This post is a collaboration of curators from the OCD Community and various Community Leaders. Collectively we are spreading awareness on how to make your post a target for curation.
There have been several posts made by curators sharing what they look for, how one could improve on their publications and offering helpful tips to increase quality.
It is our hope that these attempts to inform and educate you would actually be read and content creators would begin using them to enhance their publications.
We as leaders are working hard everyday to spread the love around fairly. We aim to help those who put forth effort get rewarded for their contributions to making Hive a unique platform filled with quality content.
Images
If you are using images in your posts the quality of those images are one of the first impressions of your authorship.
Believe it or not poor image quality could deter others from giving your post a read. If the image quality is poor it could be assumed that the writing quality is of the same effort. Even though this may not be true it is what is perceived due to low image quality being the first thing we see.
Personally, I adore the technical quality of the photographs a lot, and as a curator I absolutely can not resist to upvote a good post if I occasionally run into it, of any subject - if I recognize it as a great photography. (which can be taken even with a smartphone. not necessarily with expensive camera and lens).
@qwerrie - Founder of Fungi Lovers Community
Even if you do not own a professional DSLR camera you can still take some nice decent photos with your smartphone.
A quick tip: Make sure to clean and wipe the camera lens on your smartphone before taking photos. This makes a world of a difference on the clarity of your photos. Publishing foggy greasy photos is hurting your chances of curation.
Image quality, doesn't need to be professional grade, but no blurry images. The quality of cameras on mobile handsets are so good nowadays, there is no excuse for blurry images.
@livinguktaiwan - OCD Community Curator, Founder of Hi from Hive, Toys on Hive and The LooLoo Community
There are plenty of editing apps available that you can download right from your phone to help you enhance the final outcome. Taking care to make sure your photos are clear, clean and recognizable without one having to strain and struggle to figure out what it is could really upgrade the quality of your posts.
In the Photography Lovers Community, I have let my other curators know that we are not focused on super high quality photography, but we want to reward people that are trying to get better at photography and are taking the time to create posts that are talking about their photography as well. I tend to skip posts that are just single images or people that just dump images and don't write about them at all. But if you take the time to write a decent post and talk about your images, the chances of curation are higher.
@derangedvisions - OCD Community Curator, Founder of Photography Lover’s Community
I think it’s safe to say that single image posts with very little or no writing makes any curator or community leader cringe. It could be the best photo you’ve ever taken but if you don’t take the time to elaborate on the photo, tell a story behind it or give some kind of interesting fact or description, it will get passed over.
We could easily search for photos on Google to look at but we want to hear your personal stories behind the photos you share and be enlightened by what you uniquely bring to Hive. Those who are adding quality to the platform will be priority when it comes to curation.
They just have to be well taken, we are not a photography group. No need to have a very good camera, the care taken in the capture is something that does not require any expensive equipment. I like above all that it is interesting to look at these photos, so no need to upload a series of 10 times the same pose.
@barbara-orenya - Feathered Friends Community Curator
You can get clever with the angles and positions of capturing your photos. We don’t need to see a variation of the same photo multiple times. Some may think it looks good or it’s helping them by making their posts seem longer but it’s really overkill and a turnoff.
Make it stand out and unique and show that you care and have put some thought and effort into it.
This brings me to my next topic...
Effort
This is a HUGE determining factor on curation selection!
Reward for effort is my ethos, for myself and others. I don't care if one doesn't write English well, just try. I don't care if a person isn't an amazing photographer, just try. I will always make allowances for those things provided I see effort, the person trying to present well, working for what they hope to get. Effort doesn't mean tagging everyone in the post to gain attention. It means consistency, working to draw people to one's post-feed through engaging with them on theirs, and it means proof-reading, laying out posts well also, answering comments left, making sure images are quality, not plagiarising, copy-pasting or any other short-cut people sometimes use. That's lack of effort and doing it will cause me to draw a line beneath the account and move on. Effort is also courtesy and politeness, humility and a level of care for the community. Show it and I'm more likely to curate. Lastly, saying thank you goes a long way.
@galenkp - Shadow Hunters Community Curator
I think @galenkp summed effort up really well.
Those of us who have been around for awhile can easily tell the difference from a post that was published just for the sake of posting vs. a post that involved some thought, work and passion. We can also spot out when plagiarism or copy and paste has taken place (we do check on and investigate these things to verify our hunch).
It’s really been shocking lately seeing the number of instances that someone has harassed and DMed a curator or community leader asking for votes. Doing this will get you just the opposite of what you are asking for.
We all started here from scratch and had to work hard to find our way, build reputable accounts, earn trust and develop friendships. We’ve put in the time making many posts in order for them to be seen amongst the crowd. There wasn’t a guide or a ’How to Be Successful on Hive’ handbook. We learned, stayed consistent and grew. Through those experiences we are now able to make posts like these sharing our knowledge to try to help others.
It took time, patience, commitment, willingness and a desire to want to do things the right way. Not in a way that harasses and upsets people by constantly asking for votes. You gotta earn those rewards and you do that by putting forth effort.
When I see very visible poor efforts, when I consider its just a 'milking up' effort - I dont feel engaged.
@qwerrie
One of your main goals should be to keep your audience engaged. If readers lose interest in your writing they won’t stick around long and would most likely be hesitant to support your work.
Even a post that might not be as expertly put together as some, or whose English is still developing, is worth supporting – sure, maybe with smaller upvotes – if there’s a good story behind it, with some good photos, and it’s clear that you have put real effort in.
@riverflows - OCD Community Curator, Founder of Natural Medicine Community
You don’t have to be an expert writer. Truthfully can any of us call ourselves that? As long as you are trying and your focus is on putting your best foot forward you will eventually gain the attention you are seeking ;)
Engagement
You may be thinking
well what’s this have to do with a quality post?
Believe it or not it takes more than just writing a great post to get on curation radar.
Another thing I check for is to see if the author engages with the community. I try and curate the active community members because they are the ones adding more value to the blockchain than someone who just posts and never comments on anyone's content or even replies to comments on their posts.
Hive is not the type of platform where you come, drop off your content and then return when you are ready to post again. You gotta be honest with yourself and realize if you are expecting support you have to also give support.
This can come in many forms as @derangedvisions mentioned above. Taking the time to engage by responding to comments, visiting other’s content, upvoting, commenting, encouraging them, providing feedback and input all goes a long way. Also getting involved with what’s going on here like volunteering your help in communities, lending your expertise to help with developing projects or anything that adds to the growth of Hive.
Often, curators might be looking for people who engage a lot too, because if we’re deciding between a lot of people who are eligible because their content is good, we’re often more likely to reward those who stand out because they make an effort to engage.
@riverflows
When we see good posts and a content creator behind that post with good engagement, they take priority on our list. Their involvement here shows us they are not just here to milk rewards and run but instead add value to the ecosystem.
I feel many have their money glasses on when they post to hive thinking that being focused on that aspect will help them post better and get rewarded. I say no. Making the reward the post-process and end result then the engagement and interaction is a much better way to go in my opinion. It's how I have always approached it. That way the post is better, the relationships are better and ergo, the rewards are better.
@galenkp
Very well said. There’s more than just the rewards that keep people sticking around. It’s the fun and excitement of it all. The built relationships, the enjoyment of creating a post and seeing the end results of your work and receiving feedback from fellow Hivers.
If you are taking the time to engage and coupling that with good original content eventually someone will notice your work and contributions ;)
Passion & Personality
In my opinion these two P’s go hand in hand. If you are passionate about what you write your personality will shine through the excitement and enthusiasm.
Showing passion means energy and excitement for the subject and content and the general post itself, it's presentation. It also means presenting oneself in the best way possible, the passion to be your personal best as often as possible, and especially in a post that one hopes for curation on. I don't expect posts to be perfect, mine are not either, however passion is the foundation for every other element of a post I would likely curate. Passion trumps perfection every day of the week.
@galenkp
Many posts I come across that interests me really dive into the subject they are speaking of. They go out of their way to get you to feel what they’re feeling or understand what they’ve experienced. Writing with passion draws readers in and helps keep them interested and engaged with what you’re sharing.
This also helps them see your personality and really get to know you better. When this happens connections are made and your follower numbers grow.
As a curator for OCD, and curating within my own community, Natural Medicine, and personally across HIVE for the last three years, I have realised that it is people’s stories that mean the most to me. I am far more interested in your personal experience with the world than I am in seeing content from the internet that’s just rehashed in a different way. If I can find it in a google search, I don’t have much interest in it. I think a lot of people start blogging here and believe they have to be uber professional and write as an expert on a particular topic, but it’s much better to write about your personal experience and thoughts on a hobby, an event, an interest or a passion. For example, a post about foraging for herbs and identifying them, and coming home and making a recipe about them is more engaging than a post that just copies and pastes or rewrites facts from the wider web.
@riverflows
It’s great when facts and research results are included in a post because we all can learn from them. The problem is when it is left just at that. There’s no personal touch added including your own views and opinions.
Find a way to add your personal flavor to your post. If it lacks that personal touch it might be hard for your readers to connect.
This is huge for me. I understand some people wish to retain the illusion of anonymity here but that doesn't negate the need to show personality. The reader (curator) is a human, just like the author, so showing some humanness, personality, is a critical element for me when curating and when looking for new people to build relationships with. This goes also for the real world of course. I prefer to feel like I'm connected with the author, invited into their post through their addition of personality. I liken it to me meeting a person in a bar and chatting. No personality and I'm gone. Personality and it's hey, have another G&T.
@galenkp
One way I like showing my personality is writing my posts in the way I would speak to someone. I invite the reader into my story by asking them questions, telling a joke or making funny comments along the way.
Any way I can involve who I am and relay that through my words I find a unique way to add it in. As you grow and develop your writing style should start to blossom naturally and enable you to express yourself in your own unique way.
For me, travel posts are all about personal experience and is much more important than descriptive fact and figures like from the tourist promotion board. Fact and figures are available all over the internet, whilst personal experience is unique to the author, and that's what adds value to a post.
@livinguktaiwan
That value is key and those are the posts that stand out. Adding a personal touch can make a heap of a difference.
Extras
• If you are not using your own photos for a post please source them. If I don’t see photos sourced and properly credited I usually skip over them.
• If you are writing a post in your native language please be sure to include an English translation.
• The length of your post does make a difference. I tend to look for posts that are at least 3 minutes long (with some exceptions for photography posts).
• Watch your posting habits. Posting more than twice a day can be seen as trying to milk the system. Spread your work out to share throughout the week.
• If you are an artist please show more than just the finished results. A sure way to reel in interest is to take us along the journey with you by showing the process of your work through photos.
• Aim for originality! Find ways to stand out and bring forth your own uniqueness. Do You Be You!
Summary
Good stories, good presentation, good effort, good engagement.
@riverflows
So, all in all - photo quality, originality (not same stuff over and over) and the level of efforts involved.
@qwerrie
I don't ever look for high quality, just the triumvirate of elements being, passion, personality and effort.
@galenkp
We are reading. We are seeking. As leaders and curators we are consistently searching the platform everyday for quality posts to reward.
If you are trying and making an effort to put your best work forward please keep up your great work. This includes engaging in the community as well. Sooner or later one of us will find you.
There is always room for improvement, even for myself. I have been blogging here for almost 5 years and I am still finding ways to improve on my publications and engagement. I am still learning something new everyday that I’m here and I apply those things so that I can continue to grow.
If you are one of the people who have been asking what curators go by or how we make our selections I really hope this post helped answer your question.
Now what will you do with all this intel?
We hope that you will use it as a helpful guide as you continue your Hive journey.
Maybe this could be the start to the ’How to Be Successful on Hive’ handbook :D