Are You Actually ADDING Anything of Value to the Data Stream?
I find myself (once again) thinking about the many times a discussion about "Quality Content" has come up here on Hive, as well as on a number of other content venues, past and present.
Aside from one of my own root "values" as a creator-publisher — that evergreen quality never fades — I've typically not said a whole lot on the topic. I think each person needs to let quality speak for itself. As the old saying goes "the cream floats to the top." Or does it?
This whole topic came to mind again recently, as part of the INLEO platform's intention to reward evergreen content through ad revenue sharing — something we have not previously had here.
But "quality" is a pretty ambiguous and fluid concept. Quality... to whom? What does it even mean?
I have typically felt that the more relevant question should be of whether or not something adds value to the vast repository of information — call it the data stream, if you will — we are building in the virtual world. Moreover, ask yourself what has value to you if there were no Hive to consider.
The question then becomes "what does 'adding value' look like?"
Again, that can certainly be open to a lot of interpretation... but I'm thinking we can perhaps approach a definition by looking at what definitely does not add value. Repetition of news stories already covered extensively by major news media, is a good example.
Unlike those who prefer a more practical approach, I have always been a fan of personal stories. But do they add value?
It depends. Simply a journal entry about what you ate for dinner, not so much. The same journal entry, but also including your grandma's secret recipe for chicken gravy? Now we're talking!
I strongly believe that anecdotes have value, and tend to make for far more interesting reading than dry instructional prose. Think about what you prefer to read! Chances are the rest of the world isn't that different.
In the past, most of my own evergreen content has revolved around psychology and spirituality, neither of which tend to have "expiration dates."
Compelling stories about problem solving the human condition tend to have evergreen value, as well. Most people enjoy reading about how people overcame some obstacle and persevered.
The reason "the personal" tends to work well is that each person's story tends to be unique, which concepts are easily repeated, absent the human factor.
Of course, we can throw much of the whole value discussion out the window when we start answering the question of "WHO are you writing for?"
Let's face it, a lot of people just enjoy writing and sincerely don't care about the technical aspects of their writing.
Which is fine! As long as you're not also complaining that you're not getting the same visibility and engagement as those with highly relatable and engaging content!
It's a complex issue, to be sure! What does value mean, to YOU?
Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation! I do my best to answer comments, even if it sometimes takes a few days!
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Created at 2024-02-08 00:32 PST
1071/2329
We agree that the definition of "quality content" can be subjective and may vary depending on individual perspectives and preferences. What one person considers high-quality content might not be the same for another. Factors such as personal taste, cultural background, and context can influence how someone perceives the quality of a piece of content. It's essential to keep this in mind when evaluating or creating content, as it's impossible to please everyone.
But I think you end your blog post with a false dichotomy:
As you point out, dry prose just isn't exciting, even if it is technically correct. If I can't be bothered to read it, I don't upvote.
There are many writers for whom English is not their first language. Technically, their writing is lacking. But they tell good stories, worthy of reward.
I think you were on the right track pondering for whom we write.
I think we all eventually settle into Communities where we have niche audiences that will upvote practically anything we write. It's less about the skill and more about the mutual support. We end up writing to the Community based on their standards and likes because they validate us with their upvotes.
Anecdotally, when I write to some Communities, I get plenty of upvotes. When I write in obscure communities, or direct to my blog feed, I don't get as many upvotes. Most of my support comes from curation trails and a few friends. I tend to write with the same quality, except in different places. I do not have any illusion that quality is rewarded more than targeting an audience.
Well, it's a well known fact that lately and from some time now. MakeUp tutorials, Cooking Recipes, Movie Reviews, Video Game Stuff, reporting short outdoors escapades for Pinmapple, create videos of whatevah on 3Speak and obviously showing some Hive sycophancy all along. Is the type of content that is adding the most value to the Data Stream of Hive according to the criteria of the biggest and most opulent "curators" of the platform.
Evergreen serious content like yours and mine clearly is not.
So, should we both start putting on makeup, cooking, spending a lot of time playing video games and watching movies, going outside for a while to walk the dog and report everything to pinmmapple through a video published on 3Speak to adding value?
Yes, this definition of quality content is very elusive and mostly personal or subjective, but it is also based on cultural differences.
Evergreen? For me it is something that stands the pressure of time, not for a few years but for much longer, so here, in this blockchain (or is it all blockchains?) there is nothing old for me, so we are just waiting for it here.