I totally understand what you are saying, there are ways to grow an audience, but you have to revert to tactics which are not ment for me, i try to keep it real. Personally i have not posted much in months because even if i put in hard work, heart and soul, the engament was as much (or less) when i just posted a picture.

The platform lacks some things that other social media does have, (like a decent interface which updates, real social interactment, easy ways to reach out of your bubble etc etc) and (just like in a ponzi) the ones who came first, have the best reach ... and when you are not with the ‘incrowd’ it is hard to get any reach. Or you have to pay, but just like with the facebook, twitter paying for likes shares etc ... it is killing the soul of the platform .... and because of that I believe that steem is slowly cannibalizing itself, and that is a pity, because there was (and still is) a lot of potential. Especially because on regular social media, people are in desperate need and ‘crying’ for change and less regulation