Rewards – First off, unfortunately you may not get many PvE benefits from playing sPvP. Most of the pvp rewards are new item skins or armor skins which are only useable in Heart of the Mists and pvp realm. If you want PvE rewards, look more at WvW achievements. The badges of honor you earn in WvW can actually be used to buy armor and gear from the WvW vendors, which can then be equiped in PvE. However all the sPvP rewards (skins) are stuck in the sPvP and tPvP realm. The one thing that will carry into the PvE world is the titles you earn in sPvP though.
For enjoyment, it depends on goals you want to achieve while playing sPvP. For example, I get the most out of sPvP when I maintain at least a 1:1 k/d ratio, have the chance to res teammates, and am able to defend and take points as part of a team (not just solo). So for me, it is important to play with others. I accomplish this by playing with my brothers (talk via Skype or Google hangout) and roam around the maps in a group of 2, or split up to accomplish separate tasks while communicating about how our progress is going (do we need backup, where do reinforcements need to be sent, etc). Hopefully in the future, I can find a small group of guildies who will join me in TS3 or ventrilo.
If I play by myself and I am on a team that does not support each other (no ressing, doesn’t stick together, won’t capture points or defend,) then I move on to WvW or dungeons instead and do something that I will enjoy. I play games to have fun, and getting face stomped by 4v1s continually doesn’t accomplish my goals. I am not getting better as a player, I am not enjoying the moment, and I am not making any memories. I find when I play with a purpose (see below) I enjoy my time in sPvP much more.
If you just want to stomp others, go full berserker set, watch for solo players at low health and gank them. Roam, roam, roam. Pick your fights, fight when you have the advantage, use stealth whenever possible to break up the tempo of fights. Run away when you are outnumbered.
If you hate dying, go with a full bunker or defense build. Hold points and wait for backup. Aggravate, stun, disrupt, and res teammates.
If you want team play, try and find a guild or a small group that has a VOIP server (teamspeak 3, ventrilo, etc) and plays sPvP or WvW together. Your experience will be so much more enjoyable if you have people to coordinate attacks with and who can share the joy of wins or share the misery of loses.
If you just want casual play, then hop into sPvP and experiment with different builds. Make new characters, and throw them into the mists, and try them out as well. All the gear is free and re-skilling traits is free, so experiment frequently!
Managed to grind until R3 in tombs. Always liked it most, too bad it wasn’t a random arena.