When Hive's Value Resonates With People they simply Join

My experience with Hive Ghana even before I finally decided to come on board has been amazing so far, I have witnessed a borehole launch and a fully funded community outreach program for which I marveled at the goodness and the smiles Hive is spreading on the face of the indigenous Ghanaian. I couldn't help but want to know more and do more for others. @ephyuavee

The above words are from Dr. Ivy Donkor, who recently joined Hive. She has been a valuable member of the Hive Ghana medical team and has played a crucial role in our health outreaches. After reading about her introductory post, I felt inspired to share a few thoughts on onboarding.

Onboarding is one of the crucial activities that we often talk about, and the majority of us have tried to work it out. While it remains a challenging task, I believe that, regardless of the challenges it poses, it must be an ongoing effort. The reason is that we often emphasize increasing the Hive user base, and to achieve that, people would certainly need an invitation to explore what has been built on Hive. After all, there wouldn't be any use of innovation if it remains concealed.

Right from the time I joined Hive (then Steemit), I have been actively involved in promotions, all of which helped bring lots of individuals to use it. I still do it, and even though it remains one of the difficult tasks, I continue whenever I get the chance. My motivation and drive have always centered around community building. A community is definitely a group of people that shares common interests, goals, and collaborates on projects that lead to their collective benefits. This is where I see how Hive communities remain beneficial to everyone who participates.

Within the Hive ecosystem, we exist in mutual interdependence, and it's through interconnectedness that all these developments have come to fruition. When we discuss Hive as a community, we are definitely referring to people, not just innovation. Building and growing a vibrant community are closely tied to individuals who actively participate. It becomes evident that innovation, growth, and collaboration within Hive result from a diverse blend of individuals and communities working together harmoniously.

From my perspective, attracting more users is a crucial activity for community building. While some argue that Hive needs more than just users, regardless of what Hive might need more of, having a wide user base surely provides Hive with an edge in the tech space. As much as onboarding new users is important, several known reasons, ranging from marketing issues to complexities with blockchain, have often hindered the onboarding and user retention efforts.

Last year, our efforts successfully brought aboard several individuals, though we were expecting more to remain active, but only a few have remained actively engaged. This seems to be a common challenge across various communities on Hive. While I often reflect on how to address this issue effectively, one fundamental key remains: the key lies in helping individuals comprehend Hive's essence and its value proposition.

Although discussions about the Hive blockchain and ecosystem may appear complex, many people like me who initially were unfamiliar with blockchain concepts and technicalities have successfully navigated and found Hive intriguing. Therefore, I believe anyone who invests the time to learn can appreciate the value Hive offers and can explore its potential. The focus of onboarding shouldn't be about attracting everyone who expresses interest in signing up, but a focus on individuals willing to dedicate time to learn and understand Hive's unique features. This perspective has guided our marketing efforts: presenting Hive's value proposition effectively rather than just soliciting sign-ups.