Hi, I don't know much about this, but I've delegated to small projects as a token of gratitude. I don't get votes regularly. Sometimes I get them, sometimes I don't. But I've been luckier than others. Maybe because I post in communities where I feel there's support. I try to post in supportive communities. But I enjoy what I do, and if I get rewarded, I'm very happy. If I don't get rewarded, I don't get discouraged; I'll keep posting because I like it.
Sometimes I think new Hive users delegate to other projects because it's very difficult to get noticed at first. But my mom tells me you have to be consistent, do what you love, and never stop trying. That's what I think.