I can vivdly remember when I first joined Hive; it feels like it was yesterday. Granted it hasn’t been up to a year yet, I still regard myself as a newbie, and will do so for a long time because Hive is just like that. It is infinite in its vastness and yet so warm and welcoming. Even when you have been here for years, there is always something new to discover and learn; or so I heard.
This article will be taking us back to the basics as we will be touching on some of the things that are expected of us as users and stakeholders of Hive, and things that are detrimental to the growth of our beloved Ecosystem.
Designed Using Canva
Additionally, we will do a quick run-through on how I designed my thumbnail; the techniques and processes involved.
QUALITY ENGAGEMENT
Ever since I became a Hivean, and explored the streets of Hive, one word that kept popping up is “engagement”. Most authors have stressed on the importance of it. And this is so because engagement is one of the building blocks to one’s growth on the ole’ blockchain 🙂.
Engagement on this space simply means to read, write and participate.
Look out for posts that interest you or those that catch your attention, and read them. Then drop insightful and motivating comments. That is the fastest way to grow; both on Hive and in life. In the wise words of 
As a Hivean we automatically consent to the responsibility of making Hive a wonderful place. Engagement serves to highlight the distinction between Hive and other platforms.
QUALITY POSTS AND IMAGES
The process of writing a decent article involves several different elements. One factor is effort, which can show up in form of research and good and relevant photos. Another factor is good editing of the posts, to improve its readability.
One thing that we as authors need to remember when writing is, that we are not writing for ourselves. Rather, we write to entertain or educate others. Therefore we should have them in mind. Something that could help with is getting feedback from others, before publishing. Seeking a second opinion on your work really opens one’s eyes to see things that would have otherwise been missed.
Using attractive and relevant images helps in maintaining your reader’s attention and interest.
Flooding Hive with beneficial knowledge makes it all the more attractive and helpful.
CONSISTENCY
Since joining here, I have met a lot of individuals and consequently made friendships from interactions with them. And one recurring trait I found to exist among them all is that of DILIGENCE. Nigerians would say “Hiveans no dey carry last”, meaning we are always on top of our game.
And the basis of this lies in consistency. You gotta be consistent in all your dealings with Hive. That can look different for everyone but make sure that you show up when you say you will. I’m still on my journey to mastering this.
Consistency even in the littlest of things to take you farther than you ever expected.
TAGS
Tags are a supportive tool that helps in increasing the visibility of one’s post on the chain. It helps researchers to fine tune the genre of posts when conducting a search. Provisions for the tags are made in the editing area. And they should be utilized fully in order to maximize one’s post visibility.
PLAGIARISM
It is only right to give honour to whom honour is due.
Plagiarism is an abominable act that is not only frowned upon in Hive, but also in every other field. Plagiarism, to be put plainly, is the act of taking another person's creative work and passing it off as one's own. And this also applies quotations, literary works and pictures.
I once experienced a brush of this. I wrote a small piece, an excerpt from a book I had read earlier, and posted it on my social media account. Then a friend of mine, who probably related to it a lot, proceeded to copy it and post it on her page too. To my astonishment, she was received praises from others. I won’t lie... it stung a lot.
That experience made me understand a little bit of how hurtful it can be to plagiarize. Hive has some accounts and procedures set in place to detect such foul acts. And if you wind up being on the receiving end of Hive’s wrath, just know that’s the end of your journey here.
VOTE BEGGING
Another act that is condemned is Vote begging. If you ask me, publicly pleading for votes is a kind of self-deprecation. Fortunately, with the way Hive is built and functions, all posts are discovered eventually and rewarded. It might be on your second, fourth or tenth try.
But rest assured that with consistency in engagement and quality, you will be found. Hive is fair like that 😅.
I used the concept of the three stages of designed taught by 
- Predesigning Stage
- Designing Stage
- Post-designing Stage
In the first stage, I did a little bit of brainstorming for the overall concept. The inspiration was gotten from my topic. I kept changing my mind, as you will see, but I finally stuck with watering a plant with the hive logo to represent "contributing to the growth of hive".
I started by logging into my Canva account.
Then I searched for blogging thumbnails and decided to go for this one, which I still modified.
With the concept of "trying to grow Hive" in mind, I dabbled with some elements and the hive logos.
I then stuck with this as the rough, almost finished work.
Added some finishing touches to it and came up with the main thumbnail for this post🤗🤗.
Thank you for your precious time and eyes😅.