If you recently joined Steemit with the massive influx of users, you probably know how difficult it is to get your posts noticed. Until you build your following, you'll have many posts that get lost in the Steemit abyss.

It's not going to be easy, but if you're consistent, you should eventually see some of your posts on the Trending page. A few of the top authors on Steemit have earned enough Steem to buy a new Ferrari. Could you be next?

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. First, you need to build a significant following.

So how do I grow my audience?

Let's reverse-engineer this. I'm going to ask myself "What prompts me to follow people?"

Sometimes, I'll come across someone's post and like it enough to follow them. But these posts are usually already on the trending page or resteemed by someone I follow. You're probably not going to get many resteems unless you already have a bunch of followers. And getting onto trending is a tough feat for a newbie, so this isn't a very viable option.

Often, I'll follow people who contribute meaningful comments to my posts, especially if they share similar interests. But, there IS a catch.

After viewing your profile, and seeing you don't have any blog posts, I assure you that the follow button won't be clicked.

If you leave a worthwhile comment on my page which prompts me to click on your profile, I need to see some blog posts from you. If I enjoy some of your posts, I'll probably follow you.

How to grow your following

1. Write a few quality blog posts on topics that interest you, along with an #introduceyourself post. Don't underestimate the importance of formatting and pictures.
2. Spend a lot of time leaving relevant comments on other's posts. If you've written a post on similar topics, let them know it might be of interest.
3. Don't let your interactions stop at a single comment; engage in conversation with them.
4. When you follow someone, let them know you started following them.
5. Write another blog post.
6. Read and comment on a lot of posts.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 again and again.

Commenting/engaging on other's posts is the most important thing you can do. If you're new to Steemit, you should expect these first blog posts to get almost no votes until you spend a lot of time commenting.

What not to do

1. Don't leave comments like "nice post," it will be a complete waste of time.
2. Don't beg for votes or followers, it will get you nowhere.
3. Don't complain. No one wants to associate with complainers.

Get out there, engage with other Steemians, and watch your following grow.

Follow me @shenanigator

If you enjoy my posts, you can set up automatic voting on Steem Voter.