It's still much easier to rank from newbie to jr member compared to other ranks, the difference gets huge with every rank progress.
You become more respected & integrate into the community as you increase your rank though which may help you to gain Merit. Rightly or wrongly, you’re more likely to gain Merit for a
good but not
great post if people know you & what you’re about.
Being on here for a couple of years will also enable you to know what topics to post about & which areas of the forum you’re more likely to receive Merit.
There’s no science to it, just try to be a helpful member of the community & make good posts. You’ll climb up the ladder of ranks in no time