Section 1.1: The Archeologist Approach

The first tactic revolves around revisiting older questions and providing the most relevant and up-to-date answers, even if there’s already an accepted response. For example, consider a question posed in 2010: "How to switch between hide and view password?" An answer was accepted just 8 minutes after it was asked. However, when the Android Support Library Team introduced this feature in 2016 (now part of AndroidX), I contributed a new answer detailing the simplest and most effective method to achieve this. To date, my response has garnered almost double the views of the original accepted one, accumulating 3.6k reputation points.

Rule: Seek out older questions and respond with the most accurate and current solutions.

Example:

Question: How to switch between hide and view password? Answer: Achieving this is straightforward since the Support Library v24.2.0. Simply add the design library to...

Section 1.2: Self-Answering Technique

I've noticed that many original posters (OP) often answer their own questions. This can be an effective strategy, especially when addressing issues related to new IDEs, tools, or APIs. If you resolve a common problem, this approach can significantly boost your reputation.

Rule: Solve an issue independently, pose a question, and then provide your own answer immediately.

Example:

Question: Could not find method leftShift() for arguments after updating studio 3.4 Response: Thanks for contributing an answer to Stack Overflow! Be sure to detail your solution...

This method can yield upwards of 4.1k reputation points for the original poster.

Section 1.3: Quick Response Strategy

This tactic is straightforward: it's all about being quick to respond to questions that you can easily answer. The key is to be among the first to reply, allowing you time to refine your answer afterward.

Rule: Quickly answer simple and straightforward questions.

Example:

Question: Android White bar, how to create? Response: To make an Android text with a white bar, please clarify...

This answer can net you around 20 reputation points, often with minimal effort.

Section 1.4: The Bounty Hunter Method

This strategy is more demanding, as it often involves addressing specific issues tied to the OP’s project. Sometimes, you may need to replicate the problem by creating a sample project.

Nevertheless, if you successfully assist the original poster and they recognize your effort, you can earn all the bounty points available. Depending on the situation, these can range from 50 to 500 points.

Rule: Regularly check the bounty tab and strive to assist the question author.

Example:

Question: I have several tabs in HTML/JS, each with a form and a save button. When I click on save...

That wraps it up! I hope you find these strategies helpful. Contributing to the Stack Overflow community can significantly boost your reputation. Until next time!