Newly starting out. Any tips?

I was hesitant on whether or not to post this because I don't want to add clutter, I want to add value. Then I got to thinking that maybe there are more people on here looking for the same answers. So I guess this will be a unique post because the value will be more in the replies than the post itself. I have tried posting things I thought people may find valuable that I am knowledgeable about but they never get much traction. Should I comment on popular posts more to grow a following? Should I be going out following more and more people? Should I do more research on tags? I'm hoping to see some more experienced members weigh in and maybe walk me through what would be your first steps if you were starting all over. Thanks in advance for any and all advice and criticisms! Also, would you upvote your own post?