We've been hard at work this week brainstorming some ideas to bring even more value to the STEEM blockchain. As much as we understand the challenges that the current system faces, we are also aware that some of the biggest changes we can make come in the form of education.

It's because of this reason that we are proud to present the first installment of a new series of publications:

"Growing Smart with Smartsteem"

What can you expect out of this series?

The goal here is provide tips and tricks for Steemians of all levels of experience to grow their accounts, and their networking.

It's imperative for Steem citizens to understand that growth does not only mean more SP, but the effectiveness that people have on the blockchain, and their social influence.

As service that matches investors with those who seek promotion tools, we understand the necessity to integrate an element of education for our customers. In other words: How can we help Smartsteemians maximize their results?

"Growing smart with Smartsteem" is our answer.

Lesson #1 - Are you ready to promote your content?

This might seem like one of those questions people should be asking already. However, it's possible to say this is not always the case. The idea of using a promotion tool like Smartsteem.com is to showcase the work you have been putting into your content.

Whether it's free writing, poetry, vlogs, etc, promotions tools are there to help you reach a wider audience and capture their attention. That's why it's important that you are promoting work that truly showcases the best you can do.

Smart Promotion: The Post

How many times have we seen people promoting low effort content only to have a negative reaction from the community? Sadly this type of thing is not uncommon, and as part of our commitment to the STEEM ecosystem we run a blacklist to deter the recalcitrant accounts who continue to do so.

What's interesting about this, is that the accounts who engage in these activities usually lose their investments. The posts usually get flagged, reported to @steemcleaners in the case of plagiarism or any number of negative consequences.

Now, this doesn't have to happen and we've got some tips and tricks for you.

Step 1: Preparing your post

The ideal post you should be thinking about promoting should have the following elements:

100% Original Content
Accurately sourced references: Images and Quotes clearly outlined

It's important to state that this are not rules per say, not in the sense that the blockchain itself requires it. However, the goal is to put your best foot forward and to win an audience, so we could consider them best practices.

Step 2: Create your Post

Think of the following list as recommendations. If you've taken notes, you will notice some of the most successful Steemians practicing some of these little habits, and that little fact should speak volumes to anyone that is seeking to grow on the platform.

In no particular order:

Be yourself - don't try create content emulating someone just because you think that's the way to make money.
Be relatable - write/talk to your audience as if you are dealing with a good friend
Before posting, read out loud - you would be surprised how many times messages are lost due to a missing ","
Be consistent - As they say practice makes perfect, don't think your first promoted post will be a home run.

Conclusion

Promotion tools are just that: tools.

They cannot in any way improve the quality of a content creator. That is why is so important for content creators to focus on doing their absolute best before using them.

It's important to keep in mind that the value of the STEEM ecosystem is directly connected to the value we are able to convey through the content it generates and the quality of interactions that happen, because of that content.

We sincerely hope that this framework gives those who are on the fence of promoting their content, or those who are already doing so, but not obtaining the results they want, valuable information that will help them grow smarter.

All the best,

Team Smartsteem

Growing Smart with Smartsteem | Lesson #1: Are you ready to promote your content?