Baby steps of a newbie on Hive: expectations and goals

Steps before and after joining the Hive platform

I wish I could just summarize this content, but I'm certain I will enjoy your contributions once you join me on this task, courtesy of @tergan as he samples opinions on what the first steps on Hive should be.

I want to first agree that the very first steps must begin with the newbie's perception of the chain, which is often dependent on what the prospective onboarder paints for him. This created perception or illusion is critical to the mindset that a newbie comes into the chain with, and this to a large extent determines how far the newbie would go, especially in the early days of joining the chain.

No doubt, the majority of us joined because of the REWARD SYSTEM on the chain, and most newbies felt #hive is a safe haven to make some cool cash and, for some, a rich-quick platform. To a minority of the newbies, Hive was a haven to express and explore the art of living through explorations of everyday life as may be contained in different communities.

It is thus crucial what perception the prospective newbie has about the chain, as there is a chance that disappointment will lurk at his efforts or posts. These disappointments come after the newbie has supposedly put in massive and truly commendable efforts in creating content but lacks visibility, or, as the case may be, the intended upvotes so desired. The onboarder thus has the mandate to brief the newbie like a tutor on the dos and don'ts of the chain. The mode of operations on the chain can be vast for newbies that are not conversant with writing and expression and could serve as a discouragement or challenge, as the case may be.

It is good to clear up any wrong perceptions about the chain even before onboarding the newbie, as this is likely going to minimize the errors and questions that may ensue after he is onboarded. The reward system should also be explained to the newbie; we must be sincere with ourselves, and the mind also appreciates being rewarded, especially financially.

It is crucial to know why the prospective Hivean wants to come on the chain and explore the goals he or she wants to achieve. Most of us are on the chain for the daily bread, while a few, like a friend I met who is not too long on the chain and less than a year old, said she wants to make N10,000,000 ($10,000) within the next year. I was tempted to laugh at the Hivean, but I cautioned myself instead, desiring to know the intended pathway to achieve that goal. If I asked you if it was achievable, you would probably say the negative, but then, given the benefits of hard work and luck, it is actually attainable. You will agree with me that some people have earned or won hundreds of HBD on the chain and perhaps through campaigns. The #hivelearners hangout on Discord today focused on balancing contentment with ambition. We should not discard any goal or ambition but rather give our candid advice as we deem fit or refer appropriately.

My style of onboarding after a few tutorials is to send samples of introduction posts as a guide to the newbie, where he would make his own, and I can afterwards help with necessary corrections. At such a stage, correcting in love is vital, ensuring we do not rubbish the efforts of the green newbies.

Recently, the free signups have been unavailable, and in order to prevent errors during sign-ups, I prefer to guide newbies through the onboarding process, which may require some finance through the different frontends. Some frontends are difficult to navigate, while others are simple, but eventually the goal is attained.

My next approach is to recommend some communities, and I encourage the newbie to go through the rules of the communities after subscribing to them. The newbie is encouraged to understudy contents and posts, especially those with high visibility and rewards. I am of the opinion that people should learn from successful mentors.

Taking newbies on creating posts and adding images and tags is my next point of call. It comes easier when the newbie is present physically; however, I have had to take some newbies virtually, which has been a little challenging. I encourage newbies to stick to the onboarder's guidance for the first one to three months to ameliorate any mistakes that may occur. Conscious onboarders know that grave mistakes by their newbies can equally affect their presence on the chain.

I encourage newbies to engage with other authors soon after finding their niche communities. This helps them gain some visibility and acceptance for the chain. Hangouts or activities of different communities are usually held on Discord and are encouraged in order to gain more feasibility. The newbie begins to see that the chain is longer than expected; it does not just end in creating contents but also in making oneself relevant on the chain.

IMAGE CREDIT

The consistency spirit has to be imbibed, and I am guilty of this. My onboarder reminded me I was off the chain for almost three months, which was bad for my publicity. Newbies have a higher chance of visibility because of their consistent and quality posts and engagements.

I have had to admonish newbies to reply to conversations discreetly and humbly while creating original contents and sourcing otherwise appropriately, especially from approved sites. "Hive appreciates original contents and images", I always tell my newbies while cautioning them not to be too lazy around artificial intelligence-created contents.

Mistakes are bound to occur, just like the newborn that begins to learn to walk. It is the duty of the onboarder to keep track and correct the newbie, especially proactively. It may be challenging to go through the hurdles of corrections and guidance, but this is critical to ensuring the newbie delivers quality content.

At this point, the newbie begins to appreciate that the chain is beyond the rewards; it's much more about the connectivity and originality. Gradually, as the newbie begins to appreciate the true context and contents of the chain, he begins to appreciate the addictiveness that may come with the chain.

I must also state that, unlike me, which took almost eight months before my first withdrawal, some newbies have had a need for their rewards, which I have not stopped, reminding them of the need to aspire for more hive power on the chain to gain more relevance and equally have it as a savings or investment.

Perhaps this is where the earn is for the newbies, as they simultaneously learn the art of quality writing and engagement. These earnings are mostly channeled into spending by these newbies as it satiates their thirst for confidence in the chain, spurring them to stay on the chain and work harder. The newbies often come back after exhausting their earnings on spending and desire to explore more options on the chain. When the newbies begin to gain traction, especially by having an audience and hive power, they are prompted to upvote other authors as their way of contributing to the platform. Some Hiveans have taken the earnings beyond the chain to give to the needy who are off-the-chain as a form of goodwill gesture. This is applaudable, as the mind is gladdened to have helped the less privileged.

The newbie begins to see the chain beyond a platform to earn for himself and gradually surrenders himself to impacting lives through Hive.

These are my opinions about the baby steps of a newbie when joining the Hive platform. Thank you for reading. I would love to have your comments and contributions.

My shout-out to my onboarder @monica-ene for the gift of Hive and having the patience to guide me through my early days.

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