Hello Steemit Friends!
I don't know about you guys - but I find that I spend most of my Steemit time creating content, responding to comments, and keeping up with my feed of people I follow. It can be easy to get caught up in our own circles and forget to take the time to find and encourage new users.
Lately, I have been trying to find new up and coming users in my niche to support and encourage them. For me, that's music. Anyone who follows my blog knows that I am an avid member of the open mic community and regularly post music videos on Dtube.
I can still remember back to my first few posts and can distcintly remember those who took the the time to encourage me in the beginning. The funny thing is, most of those people are no longer active on the platform - but I still remember the impact of their kindness.
I would love to be part of other's "Steemit Story" and be able to have that kind of impact on someone. If you feel the same way, I hope this post encourages you to start finding and encouraging users in your own niche!
It can certainly take time to sift through the garbage to find a gem - but when you do, it is totally worth it. I often look through the introduceyourself, music and dtube tags to find new musicians.
I am looking for musicians that are posting quality music videos or sound recordings - whether it be covers or original work. That doesn't necessarily mean they need to have tons of expensive recording equipment - just that they are obviously putting some care into what they post.
Once I have found someone with good content, then I look to see how they are engaging with the community so far. The beauty of the block chain, is that everything is pretty transparent. First, I look at their last few posts to see if they responding to comments on their posts, and seem appreciative for the support and engagement they are currently receiving. Second, I check their comment section to see if they are spamming user's posts, or seem to be genuinely engaging with other's content.
Once I find someone that fits the above criteria, I usually do four things.
If you think they have great content - let them know that! Maybe tell them what you loved so much about it. I usually acknowledge that the first bit of time on Steemit can be really rough, but that if they keep posting great content like this, they are on a good track. Letting people know that they "have what it takes" is one of the most encouraging things you can say to someone.
Often when I find these people, their posts are worth pennies. I am fortunate to have a certain amount of Steem Power that allows me to leave a nice vote on someones post. I have much less steem power than probably others reading this post - but it is still such a good feeling to be able to take someones post from pennies to a couple bucks. I remember the first time I had a post make more than a dollar... I definitely did a happy dance in my living room! It just feels so rewarding to be able to make someones day like that.
This point applies to everyone - regardless of Steem Power. Even if your vote is worth a penny, it's still an encouraging gesture to leave them a vote.
This is one of the most important points! It is great to stop by someones blog and leave them some encouragement - but the goal is to get them stoked to be here and encourage them to continue creating great content. The best way to do that is to help them get plugged in with people who have similar interests. That way they can start building relationships on the platform and maybe learn from others in their space.
For me, I always tell musicians about #openmic! I always send them links to the contest page and recommend they follow 
Getting started on Steemit can be a little intimidating and most new users would really appreciate having someone they can turn to for questions. Even if they don't take you up on it - they will feel really welcomed just because you offered. Of course, only offer if you are willing to respond and help!
Could you spend a little more time trying to find up and coming users in your niche and encourage them? Even if you committed a little time to this once or twice a week - you never know who you will impact!
If anyone has questions or thoughts, i'd love to hear them!
xo, Lea
