It's of no surprise to anyone on Steemit or on any social media that "follow for follow" and "like for like" is a common request and one we all deep down feel disappointed with when we see them. After all, we put love and effort into our content and just want some genuine feedback.
But does it really work? The answer is no.
It's a form of e-begging and it generates nothing. It will never beat organic reach and engagement.
The key to getting noticed is to get stuck in!
Get involved in content that genuinely interests you. You will find that commenting and interacting, posting your 2 cents will be of no extra time or sweat for you when its content you sincerely enjoy. From this alone, you can gain followers and even a like/vote. Having a connection with people and knowing who they are and what they post about has more weight vs obligating to like content that you are not really interested in and have zero connection to. Building engagement takes time, dedication and effort. There's a reason as to why you liked and followed the content creators you do. Consistency. This is how they built their numbers, surely but slowly (unless something went viral).
Nothing is worse than hollow numbers. Twitter and Instagram are probably the best examples of many verified accounts with big followings and with almost always zero engagement. It's one thing to not comment (and for good reasons) but it's another to not like, especially when liking has no monetary value or consequence. If you're new to Planet Steemit then you'll know it's a different type of social media, where many of the old marketing rules do not apply. With that said, 
Producing original content and coming from your own true authentic nature will take time. Remember to post near daily or at best regular and engage with people. The same can be said for Youtubers and Twitch streamers.
It takes consistency.
Coming from a place of gratitude does go a long way. If you have 1-3 people that support you in some way, then be appreciative. You'll find many dolphins and whales here that support one another all started as minnows who stayed together as they grew.
This is a genuine relationship. Not hollows numbers.
Even if you do get engagement with the odd one or two people and notice they don't follow or vote, do not stress out. Keep at it. If you're finding the struggle real then start to look at what you're doing with your time and energy here. While yes we are all here to moneytise our content, you'll also need to strategise a way to market it. Use this opportunity.
Also be aware of lurkers! As it's said by many Twitch streamers, lurkers are the backbone of the whole community. Lurkers are always there and in many aspects can be your unseen heroes. Just because you don't get any engagement from them, doesn't mean your content had no value or impact on them. There are many factors as to why you didn't get a comment or vote. It can be that they can't spare a vote or simply that there was no real reason to add a comment. You'll be surprised how often this happens.
The real key is to express your authentic self. Don't e-beg and don't make this a numbers game. Your content will speak for itself and over time with dedication and persistence, you can reach your destination. Finally if for whatever reason you don't reach any engagement, know you still moneytised your content with Steemit either way! ;)
Focus on yourself and your content. Do not get obsessive or paranoid about the numbers game. Stay true.
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Written by @greatestjourney
Image: Geralt
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