As a new node, you will have to connect first to nodes that already have a good reputation.
Here is my personal criteria if my node is new:
- I do not look to connect straight to BOS nodes. I think that BOS score is flawed and is not transparent at all
- I connect to those nodes that have already at least 20-30 channels open. That offers me a better route for my own payments first.
- I connect to those nodes that are using decent fee policies. I never connect to nodes that are using exorbitant fees and are in this game only for personal gainz. Fuck that shit.
- I connect to nodes that I previously watch for a while, and see their time being offline, how they change their fees, what channels they open/close, their participation in other groups etc
- I connect to those services that I use to pay with LN. By opening a channel towards them and then you start making payments for their products/services, you skip all the routing through others and fees. You help them having inbound and you help you by having a direct channel with them.
This is a slow process, that is not done in 1 week, you will need a lot of patience and study also using tools like LN explorers, insights, simulators etc.
Here some resources
Once you have 10-15 channels open, then you can expand your networking participating in Rings of Fire and https://LightningNetwork.plus rings. There you can join to new rings that connect many nodes with many different policies. Also you can help noobs like you were, offering them their new conenctions to start.