This post was written for YOU - the internet surfer, blogger, link-sharer, artist, educator, designer, curator or the simply crypto-curious.
As appearances go, Steemit.com looks and acts a lot like the website Reddit.com. We’ve got a “trending” front-page where you can see a wide range of popular daily content... there are individual profiles, post feeds, followers and so on... But there’s one big difference that allows Steemit to stand above any other social media network today. Here, you are rewarded for sharing content... And we cannot emphasize that enough… Likes (called “upvotes”) = carry actual value. Every single day - you are rewarded for creating content, discovering, curating and commenting.
Engagement is rewarded. If you like a post that someone has shared, simply click the “upvote” ^ button to express your approval. It’s the same as a “like” on Facebook, except your click = currency.
Voting on the posts of others doesn’t take any currency away from you. It's free, and fun to play this social-media-style game.
Steemit.com is powered by the same technology behind Bitcoin. There’s a local currency used here called “STEEM” which (like Bitcoin) is digital money.
Both Bitcoin and STEEM are organized through a data-sharing technology called “blockchain”. You might have heard that word used before in the news with respect to big companies like Microsoft, Blackrock or IBM. For these guys, blockchain is exciting because it allows for super fast, secure and even smart sharing of data. Moving information from A to B via blockchain can happen in just seconds, as opposed to in hours or even days. For example; think of how long it takes to deposit a check in your bank account… you give a bank teller a check and then wait 3-5 business days for that money to appear. When you move currency through the STEEM blockchain a transaction takes just a couple of seconds. [ Mic drop. ]
So blockchain tech isn't just disruptive for the social media landscape, it could reinvent the way data is shared, secured and distributed globally. We could be on the verge of an entirely new world wide web, built properly and more efficiently for the 21st century!
The STEEM blockchain generates a new "pool" of currency every day. When you publish content on Steemit, you receive upvotes. Votes direct a percentage of that reward pool to your account. The whole process is very similar to how Bitcoin operates, where miners receive Bitcoin as a reward for their work (processing transactions). With STEEM, instead of rewarding miners, the blockchain rewards bloggers!
As we 
Like Bitcoin, you can trade STEEM on a digital currency exchange. (Similar to how you can buy or invest in the Euro, Yuan, Rupee or USD.) There are hundreds of tokens out there that are available to buy and trade. The dollar value is supported by demand for the token and frequency of exchange for other assets.
However, STEEM is not just a straight up currency like Bitcoin. Steem is tied to a social media platform. Content and engagement influence value. STEEM's value movement is tied directly to the happenings and content shared on Steemit.com. Value can go up or down based on a change to the blockchain, a mention in the news, a new STEEM-powered project or feature. Another way to look at it is like a share of stock. If you're a shareholder of Facebook, the value of your stock fluctuates when the company announces a surprise boost of new users joining the platform or a new feature. Ultimately, the value ties back to the engagement and frequency of material created on the platform.
You publish so much stuff on the web everyday, why aren't you getting paid for all that hard work and time spent? Social media companies make a lot of money off of your effort and what do they give you in return? The value-factor of Steemit makes for an entirely new (but seemingly obvious) online environment. Having something at stake creates a very different social-media experience. The community here empowers good content while spammy posts fall into the background. Steemians take a lot of pride in their community and in the support of good authors and content creators!
When the platform was just a couple months old there was a welcome banner that heralded Steemit as “the internet’s first small town.” That has always stuck with us. Why? Users here (referred to as “Steemians”) really do treat Steemit like a small town. You’ll find that we are extremely supportive and constructive. There’s no incentive for nasty comments, so we have very few of them. Steemians just want this social platform to be a success! It’s a brand new experiment, a totally new economy and a new way to engage and empower one another!
You can connect with people. Not just high-school friends, neighbors or work colleagues. Steemit helps you find people with like-minded interests and ideas and encourages you to engage with them. Comments receive rewards, so people truly take the time needed to compose thoughtful responses and feedback. You don't see that extra effort anywhere else on the web. Steemit might just be the first true social media platform.
This is the central reason why we are writing this to you, today. We want YOU to be a part of this. We need your own unique perspective of the world, your talent, passion and engagement to help build a stronger future for Steemit.
Let’s build something together. We hope that you will consider becoming a member of this community! It’s entirely free to join, in fact, Steemit will even give you a few tokens to get started. We look forward to hearing from you. Welcome!
Sign Up . Welcome Page . FAQ
Create a post and tell us a little bit about you.
Follow a few people. Read a handful of posts. Comment and engage!
See where it takes you...
Hello everyone! 
