It feels hard to believe that I have only been writing on Scorum for a couple of weeks. I'm on my way towards earning 2,000 Scorum Power, I've gained over 150 followers, and received countless positive comments from other writers and the creators of the platform. I'm not bragging; I believe you can do this too. But there are a few things you should know first.
Recently, I was asked in a Discord channel for my tips for new users. I decided to write a post of the 11 things that I believe all new members should know on their very first day here.
#1. This is Just The Beginning
A week and a half after I joined Scorum, a new update drastically improved the user experience, adding a save feature, notifications, updating the design, and more. I believe the most important thing to keep in mind when joining Scorum is that we are at the starting line. There is a strong marketing, development, and leadership team actively building this platform from the ground up.
You and I are fortunate to have found this place early, and there is a lot to look forward to. So don't get too disappointed or frustrated if everything isn't perfect yet. The team listens to suggestions and is working on many improvements.
#2. Scorum is Not a Sports Blog
To classify Scorum as only a sports blog would be a mistake. Sports blogs do not have commission-free fantasy sports platforms, commission-free betting platforms, nor do they share advertising revenue with users. Scorum has a lot of potential outside of the blogging aspect of it.
#3. Rise Above Common Mistakes
Succeeding on any content platform requires you to avoid common mistakes that 99% of other writers are making. On an open platform where you can literally publish anything you want, although you shouldn't, there are many mistakes users make.
Here are some of the common mistakes that you should avoid:
- Upvoting posts or comments older than 7 days
You and the author will not receive awards for votes made on posts older than seven days. With limited voting power, you want to make the most of your votes so that you and others can receive rewards from them.
- Misunderstanding voting power and payouts
Do you know how payouts work on the platform and how they will change with advertising revenue? If the answer is no, at the very least, read pages 30-32 of the Scorum white paper.
Tip #1: Once you pass 1,000 Scorum Power, you will get a voting slider that allows you to decide a percentage of your vote to give a post or comment from 1-100%, allowing you to vote for more great content here on Scorum without completely draining your power.
Tip #2: Unlike other platforms, Scorum rewards post authors for votes in the comment section. Make sure to encourage and reward people for commenting on your posts, both they and you will benefit, and the conversations help strengthen and grow the platform.
- Upvoting your own comments
With only four full upvotes to use each day, it's important to use them wisely. One of many actions that is frowned upon here on Scorum is rcommenting on a blog post and then upvoting your own comment instead of someone else's.
- Publishing an already published article (plagarism and/or copying and pasting)
Every article you post here on Scorum should be unique and yours. It is not appropriate or legal to copy an article and repost that article here to make money from it. Make sure to link to articles you source, and make sure that the majority of your post is completely unique and something you created.
#4. If You're Only Here to Make Money, You Won't
Selfish actions stick out like a sore thumb here on Scorum, and other users will avoid your content and voting for it. They may even flag your posts or comments. Make becoming a part of this community and connecting with other users your focus, and the money (coins) will follow.
I would also recommend that as a new user, you don't cash out your Scorum Power for Scorum in order to sell them unless you absolutely need to. Scorum coins are relatively inexpensive at the moment and they are being given out generously as rewards for new users. The more you have, the more you can earn in the future. I will not be cashing out a single Scorum coin or Scorum Power until a minimum of three months, and likely longer.
#5. There is a Community Here to Support You, Join Them!
The Scorum community doesn't start and end on Scorum. There is a growing community that has extended to Telegram and Discord with multiple channels available on each. Follow users @nhl, @liuke96player, @kennybll, and @gentlemanoi who have all created channels for members to connect outside of Scorum. Being a member of these communities has helped me meet awesome users, find new writers to follow, and get support for my articles (votes). Join if you plan on giving others votes as well. Remember, being a part of a community means you have to give in order to receive.
#6. Be On Your Best Manners
Community member and model Scorum citizen @pete wrote a great post titled Scorum Etiquette detailing how users should behave. You may not agree with every point, and that's okay, but the majority of them are widely agreed upon among the community, and you should be aware of these points before posting a single article.
#7. Get to Know Scorum
Scorum is a new and unique place. It's different than any platform you've ever used. You may think you don't need to read the white paper, but just do it. Getting involved here on Scorum means dedicating hundreds or even thousands of hours of your life to it, and you also stand to benefit from it as well. Know the basics and read the white paper here.
#8. Quality Content Reigns Supreme
A great post on Scorum can earn more than 10 good posts, or even 25 good posts combined. By focusing on high-quality posts rather than publishing a high quantity of good posts, you will have a greater chance of reaching the "trending" section, which can net you hundreds of Scorum Power and help you gain new followers who will support your future articles.
#9. Read, Engage & Comment More Than You Post
You don't have to post every day or even every week on Scorum in order to be active in earning Scorum and helping the platform grow. I believe that you should interact with others through comments and upvotes more than you publish your own content.
For me, since I love writing and sharing my opinions, this has been a difficult piece of advice to follow, but it's key to succeeding here on Scorum. If I publish two articles in a day, I try to comment and vote for 10-20. By commenting and voting on other writer's posts, you help build your base of followers and create relationships that will benefit you for years to come.
#10. Have Fun
"Have fun using the platform," said Scorum CEO Vladislav Artemyev in response to my question "What would you tell new users?" It's a great piece of advice and something I had overlooked. By having fun here, you will naturally help grow the platform, and your enjoyment will rub off on other users.
#11. Be Yourself
Early in my career as a writer, I learned the power of sharing a bit of yourself in each article you write. If you're comfortable with it, share stories, opinions, and other thoughts you have. For example, I published a series on the 10 best sporting events I've attended live. I shared personal and embarrassing stories (you don't need to do that) that I was comfortable sharing so that people would get to know me better. The series did very well and I had a great time writing it.
Remember that you are writing an article that people will read, and people connect with other people. Just look at the performance of well-written introduction posts. This extends to the topics you are writing about. A reader can tell if you're passionate about the subject you're writing about. Don't only try to think about what people want to read or what they like when coming up with ideas, write articles on topics you care about.
Best of luck here on Scorum, we are glad you're here! Please follow @Mikey on Scorum and feel free to ask questions below. For more information on Scorum, I highly recommend reading the Scorum whitepaper, which is where I learned many intriguing details about the future of Scorum.
For new members to Scorum, what questions do you have for us? For Scorum veterans, what advice would you add to this list for new members? Please comment below.
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