I've not been on Steemit long but I have written several posts that have been successful and I want to share my observations on the mechanics of successful posts and how they trend so that others may learn.  

It can be disheartening to write long posts when you start on Steemit and not make any money.  Having your post picked up by the curie is a wonderful bonus for many new users and is an important service, but this only lasts while your rating is low.  

Once you are able to generate a successful post you will grow in confidence and be enthusiastic to produce more.  This makes you a better member of Steemit strengthening and growing our network.

*I will try to answer all questions to this post.  Hopefully I will lean something too!*  😃

![Screen Shot 2017-10-28 at 16.40.30.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbe8U2zNPnqxJABgGoX1GfBxLxSwS5CaFKny1g7NzY9zk/Screen%20Shot%202017-10-28%20at%2016.40.30.png)

## Identify Topics You Are Interested In Which Already Do Well on Steemit

Look around Steemit and find topics you are interested in that have successful posts.  The trending feeds are the place for this.  It helps if you can already write well but no matter where your writing ability is you should read as many successful posts as you can.  

Get a feel for the style of the topic and how other Steemians are dealing with the subject.  The comments on successful posts are always interesting.  Read them and leave some intelligent comments yourself.  This brings us to the next important point...

![Screen Shot 2017-10-28 at 16.41.52.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVkthZTr4rnz8B1QWSeChbE6Dz9sCaCYW4HyASvXgUe1u/Screen%20Shot%202017-10-28%20at%2016.41.52.png)

## Steemit - It's A Social Network!  Be Social!  😃
Once you have identified a subject that you feel you can write an informative and interesting post on *- get social!*  Steemit is a social network and building and joining communities is very important.  You can achieve this by making intelligent comments on other peoples post, post promote, get involved with existing groups in Discord chat or start your own.  Maybe you have an existing community from another network you can entice to join Steemit!  😉

I want to make a quick point on asking strangers to vote for you.  I suspect that many of us have experienced the random Steemian who messages you on steemit.chat and asks you to vote for them, promising to vote for you in return.  Many of these people sound Indian/Asian and I understand their mentality and it does not annoy me.  However I never vote for strangers just because ask me.  That is just how I feel, you may feel differently!

*Be polite and friendly and you will make friends!*  😃

![Screen Shot 2017-10-28 at 16.47.58.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmcRz2rVRFYY7B1jumZtcRdZi8MX6phCy3JdJbBjMn86t9/Screen%20Shot%202017-10-28%20at%2016.47.58.png)

## Getting Your Posts To Trend
My highest earning post was a response to a previous post I wrote about 9/11.  It was a survey looking at the responses from Steemians to my initial post.  Oddly I did not feel this was one of my best posts but it seemed to surf the [Zeitgeist](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist) at the time.

The highest earning post was called [9/11 - Results From An Informal Steemit Survey -Does Steemit Believe The US Government Was Involved?](https://steemit.com/conspiracy/@jockey/9-11-results-from-an-informal-steemit-survey-does-steemit-believe-the-us-government-was-involved).  The post generated: 
- $439.46
- 780 votes
- 357 comments
- 3,530 views

![Screen Shot 2017-10-28 at 16.02.46.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVnXsk85GbMa1HP7kHpGKXgfUtLfAFieqsvSuSmGKHpL7/Screen%20Shot%202017-10-28%20at%2016.02.46.png)

The original post was called [9/11 Do You Believe The US Government Was Involved? - An Informal Steemit Survey](https://steemit.com/conspiracy/@jockey/9-11-do-you-believe-the-us-government-was-involved-an-informal-steemit-survey).  The post generated: 
- $116.95
- 137 votes
- 158 comments
- 466 views

![Screen Shot 2017-10-28 at 16.03.30.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmcGNGsPp9ErNcmYmcAZDcP3xwnkiVSrXjXDKxfzcYtuRh/Screen%20Shot%202017-10-28%20at%2016.03.30.png)

![Screen Shot 2017-10-28 at 16.43.09.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmWjdUif6KvqTxYxTt1nSFWV14GfKFRr6KfnggQhyJ5SDq/Screen%20Shot%202017-10-28%20at%2016.43.09.png)

## Trending, Trending, Trending!
The results to the survey trended extremely well and stayed at the top of all it's tags during most of the week.  These were   significant tags too like: "life", "blog", "conspiracy" and "steemit".  As you can see from the screen capture below the two 9/11 posts were ranked number one and two in the conspiracy trending feed.

![Screen Shot 2017-08-20 at 5.01.06.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmafRGXbUfp9AZr2XDz8dHoTVZVgfzkzPzC8b6o8sZexoN/Screen%20Shot%202017-08-20%20at%205.01.06.png)

During this period I gained almost 500 followers!  A lot of that I feel had to do with responding well to the comments made in the post.

However the issue still remains: how do you get your posts to trend?  Apart from the usual post promotion it is clear that getting your post to trend hard requires the support of your community.  Unless I know people already I don't feel comfortable with asking people directly for help.  

In the case of my high earning 9/11 results to the survey post the community got behind it without me asking for them.  A few big votes came in at the beginning and the post moved directly into the trending feed and continued to rise.  

There is an element of Zeitgeist involved in these situations.  You may just catch the Steemian opinion of the moment and be swept along with it.  The other element is having a good social network.  Both of these concepts are a little ambiguous but in combination can create high earning posts.

In the end it comes down to a little luck, some hard work and being very friendly!  Keep that attitude and you should do well on Steemit!  😃

![Screen Shot 2017-10-28 at 16.48.38.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmTuPfPSkTaVNoAA5FZRDBaXb41E42tgaHwu88N5ohiHwE/Screen%20Shot%202017-10-28%20at%2016.48.38.png)

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Image source [1](http://dannykennedyfitness.com/success-leaves-clues/), [2](http://www.danpontefract.com/employee-access-to-social-media-in-the-workplace-decreases/), [3](http://empowermentandpurpose.com/why-having-a-coach-is-vital-to-success/), [4](http://www.steemit.com/@jockey), [5](http://www.steemit.com/@jockey), [6](http://scion-social.com/blog/navigating-trending-content-tricks-trade/), [7](http://www.steemit.com/@jockey), [8](http://www.atlanticbusinessmagazine.net/article/winning-together-4/).

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*Jockey loves you All - keep trending!*  😉

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![21443250_1519260948137902_1665540863_n.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmbd3R1zuL658AvQbp17murt7KwEYrLnTYYfEtkLrrAZJj/21443250_1519260948137902_1665540863_n.jpg)