I have been on steemit for about six months, I agree with what you say. My personal experience has been :
Consistency, keep blogging on a regular basis, as new bloggers we need exposure.
Content, find what you are good at, we can't all be fantastic photographers or raconteurs but we are all good at something. Find your niche. Research your topic, if you are going to post, make sure the content is correct.
Replies, there is nothing worse than sending a one word reply. If you have nothing to say, upvote and move on. Remember the poster spent time and effort writing their post.
Rewards. We all like to receive good rewards, but it takes time and effort, so be patient, it will come.
As for benefits, all I can say that in my case it has given me confidence in my own abilities, new friends and something new to look forward to everyday.