Promotion using votes to buy rewards isn't a sustainable model. This isn't a matter of insiders vs. not insiders, it is something that many stakeholders have recognized and no longer support (though not with 100% agreement on specifics, or at all, by any means).

There are other methods of promotion available, including:

1. Promotion tab (okay not great, but it is something)
2. Contact Steemit (and/or other UIs) to buy ads/sponsored post placement
3. Contact Steemit (and/or other UIs) about a community project to request featured post placement
4. Use declined rewards/burn, potentially even with bought votes, to discourage downvotes and encourage upvotes (though also possibly without bought votes).

Things change, we move forward, adjustments to practices and strategies are needed.