In case you haven't heard, Steemit is a new social media website on the blockchain. I say "new," but, in truth, it's been around for a couple of years now. However, I believe it's the first of its kind using the nascent technology known as blockchain, or distributed ledger technology.
So let's define a few terms before we get going:
Social media - You're likely familiar with Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and the usual line up of what are often called social media websites. Steemit is similar to these sites in one sense. It is designed to be social in nature. However, its design makes it look more like a blogging platform similar to WordPress.com or Blogger. But you should note that there are some very important differences between the two free blog hosting platforms, as well as the traditional social media platforms, and Steemit. I'll get into those differences a little later.
Blockchain - A blockchain is a new type of technology that consists of a digital chain of "blocks." The first blockchain was the technology underlying Bitcoin. Each digital coin is based on a "block," which is created when a bunch of computers located in various places around the globe solve complex computational problems. Since 2008, other blockchains have been created around different digital currencies, and Steemit is one such blockchain.
Distributed ledger - Another name for blockchain using two of its key features. It is "distributed" in the sense that none of the information created is done from a central location, but, rather, from a decentralized network of computers. And, it's a ledger of transactions that, once created, won't go away and are publicly accessible.
I have simplified these terms intentionally to make this post easy to read for people not familiar with them. Having gone over the basics, let's talk about how Steemit--an original blockchain that allows users to create currency by creating content on the social media aspect of the platform--can be used by any company for content marketing.
My Personal Use of Steemit
I opened my Steemit account, called Blockurator, in March 2018. Because I've been serving as editor of Lending Times for the last couple of years and of Blockchain Times since January 2018, I thought it might be a valuable endeavor (for myself, my client, and for other Steemians) to publish a mini-digest of news curated in the daily digest for Blockchain Times. However, what I discovered surprised me.
First, since starting that project, my client has reduced our publication schedule for both websites from daily to twice a week. Therefore, I did the same with my mini-digests on Steemit. But, before I did that, I had already learned some valuable lessons.
Crypto news is not as popular on Steemit as other topics. In fact, the No. 1 tag on Steemit is "Life," indicating that personal stories are much more relevant and more popularly received.
My top posts have all been literature-related. The two posts that have earned me the most in Steem Dollars at this point are both poetry posts.
Simply posting on Steemit won't guarantee any traction. It is a social media website, after all, and that requires interaction with others. When I got engaged with other Steemians through various Discord channels, that's when I started to see my posts get more upvotes and earn more Steem Dollars.
Curation trails are the bomb. These are Steemit accounts that pick up followers, and every time the curating account upvotes a post, the followers of that account also upvote the post. This creates additional rewards for the post being upvoted, but also for the curator and for all of the curator's followers.
So, what can this knowledge do for you if you run a business and you want to use Steemit for content marketing?
How to Use Steemit For Content Marketing
I have not performed any use testing for different types of businesses, so I cannot vouch that these tactics will work for every kind of business. However, I've been a full-time content marketer since 2006 and I've seen a lot of tactics come and go. The essential component to all content marketing is a value proposition. In other words, what kind of value can you bring to the platform you are using to gain the benefits you are seeking? In the case of Steemit, you'll need to understand the culture of the platform, what is acceptable and what is not acceptable, and play within those boundaries. If you do that, I am quite certain that most businesses can provide value and use Steemit for content marketing.
Let's get on with the 5 ways I recommend using Steemit for content marketing.
An additional content channel for your business - If you've been in business for very long, you've likely got several content channels. You've got your blog, probably a Facebook account, more than likely a LinkedIn account (and you may even blog on your LinkedIn blog), perhaps a Medium or Huffington Post column, and maybe more depending on the resources your company has. Before you add another content channel, you'll need to make sure that you have the resources to manage it, but Steemit is there, and it's quite possible that the audience you are looking for is there--especially if that audience is young, understands cryptocurrencies, and is technology savvy. Plus, Steemit comes with the added benefit of providing an investment in the future value of Steem Dollars, the currency of the blockchain. Example: Binance has a Steemit account, though it hasn't been posted to in over a month.
Soft marketing through a personal outlet - As I said earlier, the most popular tag on Steemit is "Life." Another popular tag is "Ulog," which is short for You Log. Steemians are encouraged to write about themselves and what's going on with them today. This tactic should work very well for a microbusiness, a soloproneur, freelancer, or small business like a Mom and Pop shop. Because you essentially are your business, you can write about all sorts of things of a personal nature (as long as you feel comfortable doing so), and occasionally mention your business. After all, your business is a part of you, and it is a big part of your life, so it would be natural to discuss it in the course of discussing what is important to you. Example:Deranged Visions.
Set up a curation trail - Curation trails are a huge part of the Steemit culture. I don't know how many curation trails there are on Steemit, but there are a lot. SteemAuto lists hundreds. If you become a top curator, your curation trail could be seen as an extension of your business. Example:Steem Monsters is a new trading card game on the Steemit blockchain; their account serves as a useful curation trail for their fans.
Turn Steemit into a business model - YouTubers have used YouTube to create entertaining and educational programs. Some of them earn a pretty doggone good income from their efforts. I'm convinced any social media website can be used as a business model if someone is creative enough to do so. People can pay you for your services in Steem or Steem Dollars. Artists, writers, and other creatives can offer their services to other Steemians and get paid for doing so, including lending. Example:Neoxian runs a Steem Dollars bank, publishing his contracts with borrowers laying out the terms for his lending business; this is a creative use of the currency, if I say so myself.
Support other Steemians - There are a variety of ways to support other Steemians in their content creation and curation efforts. For instance, if you find a Steemian who regularly creates outstanding content, offer to sponsor his posts in one of several ways - purchasing display ad space at the bottom of his posts, requesting a mention in posts on specific topics, or delegating Steem Power to users whose content you value. Example: I haven't seen any examples of this yet, but I'm sure some enterprising Steemian has used some of these tactics to promote their business, onchain and off-chain.
How to Be A Good Steemian
It's very important that you keep a few things in mind if you plan on using Steemit as a content marketing tool for your business.
Produce high quality and valuable content. As with any social media website, you want your content to be of the highest quality. Steemians, especially, take this concept very seriously and will flag your content in a hurry. If you don't produce consistent high quality content free of plagiarism and spam, then you'll get a bad reputation quickly and miss an opportunity.
Treat plagiarism like a plague - Steemians expect every image or other component to be attributed to a source. If you quote someone, cite them. If you copy/paste text, do so according to fair use laws and link to the source. If you use an image, make sure you aren't using copyrighted images, and attribute them to their originators.
Learn the culture - Before you dive in, take some time to understand the culture of Steemit. It will make your content marketing efforts worthwhile.
Be ethical - This should go without saying for any business, but if your dealings with people are anything less than ethical, then you'll get a reputation for it quickly. Be social, but take note of the rules. If you can do that, you'll have fun on Steemit and position your brand in front of a new and growing audience.
