Hey family, Willy here. I've had the unique privilege of joining the Hive Humpday Hangout - HHH on two occasions, and I must say, it'
s been very enlightening. It's a show put together and led by 
Hive account@ph1102 on the Ecency discord server, with highly experienced Hivians from all over the world coming together to share thoughts, lessons learned from experience, knowledge, and diverse opinions. I believe it's a must-attend show, especially for newbie Hivians, as it provides a platform for you to ask any questions you have concerning the topic of the day. Every Wednesday, this rare opportunity is provided for everyone to join in at @5pm UTC! Trust me, it's a comfortable environment to be in, as there is no discrimination, and everyone's views are welcomed and discussed.
Image sourced and edited
Also, regardless of when you began on Hive, you are still welcome; there's no need to be shy. Personally, I started Hive about four months ago, so am still within the rookie status, yet the awesome people there welcomed my contribution and answered my rookie questions. I must mention that I really owe a lot of this to 
Hive account@melinda010100 since she invited me to join the group last week. I know, I have been buzzing her a lot if you follow my posts, but like any newborn child, we cry to our moms for everything until we can find our own feet.
Alright, enough of the chit-chat. Let me try to discuss a few things I learned during the session. Perhaps, it could be of great help to someone who didn't have the time or chance to join in.
Difference between Hive and Other Social Media platforms.
Well, Hive operates like your typical social media hub, but the standout feature, as noted by Hive account@ph1102, is the emphasis on interaction. If you're used to posting content and overlooking comments, Hive might not be the best fit. It's all about engaging to fuel your account growth. Speaking from my own experience, taking advice from my mentor Hive account@melinda010100 and getting involved, especially on ecency waves, landed me a cool circle of friends. Believe it or not, my followers jumped up by 15 in just about two weeks of microblogging on ecency waves.
In my little understanding, Hive operates on a reciprocity basis. You can't expect to reap where you haven't sown. 
Hive account@incublus rightly pointed out during the show, "If your post count surpasses your comments, you're missing something." It's a reminder to prioritize engaging with those interacting with your content. You can track your comments-to-posts ratio on hivebuzz.me.
Upvoting Others
Having said that, you'll notice that to receive more upvotes from others, it's essential to reciprocate by upvoting them. While I recognize that Hive serves as a source of income for some, requiring them to power down, it's encouraged to leave a percentage behind for upvoting others. This practice builds a mutual relationship that proves beneficial in the long run. Additionally, when you upvote someone, you're not giving away your own funds; instead, you're making a 50/50 distribution from the reward pool, with 50% for you and 50% for the person you upvoted based on your hive power.
I had to edit this post and fix this comment in by Hive account@ph1102 for clarification on HP earnings.
What Really is a Quality Post:
As newbies, we were told that succeeding on Hive and earning favorable curation requires creating a "Quality Post." However, the question remains: what content qualifies as a quality post? Quality, to some extent, is subjective. Essentially, what one considers valuable, another may see as insignificant, depending on individual preferences. 
Hive account@felixxx took the stage to share his profound perspective on what defines quality. He emphasized that quality revolves around what captures the readers' interest. In his exact words, "What good is it if you have the most amazing quality content about some random topic that nobody is interested in?" His point being that, content should not only possess quality in terms of word count and design, but must also be relevant to people. In other words, it should be useful and beneficial to both readers and curators. He reiterated that he would prefer a meme post with meaningful relevance to him over a lengthy, irrelevant article. The key takeaway here is "Relevance."
In another insightful opinion shared by Hive account@incublus, he mentioned that he typically upvotes a post based on the effort he perceives an individual putting into it. He further expressed his commitment to supporting newcomers who are earnestly attempting to create relevant and meaningful content while learning about Hive. This is crucial because there's a wealth of undervalued quality content in the Hive Community. Additionally, he clarified that even if a post exhibits considerable effort but lacks substantial value, he would still upvote, perhaps not with a significant vote. Hive account@ph1102 chimed in, emphasizing that many Hive users are not native English speakers. Consequently, curators should take this into account, recognizing the importance of the content's message over strict judgments on grammar or language proficiency. In other words, "The substance of the content holds more significance and should take precedence over grammar or choice of English words."
Furthermore, 
Hive account@mypathtofire contributed to the discussion by emphasizing that he assesses the originality of a post along with the effort invested in it, particularly if it captivates readers' interest, before deciding to upvote. 
Hive account@palomap3 expanded on this, stating that she too endeavors to support undervalued posts based on the effort invested and the level of interest they generate.
Considering the insights shared by these seasoned Hive users, it's evident that while manual curation is subjective, there's a common thread in what prompts them to upvote content:
- Relevance
- Effort invested in content creation
- Interesting content
- Originality (free from plagiarism)
I firmly believe that any content meeting these standards will undoubtedly be rewarded.
Token Distribution (What contents get curated):
We engaged in a somewhat controversial discussion about how curations are directed toward specific niches on Hive. I suggested that it would be beneficial to diversify curations across different niches, fostering a broader range of interests for everyone joining Hive. In my perspective, not everyone shares the same interests, and this approach could encourage individuals to blog about topics they are genuinely passionate about.
Hive account@felixxx disagreed with that notion, presenting a solid point: for Hive to grow, attracting more investors is crucial. He likened it to a business model, emphasizing the need to cater to the interests of stakeholders. Essentially, the content that aligns with the preferences of stakeholders will be curated. I agree with him, considering that in the real world, people won't invest in something that doesn't benefit them. This perspective makes sense if, as a content creator, you view Hive as providing value for your customers (curators) who, in turn, pay for your services (upvote). As Hive account@felixxx put it, "If you are writing about something that no one else likes, you're not gonna get paid."
Once again, Hive account@ph1102 had to challenge that viewpoint with another insightful perspective. If the expectation is to always write within the niches already curated and everyone follows suit, there's a chance that it could prevent new things from coming up. Sometimes, experimenting with fresh ideas is necessary. There's a chance that an entire community may appreciate that content. If you genuinely believe in it, why not give it a shot? With perseverance, you might end up pioneering a unique niche on Hive. I'm pleased that Hive account@felixxx also endorsed this notion.
Another factor to consider is that relying solely on Hive Whales for curation could lead to a sense of dependence. In my view, it might make you feel somewhat constrained. Hive account@ph1102 suggested that if you wish to share content about your interests, it's preferable to rely on the circle of friends you build over time who appreciate your work. Don't misunderstand me; Hive Whales are crucial contributors, driving the Hive ecosystem on a large scale. A significant portion of my current HP came from the generosity of these whales, and I appreciate them. We are only discussing this in the context of wanting to pursue your own unique content, outside of niche communities with prominent whales. I hope that clarifies our point.
Members Opinion on Curation Routine:
A question was posed to us as members about where and how we conduct our daily curations. Hive account@ph1102 mentioned that he begins by reviewing his personal feed and then explores communities to which he is subscribed. Hive account@mypathtofire shared that he checks his favorites (a feature provided by the Ecency app) and then looks at his followers' feed. Hive account@felixxx mentioned that he votes first for what people send him via direct message and then checks his personal feed. Well, I suppose I'll have to send him a direct message with this post when I'm done. Hive account@melinda010100 shared that she curates the Shadow Hunters community and her favorites first, then focuses on Ecency waves and good comments.
Once more, you'll notice a pattern here. Many manual curators prioritize curating from their personal feed, and to appear in someone's personal feed, they need to be following you. That's why, as we mentioned at the very beginning, it's essential for you to cultivate a circle of friends on Hive.
Conclusion
I trust this article has proven helpful. I firmly believe these debate sessions are particularly beneficial for newcomers, offering insights to better understand Hive and navigate their journey. It's crucial to acknowledge that these are opinions from seasoned Hive members and not definitive rules. If you disagree, that's precisely why it's termed a debate. However, I am confident that the shared words of wisdom can pave a positive path for your Hive journey if you choose to follow them, as they have for me.
I genuinely want to express my deepest gratitude to the entire community for creating this fantastic space for us to learn from each other. A special thanks to Hive account@ph1102 for putting together the show and to Hive account@melinda010100, my mentor, who invited me to join this circle. Kudos to all the members who participated and shared their thoughts. I won't individually mention everyone to avoid flooding them with notifications, but I hope they come across this article one way or another.
If you enjoyed what I shared in this article and would like to hear the real deal, as you know, I can't capture everything that was discussed. You can visit the Recap post Hive account@ph1102 made, which includes the full video of the session, from the link below.
@ph1102/mqmaiwwa
@ph1102/mqmaiwwa
I'd like to seize this opportunity to invite you once again to our next episode next Wednesday at 5 pm UTC on the Ecency Discord Server. I'm looking forward to having a good time again, and I can't wait to see you there.
https://discord.com/invite/peuwXgfy
As always,
Written from the city of Ecency,
Willy, a proud Ecencial.
