For the minnows, I don't understand it myself, it is not like the days gone by when there were lots of people being down voted for making comments on post or for asking questions on post, I think those days are pretty much behind us. Finding content to enjoy has gotten a bit easier with the community system, so there could be a problem that new users, (and some old users), do not really understand the benefit of communities when it come to find things one likes.

For redfish it could be an issue with resource credits. You need about 30 HP to enjoy a full day of ten comments, 20 votes, and maybe a post.

Things are still pretty disorganized on Hive as it is on steem. When a person makes the plunge to join where do they go from there? Where are the user guides? Where is the how-to page, the FAQ page.

I know PeakD is trying to change some of this, but they are only one of the front ends, and even they have not gotten around to adding a FAQ or Welcome menu item on the drop down name menu. Yes they have the About menu item which does lead to a FAQ page, but it is the generic what is Hive FAQ's, not a link to the How to do it FAQ page they have been working on.

I think as time goes by, and things become more organized, and easier to use, that the numbers will turn around.