A few months back I promised to do some research on this subject for you. And now it is done. So, without further ado I present to you this simple list with brief explanation of each factor.
Tropical or exotic locations
Everyone loves a sunny tropical vibe image! The tropical banner above I shot on the north coast of Bali 3 months ago, just before sunrise. Use a beautiful tropical image as your thumbnail and you are in with a better chance straight away.
Developers
The devs do great announcing any stage of steemit related apps or websites. Back in the days when Busy was in development I saw them making huge rewards with each new phase of development. And even though Dan has left us now, his EOS posts still make a bundle. Though I believe he declines these payouts.
Good understanding of formatting
There are many tricks to presenting a really polished looking, professional article. Here is a useful one if you want to use images which are displayed as portrait, as opposed to landscape: https://steemit.com/howto/@samstonehill/how-to-pull-your-image-to-the-side-simple-explanation
Strong 'early days' posts
Those who appear interesting & original, with something to bring to our community do best. People are starting to figure out that the curation rewards are far greater when you give your vote at 100% to a minnow who is being under-appreciated, before resteeming them to your own followers. Work hard to impress in those early days before you have too many followers and you are bound to be spotted and rewarded for your efforts.
Relevant images & punchy title
Spend time thinking of a hard hitting title which effectively draws attention while still describing the topic. The thumbnail image is the first thing people see, so make it count! You must learn photography or recognise a powerful image when you see one. And if you are going to write something on your thumbnail image make sure you use a big font and as few words as possible. Remember, the thumbnail is small when viewed in a feed.
Branded images
Get photoshop or a free alternative so that you can add the Steemit or Steem brand to your images. Ideally with some sexy filters to show the brand in a way that has not been seen before.
Funky banners
See the banner I created at the top of this list? That is what I call a funky banner. They make your work stand out from the rest. Create visual themes which become identifiable with you.
Keep it NOW
Those who are reporting on events which are happening now seem to do well. This is REAL life, from REAL people. Happening live. For those who are addicted to the controlled mainstream media system, it's time to wake up and join Steemit to learn the truth.
Gain the support of specific communities
If you can find a subject around which there is much interest and you are a clear advocate of this subject who speaks from a position of experience, strength and hope, you are going to do well. But you MUST interact with your commenters to establish your community.
Controversial News Topics
Articles written about issues which affect us all and aim to educate through a collection of multiple (credited) sources.
And this was achieved without the assistance of a guild.
Cute traveling women!
If you are cute, enjoy blogging, traveling in tropical places and taking pictures of yourself in classy or slightly revealing clothing, Steemit is for you! 
Intention to help Steemit community or spread the word amongst the masses
Everyone loves a genuine Steemit evangelist! And most importantly, the community wants to see you do more than just TALK about your intentions. They want to see you DO IT!
It has been my goal over the last year to convert all those who cross my path into Steemit users. And you can trust me when I tell you there have been many.
It has also been my goal to help those of us already using this platform to improve our skills and increase our rewards.
I recently gave a presentation to a room full of Bitcoin enthusiasts here in Bali, with one clear intention: to get every one of them onto Steemit!
What does Steemit mean to me?
This is my life now. My passion, my job and my pleasure.
Six months ago I started 
With 
With 
With the Steem Masters Website I have taken this intention a step further and now offer a variety of courses for all levels.
My Facebook Group - ASWD currently has a total of 353 members, all of whom are genuine Steemit enthusiasts, seeking to improve their skills through reading my provided help notes, through discussion and through the simple observation of others posting in the group.
