Steem is a great platform but does not really compete with others. It might simply be the lack of advertisement or it needs a cool factor.
The coins logo is not as cool as Steemits logo for example. Facebook logo is simple and slick so is twitters. Making an account is also not as easy as making one on any other platform.
To get a free account people have to wait more than five minutes to get their account. People are not patient they want their product as quick as possible. The point of entry should be simpler. It should be as easy as making an account on any other platform.
Then there is the problem that people do not know what crypto is and might not care to learn what it is, get the coin, then pay in crypto to make the account quickly.
It is good that there is the option to make the account quickly but if the system excepted a debit card or credit card then converted it to steem it would be simpler for people to get their accounts.
I do not think people care about having to pay for the account we are a consumer economy after all. It is what means they use to make the purchase that confuses potential users which puts them off.
If people could also power up, buy steem or steem dollars with fiat that would be more convenient for them.
Maybe steem could partner with some service that provides this. Steem just needs a better medium between fiat to crypto.
RE: The FUNDAMENTAL issue of Steem nobody talks about... Part 1: Defining the problem (+ Bounty!)