors a dime. I mean if you like someone's comment or content you can give them a Virtual Gold, but it's like virtual bagel. You can't eat it or sell it.
Now I know Steemit is a different animal. Even though similar to Reddit most upvoted content shows in the top in their respected category. I fell like there is genuine lack of good quality content here. Even if you write genuine good quality content here, your chance of getting on the top depends on your reputation. One of the easiest ways to build reputation or SP is via creating lots of shitty contents. Plus lots of bots buying and selling buying upvote makes it even more frustrating.
So Steemit is lack in good quality content and engaging community, and too much Steemit contents are about Steemit itself like this one. We need to get out of it? Financial incentive can help build community, but if you can't attract outside advertisers then just with Authors money it isn't sustainable. Steemit is still depended on Author writing and paying to promote their content. How fair is that? There are Chinese platforms like "WeChat" where people pay tons of money to read good quality content. But if Steemit can't encourage its authors to create good quality content then no one will pay. And if the author is only one paying and writing why bother?
There are so many issues to talk about when we talk about Steemit. I don't have all the answers. But I am sure many of you in this community have. If steemit wants to succeed its need to learn from Reddit.