I'm now three months in, here at Steemit.
This platform continues to grow in leaps and bounds, so here are some of the things I would have loved to have known when I first started for all the newbies out there.
When I started, I looked for advice on how to use my Steemit account well.
Most of the advice I saw was about money - something I was interested in, but knew it was too early for.
Rather, this is what I've found in the past three months.
Firstly,
Get into the habit of posting... Forget having a single "niche", but post what you like and when you like - though for the best exposure, you should probably keep your 2-4 posts daily separated a couple of hours each if you have that privilege. When you post is done, it will be in the "new" category for awhile where bigger "fish" might see them and decide to pick up on it.
Generally-speaking, the first post is the introduceyourself post (write "introduceyourself" without hashtags both as your intro and as one of your 5 tags in your post.) Usually, you will get some welcome notes on that - and maybe a follower or two.
Secondly,
Make sure you are posting original content (your own work) and not infringing on copyrights. The best way to get into trouble is to try to enter a contest with someone else’s work – this will usually get you “flagged” for plagiarism. Note that Steemit is designed to earn you money, so there is no such thing as "no harm" in using someone's copyrighted work on here! (Copyright on images is now assumed to be with the owner unless they specifically give them up.)
If you must use another picture - as I did today, the best way to avoid trouble with someone else’s work is to:
use work from the open domain/creative commons – Pixabay is a favorite. (Wikipedia Commons is usually safe enough if it can't be avoided, but just remember that just because it was uploaded doesn't mean it was theirs to give...)
give credit where credit is due.
ADD VALUE! Don’t just post someone else’s photo as if it is your own – even with credit. Say something about it – why do you think it’s a worthy subject? I've lost count of the number of posts I see that simply use a "borrowed" image (even with credit) and expect it to generate income for them. SAY something - why do you like the picture? Why should I upvote it? I only get a few votes here and there, I don't get to bestow them on everyone!
Additional Tips
Boost your credibility and tag 
If you are on Facebook, there are several groups on there where you can share your posts for exposure and followers. Just search "Steemit" and you will find about a dozen groups you can choose to join. I'm a member of Clean Steemit who puts integrity of good original work above everything else!
DON'T get into the habit of asking for followers/upvotes.
DON'T exchange upvotes for upvotes, follow for follow... this disingenuous behavior seems great at first, but the fact remains if they aren't interested in your work, they won't invest their time in it... so, it's a wasted effort to beg.
DO go and peruse the other new posts and comment on things that appeal to you. Maybe they will like your comment and check out your blog. (My banner that I have at the end of this post also works as a "calling card" that I leave behind when I visit and comment on your site - a tiny sample of my work that might encourage someone to check out my blog and follow me.)
If you find you don’t have enough content for the day, consider resteeming someone else’s post if you have enough bandwidth at the end of the day. Resteeming doesn’t get you anything except activity on your wall, but perhaps they will check out your blog and resteem something of yours in return. (Don't beg, of course...)
Produce QUALITY and original content and people will begin to notice you!
That's it for this edition. Next one will be on the subject of BANDWIDTH... which, if you've been here more than two weeks, you are likely to have run into...
(Logo found on Wikipedia Commons with Reuse licence - ownership remains with Steemit.com)
Lori Aberle Hopkins – photographer at Viking Visual, author, student-of-the-world.
Follow, upvote and resteem me here and on Facebook
Check out my work at: RedBubble, ImageKind, and CafePress.
Camera has changed from time to time, the photographer has not. :-)
Unless otherwise stated, all photos are original to me and © 2008-2018.
