Creating Great Steem Content - 4 Things You Should Check Before You Click The Post Button!

in #steemiteducation6 years ago (edited)

As Steem Bloggers, we should all strive to create quality content. You have invested time and effort into creating your Steem post. Make sure you go the extra mile to make your post is the best it can be.

Disclaimer: For the sake of transparency, I wanted to let you know that this post contains an affiliate link and information about an online course that I created.

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Don't Settle For GOOD. Go For GREAT!

Before you click the POST button, complete the following steps and can take your content to the next level.

1. Check your post for spelling and grammatical errors.


I will be the first to admit that I make some a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. As I proofread my posts, I often read what I wanted to write instead of reading what I actually wrote. I use Grammarly to help find the mistakes that my eyes don't see the first time. And then I proofread at least 1 to 2 more times.

I have been using Grammarly for several months now. It has helped tremendously, but it is not perfect. Computers can't replace people (at least not yet!)

2. Find great images and source them properly.


A great, thumbnail image will make readers want to open and read your post. The first image in your post will become your thumbnail image.

A great thumbnail image ...

  • should communicate the message of your post
  • should always be horizontal (also know as landscape mode)
  • should be your origin work or apart of the CC0 Creative Commons License

Even if a photo does not require you to provide the image source, DO IT ANYWAY! Plagiarism is one of the biggest offensives in the Steem Community. When you site your image source, you let us know that you are one of the good guys.

Need some help finding great images. Check out Pixabay, Pexels, and Unsplash.

3. Format your post.


Does your post look BLAH? Check your post's formatting in the preview screen and find out.

  • Did you use headers?
  • What about emphasis? Bold or italics?
  • Did you properly organize a list of items with bullets?
  • Have you ever wondered how you can create a really sweet looking text hyperlink?

There are so many formatting options available, and most of them can be done with a formatting language called Markdown. Some of the more complicated formatting styles require HTML code.

But don't worry! I created an online course that teaches all of the basics and many of the advanced formatting options. Steem Markdown is designed to help you implement all of the formatting options I used in this post.


Affiliate Banner 2 - Steem Markdown Banner.jpg

4. Don't Forget The Tags

You can enter up to 5 tags to categorize your post. The first tag is the most important tag. It is the main tag and cannot be changed after you click the post button.

When choosing a tag, ask the following questions.

  • Is the tag appropriate for my post? Don't use it if it does not make sense.
  • Is the tag too general for my post? The goal of a tag is to be found. Don't use tags that are being overused. Don't pick a tag just because it is trending.
  • Is the tag too specific? If no one is using a tag, there is probably a reason why. But if you are trying to raise support for a specific project, then creating a unique tag can increase interest and support.
  • Is there a tag that matches with your post as well as a Steem community or project? Utilize tags that are currently being supported. Don't misuse tags that have a specific purpose.

Final Thoughts


Taking your post from good to great is not as hard as it seems. Yes, it will require additional time and effort. But remember that creating quality content is the goal. Create posts that you can be proud of and that people will enjoy reading, watching, or listening to.

As always, thanks for stopping by. Let me know if you have any questions in the comment section.

@SumatraNate


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Previously, using Grammarly as free was easy but then the reference program changed as far as I know. Even so, there are some helper website with the same functionality, such as reverso and scribens. It's a helpful blog guide for newcomers btw.

Thanks for sharing about other options. It is always great to have many choices. I am going to stick with Grammarly because I can check my mistakes without leaving the website I am trying to edit. Sometimes I feel that is is clunky but it is working for me.

And thanks for the encouraging words. Always appreciated!

Good post, thanks for the advice. I haven't been citing the sources of my images. Thats something i will have to change.

Thanks for the kind words. Always glad to help. Nice to meet another member of the Show-Me State.

thank for your great advice @sumatranate. I am on the way there, and keep trying to make great post as much as I can

Keep moving forward. You will reach your goal.

I too used Grammarly for a while, but then it appeared not to be free anymore, and I was barraged with ads and hassle asking me to pay. It got ditched at this point. I liked it while it was working though.

I understand. I used the FREE version at first but then upgraded to the PAID version. Not everyone will make the same decision I did, but it was the right one for me. I have been pleased, and I hope that it is making a difference in the quality of my content.

I completely agree. Sometimes it takes me more time to find the right images and to make the post look nice than it takes me to write the words :D

@zen-art, a lot of people do not realize how important formatting a post is. I see that you understand!

That is the reason why I created Steem Markdown. I wanted a way to help people, and I also wanted to test the waters to see if I could start an online stream of income. It has been a slow process, but I am hopeful. If you are interested, I would appreciate your feedback. I could send you a message via Discord with free access to the course. Then you could use your affiliate link to share with others if you liked the content.

I would like that. I was studying computer science and am in love with html, still not satisfied with steemit not accepting all the code and forcing me to use markdown here and there but I manage. After this one, do a html course too :D Feel free to contact me anytime. 💚

terima kasih banyak atas informasinya, saya nampaknya belum memiliki satu syarat pun dari pemaparan anda, saya akan terus berusaha

Bersusaha terus! Mari kita semau maju bersama-sama sebagai konunitas yang mampu dan bertumbuh.

Great post, I recently installed the grammarly add one and its helping me a lot fixing errors and typos that I may otherwise miss

It is a great tool - not perfect, but it really helps me write better posts.

@sumatranate It is helping me a lot as well :)

thanks for best information!

I am glad you find my information​ useful!

Sebuah informasi yang sangat bermanfaat khususnya untuk saya. Saya mendapatkan ilmu yang luar biasa dari tulisan anda. Thanks

Saya menerima kata-katamy dengan senang hati.

Great article to review when creating posts.

Thanks for leaving me feedback. I hope that it helps!

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