Good Question
If you are simply reading this portion of my 'blog' post and are completely new to cryptocurrency, you've come to the right place. Welcome to Steemit. What is it? Good question. Let's say you like Facebook or Instagram and just enjoy sharing thoughts and pictures on there, or maybe you're a Tumblr or Wordpress familiar. That being said, you understand what 'social media' websites are. You share your ideas,
likes, fears, emotions, snapshots, videos, whatever you can think of, with your audience. Steemit is just another avenue to do that.
What's So Special About Steemit?
Let me ask you a question. Did those 100 likes on Facebook earn you any money? Did you feel accomplished? Any of those hearts on Instagram pay you for your photography? How many of the comments people made actually resonated with you? Steemit is unlike any social media platform you've ever known.
Wait, Did You Say Earn Money?
Let's look at a definition of money. The Google dictionary states money is: the assets, property, and resources owned by someone or something; wealth. Therefore, anything you can trade for another thing would be technically considered money as it would be your resource or asset. Cryptocurrencies are loosely similar to stocks and can be considered assets. So yes, I said earn money. The money you earn is in the form of 2 cryptocurrencies or digital coins. One is called the Steem Backed Dollar (SBD) and the other is called STEEM. Upon immersing yourself in these here Steemit waters, you can earn both.
Giphy Rocks
Well How?
Let me keep this as simple as possible as to not confuse anyone. You know how on Facebook you can like somebody's picture or story? It's the same here. Except, there are two major differences. On Facebook, they use algorithms (complex math equations) to COLLECT YOUR INFORMATION from the CONTENT you provide and feed you with bullshit ads all day. Here, YOU ARE THE CONTENT PRODUCER and add INFORMATION to our database - known as the STEEM Blockchain. The second difference should be obvious. Facebook won't pay you a single dime of their rewards pool whereas here, it is shared amongst the users based on people's 'influence'. Something you'll come to know as Steem Power or SP.
Facebook Sounds Lame Now, How Do I Join Steemit?
Same thing I told myself, but yes, you're almost there. Somewhere on this page, usually in the top corner or at the bottom of this post, it'll say become a member. Click on that and all you really have to do is supply a valid email and verify you are you. It typically takes about 72 hours to get fully registered.
You Said SBD and STEEM?
Yes, that's what you will earn. Now, this can be traded for other cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Litecoin or Ethereum or even fiat currencies like the U.S. Dollar or EURO. To do this, you will need to utilize what we call an exchange and a wallet. I live in America, so, I will cover the more popular ones. There are two pictures and links below, one is your new wallet - Coinbase, and the other is an exchange - Poloniex. For now, just join them and we can explain the rest later.
| Get your Coinbase Wallet | Get a Poloniex account |
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Once You Are Confirmed
Let me be the first to say - WELCOME TO STEEMIT!!! Now you get to come and see for yourself what it's all about. You're brand new. A plankton or minnow. They have classified accounts here based on their Steem Power with an ocean animal hierarchy. Kind of cute really. I have a few suggestions to help you become successful and start earning real money you can spend. But let's face it, you're new, it's going to take some 'work'. So please, pay attention to this next part.
Giphy Rocks
Now You're Diving In!
It really is that simple. Don't overthink it. Now all you have to do is start making posts of your own. If you like being on a laptop or PC, I highly suggest staying right here where you are comfortable. If you are reading this on a mobile device, I would suggest downloading the app that @good-karma created called eSteem. It can be found on both Google Play and the iOS stores and yes it's free. This is all free. Your only real to life investment is time. Can you do that?
Well, How Do I know How Much I've Made?
If you notice where the upvote button and resteem arrows are, you'll see a value. Take a look at the value of this post down there. Is that sufficient? That amount is in SBD. Keep in mind that **ONE SBD** right now is worth roughly $5.50 USD. So if that amount says $10, that's a reward of $55.00 USD to the authors (75% TO YOU) and curators (25% SPLIT BETWEEN VOTERS) of this post. If it says $20.00, that's $110.00 USD. I'll let you figure the math on whatever it says.
Is That Sufficient?
Hopefully this is all easy enough to understand for you and you are already waiting on your confirmation email. Some terms are foreign, but if you have read this far down the post, I feel you have the capacity and motivation to learn it quite easily. That concludes my basic crash course on What is Steemit, and now for the people that have been here a while:
Witness Report
To be honest, there's not a lot to tell. I had a hang up with the new update from @someguy123, but nothing major. For some reason, my feed did not want to pull the permissions from the exchanges and I know I wasn't the only one. In the midst of attempting to adjust it, I did miss a block. With the patient help of @jatinhota, we got it situated again. Love that guy. Should go write him in as a witness.
You Have a Vote Left?
You're reading this and you haven't written me in? How dare you! I demand, no, I decree that you now must pay @youarehope 100 SBD in punitive damages. You are also subject to pay the new 'delinquient voter tax', which obligates you to vote for me AND send me 1000 STEEM a month until you have been deemed reconciled. Failure to do so will result in some @grumpycat coming and flagging you because you bought a vote from @sneaky-ninja within the first 12 hours of your high quality post. Ninjas never say die.
In Conclusion
I hope everyone out there in the Steemit ocean has a fantastic weekend and a bright new week unfold for you. Just because somebody may piss in your Cheerios or spit on your sandwich, doesn't mean you have to take that shit and eat it. Maybe I'm tired and on a bit of a sleep deprived rant, but I just assume throw it back at the waiter and say, you eat it. Don't forget to be YOU. That is all.
