Thank you for this post. Even after a few years here, I do feel often like it's only been a few months. The key is connecting with new people with hopefully similar interests and as you mention very clearly .. bringing along some friends makes all the difference. For me, it's about photos and friends with similar interests in Light Painting. Maybe we all should try Splinterlands sometime. I did experience with Steem and on Hive many different things, positive and negative. Some 'Players'' here feel like they own the sandbox and have to force their way onto others. How to properly behave on Hive is to many new people not clear. It's hard to search for things here. Almost impossible I would even say. So before you know it you have a week of downvotes. Triggered by a single person, which is without checks and balances just BS and drives people away when not done in a humane bullying way. I have seen this play out in "Facebook Style".
It took me forever to get some traction here but today I am thankful that I do find the attention of some people more than before. Curation trails and automatic upvotes are comparable to a Patreon concept which I support, yet it does not prevent someone to post super short posts. I at least always try to compile enough content to make it whole and round for a quick but interesting read as well as some photos that are somewhat interesting. Yet I see the broad mass does not have much attention time. That's ok and we all have to adjust to that. Provide the content in eatable servings. Learning the right balance is hard I must admit. I still struggle at times.
Whist is the next important question. Instagram's success was taking out the fluff and fuss. Just the photo and only when you want to add a caption. I appreciate here that effort to make it more interesting is rewarded. To make people see it though seems another task. I am glad that I had the persistence to stay as long as it took to make it worthwhile for our little community here.. And that is not a monetary-driven motive since more and more friends have found their way here over the years. The rewards become the icing on the cake.

I find myself on both sides of the argument. To start the rewards were unregular and small. Today I am happy when I get attention for some Light Painters from a bigger account that may have followers. The persistence from the early days on allows today for slightly bigger rewards. I have no idea to make it fairer and a little easier for everyone. Thank you for keeping the discussion ongoing. If there is a better way we find it through dialog in a group.