The world of cryptocurrency and blockchain is evolving rapidly, yet remains somewhat impenetrable to newcomers. Among the pioneers blazing trails is Hive, a blockchain-based blogging and social media platform with an active community centered around all things crypto.
Specifically, the Leo Finance tribe has become a hub for creators earning crypto rewards for quality finance and investing content. But how's an average joe supposed to get started on Hive and immersed in the Leo community? Well buckle up, friend, because I'm going to walk you through everything you need to know to start blogging for crypto on Hive!
First Thing's First: Creating Your Hive Account
Before you can start contributing, you'll need to set up your Hive identity by creating an account. It only takes a minute, just head to Hive.io and click sign up in the top right corner. You'll need to enter a username, this will form your custom account address people will use to find you, like 
Next add a strong password, enter your email, and complete any CAPTCHAs. Double check everything looks right and click submit to finish creating your account. Welcome to the hive! Your profile will look pretty plain at first, so I recommend uploading a profile picture and adding some info about yourself in the bio section to give readers some context.
What Exactly is Leo Finance?
Leo Finance is one of the "tribes" on hive focused on content related to cryptocurrencies, investing, finance, and general money-making! The tribe has its own token called LEO that you can earn and use within the ecosystem. There's a great community of bloggers supporting each other and some seriously valuable info being shared every day.
To learn from the best minds in the crypto/finance space, I recommend following blogs like 
Publishing Your First Post
Once your account is good to go, it's time to put together your inaugural blog post! Click "Post" in the top menu bar and you'll be taken to the editor. This is where you can compose your masterpiece. The editor uses simple Markdown formatting to style your text, links, images, etc. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it quickly.
Start by giving your post an attention-grabbing title at the top, then write out your content in the main editor box. Break things up with subheadings using ## and ### for H2 and H3 styles. Embed images with the  markup. You can preview how it will look on the right. When you're happy with the result, click Submit and your post will be added to the blockchain for the world to see! Celebrate the debut of your first hive blog - you're officially a published blockchain writer!
How to Fit into the Leo Finance Community
Now that your foot is in the door, it's time to dive into the community! The best way to start making connections is by engaging with other bloggers. Read recent posts tagged #leofinance and leave thoughtful comments sharing your perspective. You can also respond directly to the author.
Talk with other cryptonaughts in real time by joining the LeoFinance discord channel or participating in the "#newbies" chat on Peakd. These tribe discussions are a valuable place to ask questions and further your crypto education.
As you become more established, you may be invited as a guest contributor on an influencer's blog, which is a great opportunity to reach a wider audience. The more value you consistently provide, the more your readership and authority within Leo Finance will grow.
Making that Crypto Cheddar
Of course, one of the most appealing reasons to post on Hive is the opportunity to earn rewards! When your content gets upvoted, you receive Hive cryptocurrency based on the influence of those who upvoted you. Over time, these rewards start compounding. You can easily cash out your earnings through an exchange, or convert to Bitcoin.
As part of Leo Finance, you'll also receive LEO tokens when your posts are upvoted, which you can stake in the tribe's Reward Pool. This "Proof of Brain" model incentivizes top notch content. There are also contests happening regularly with large crypto prize pools. Time to start raking in that hive honey!
Final Thoughts on This Sweet Community
Hopefully this crash course gives you the baseline knowledge to dive into the busy hive of activity that is the Leo Finance community. Opening an account barely takes a minute, so why not sign up and try publishing your first post today? Don't be shy, introduce yourself and make some connections. Consume lots of content to learn the ropes before you start creating.
Soon you'll find yourself blossoming as a blogger and making extra income through crypto rewards. Buckle up, stay curious, and welcome to the hive! We're excited to see you flourish in this one-of-a-kind community.