Hive Musings: Thriving Through Engagement and Building Connections

Last year, I started a practice of engaging with comments on my posts and rewarding them with upvotes. The reward may only amount to a few cents, but I do it to show appreciation to those who take the time to leave thoughtful comments. I even reward simple comments, as long as I feel they are authentic. The reason I make this effort is that commenting requires time and thought, and it’s worth acknowledging that.

Many of us begin our journey on Hive from humble beginnings. Not everyone joins the platform with a substantial stake or an established network of supporters. For new users, the primary way to connect and grow is through engagement.

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One reality about the platform that users must understand is that, whether you remain anonymous or make your personal information public, your influence is ultimately tied to the amount of stake you hold. However, I believe you can earn the community’s trust even as an anonymous user if you grow your stake responsibly and avoid actions like spamming or plagiarism, which are not tolerated.

Hard work pays off

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There are several ways to earn on Hive. You can actively create content or comment on posts, or you can invest in Hive Power (HP) to earn through curation. Personally, I see curation as the smartest way to earn. All it requires is consuming content and upvoting. Alternatively, you can follow a curation trail to earn passively. Both are effective ways to make use of your voting power.

Some might argue that posting content is the best way to earn. While it demands hard work and the rewards can sometimes feel disappointing, the effort becomes worthwhile when your content catches the attention of curators.

I’ve seen new users who learned the right approach to content creation and engagement grow their accounts from zero stake to the minnow level (580 HP+) in just one month. With that pace, they could potentially reach dolphin status (5,800 HP+) within a year (or less) if they consistently reinvest their earnings into curation.

If I were to offer one piece of advice to new users, it would be to reinvest their earnings for at least one full crypto cycle (around four years). This approach is an excellent way to exponentially grow your stake. I believe that being both a creator and a curator offers the best earning potential because you’re not only growing your stake actively but also expanding your network and connections on the platform. Of course, this advice doesn’t consider risks, which would require a separate discussion.

Know the Right Community for Your Content

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Most curators scout for content within the communities they support or manage. While there are large, community-neutral curation groups, many curators tend to specialize in specific types of content. I’ve observed this based on my own one-month experience as a guest curator for Ecency. Although I wasn’t given specific instructions about what content to curate, I naturally gravitated toward topics that interested me. While my perspective doesn’t represent all curators, I believe many have their preferences. If users align their posts with a curator’s preferences, their chances of getting upvotes increase significantly.

The welcoming nature of the Hive community makes it easier for new users to adapt to the platform’s culture and find success in their content creation journey. This is one reason I’ve remained active on the platform regardless of market conditions. Whether in a bear or bull market, the attention and rewards for my posts keep me motivated to continue my daily hustle.

I may not have had the best start on this platform, but I’ve learned from my past mistakes and now have a deeper understanding of what Hive is all about. When you compare it to Web2 platforms, you’ll see that Web3 had it right all along. True data ownership and the decentralized nature of Hive are things Web2 platforms simply cannot replicate, no matter how generous their creator rewards may be.

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Hive is a platform where hard work, consistent engagement, and a focus on building your stake can lead to both personal growth and meaningful connections. Whether through content creation, curation, or reinvesting earnings, the opportunities to succeed are endless for those willing to put in the effort. By embracing Hive's unique culture of collaboration and decentralization, users can unlock the true potential of Web3 and achieve lasting success in the blockchain space.

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