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Reddit just turned a profit for the first time. As part of its third-quarter earnings results released on Tuesday, the company reported a profit of $29.9 million, along with $348.4 million in revenue — a 68 percent increase year over year. The company hasn’t been profitable at any point in its nearly 20-year history. Since going public, Reddit lost $575 million during its first quarter on the market, but it decreased that loss to $10 million last quarter, and is now finally in the green. Reddit also grew to 97.2 million daily users over the past few months, marking a 47 percent increase from the same time last year. That number exceeded 100 million users on some days during the quarter, Reddit says. Reddit’s advertising revenue grew to $315.1 million, while “other” revenue reached $33.2 million on account of “data licensing agreements signed earlier this year.” Both Google and OpenAI have cut deals with Reddit to train their AI models on its posts. In a letter to shareholders, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman attributed the recent increase in users to the platform’s AI-powered translation feature. Reddit started letting users translate posts into French last year before expanding it to Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and German. Now Huffman says Reddit plans to expand translation to over 30 countries through 2025. Reddit’s influence continues to grow across the broader internet,” Huffman wrote. “In 2024 so far, ‘Reddit’ was the sixth most Googled word in the U.S., underscoring that when people are looking for answers, advice, or community, they’re turning to Reddit.” The platform is also working to make its search feature “easier and more intuitive.” Since going public earlier this year, Reddit has made a number of changes to generate more revenue, including inking advertising deals with professional sports leagues, upgrading its “ask me anything” posts, and cracking down on web crawlers attempting to scrape its content. Huffman has even weighed the idea of letting users create paid subreddits and even moved to prevent sitewide protests. Source: https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/29/24283056/reddit-earnings-user-growth-revenue-up

Have you thought about sending out a mass email to your members? This could possibly help bring them back if you haven’t done so.

Forums are appearing in search engines and have been for quite some time. However, there are forums that struggle with visibility because they aren’t building enough links to their content. Also, forums that answer user’s questions and go in depth are the way to go. This is one of the main reasons why Reddit and Quora have been so successful on the search engines lately. Google recently added a “Forums” tab to their search engine, which should help boost forums’ visibility over the next few months. They’re also linking forums in product-related answers. Forums may appear more frequently in AI overviews, especially for Q&A topics. For example, if you search “what’s a webmaster forum,” you’ll see relevant forum topics on the first page.

Selecting a domain name is one of the most significant steps in shaping an online presence. While search engine optimization (SEO) often comes to mind, the focus should be on creating a domain that aligns seamlessly with your brand and your overarching business goals. In essence, the domain name should resonate with your audience, reflect what your business stands for, and establish your credibility not only with users but also with search engines. Psychologically, a domain name is more than a technical decision; it is about establishing identity and trust. It acts as a subtle handshake—one that welcomes users and encourages them to stay and engage. This article explores key strategies to guide your domain name selection, from branding considerations and TLD (Top-Level Domain) choices to avoiding common pitfalls. [ATTACH type=full" size="1024x1024]281[/ATTACH] Choosing a New Domain Name Selecting a new domain name demands both strategy and creativity. It’s a nuanced process where a deeper understanding of human behavior and online interactions can influence your decisions for the better. Initial Indexing and TLD Selection: Top-Level Domains (TLDs) such as .edu, .gov, or .org carry inherent trust and authority due to their restricted nature. Because these TLDs are closely controlled, they often enjoy an initial perception of credibility, which makes it easier to establish authority and attract quality backlinks. However, while TLDs play a psychological role in establishing trust, they are not the be-all and end-all. If you are targeting a local market, using the country’s TLD can reinforce authenticity and relevance. For example, local businesses outside the U.S. should consider adopting their country’s TLD, such as [iCODE].ca[/iCODE] for Canada, to establish local trustworthiness. The psychology behind this is simple: familiarity breeds trust. Users feel more comfortable and assured when the domain reflects their geographic location or cultural context. Avoid Hyphens and Keyword Stuffing The temptation to include a keyword in your domain name is natural, but overdoing it can have the opposite effect. Domains crammed with multiple keywords, especially those separated by hyphens, can come off as manipulative or spammy. Such names are hard to remember and undermine trust, leading users to perceive the website as less reliable. Moreover, having a domain filled with keywords sends the wrong psychological signals—telling your audience and search engines that you are trying too hard to optimize. Instead, focus on building a brand closely associated with your products, services, or core message. A well-branded domain is far more likely to become memorable and authoritative over time, aligning with modern SEO's emphasis on quality content and user experience. The “Say and Type” Test One of the most critical psychological aspects of choosing a domain name is its memorability. The “say and type” test is an effective measure to evaluate how naturally your domain rolls off the tongue and into a user’s search bar. In practice, this involves gauging how easily random people can spell your domain after hearing it spoken aloud in conversation. If the domain name fails this test, it risks causing confusion, leading to lost traffic and missed opportunities. Human memory plays an influential role in SEO—when a domain name is simple to remember and spell, users are far more likely to return and recommend it to others. This ease of recall is vital for establishing trust and building a brand that sticks in your audience’s mind. Avoid Excessive Branding It’s crucial to be wary of excessively clever branding attempts that rely on unconventional TLDs or fleeting trends. Although creative TLDs might seem like a unique approach to stand out, there’s a psychological risk in committing to something that users are not yet comfortable with. For example, while .com remains the gold standard due to its familiarity, newer and trendier TLDs may not carry the same credibility and could require extra effort to market. By aligning your domain with established norms, you mitigate the subconscious skepticism users often have toward unfamiliar URLs. Balancing creativity with familiarity allows you to maintain both innovation and trustworthiness, two pillars of successful online branding. [ATTACH type=full" size="1024x1024]282[/ATTACH] "Do Your Homework!") Evaluating an Existing Domain Acquiring an existing domain can offer substantial advantages in terms of SEO, but it also comes with its own set of psychological and technical challenges. Understanding how search engines and users view the domain’s past can be a decisive factor in achieving success. Checking the Domain’s History Before committing to an established domain, investigate its past thoroughly. Use tools like the Wayback Machine to review its previous iterations and ensure that the domain aligns with your current intentions. If the domain’s history conflicts with your goals, or if it was previously associated with spammy practices, that baggage could persist in the form of negative associations. From a psychological perspective, a domain’s past is like its reputation—a history of credibility or controversy can follow it, influencing user perceptions and trust. A domain previously penalized or involved in suspicious activities can impact your brand’s perceived integrity, regardless of current efforts. Backlink Quality Another key aspect to consider when purchasing an existing domain is the quality of its backlinks. A domain with a robust backlink profile may present an opportunity to leverage its existing authority, but not all backlinks are created equal. Evaluate whether the backlinks are from reputable and relevant sources, and consider the context in which the links were placed. Psychologically, backlinks function as endorsements. High-quality links indicate to both search engines and users that your site is valued and respected within its niche. However, if these links come from irrelevant or disreputable sites, it sends a conflicting message that can undermine trust in your content. Deciding Whether to Merge or Stand Alone Acquiring a domain often leads to the question of whether to merge it with an existing brand or keep it as a stand-alone entity. This decision is crucial and should be guided by both SEO strategy and psychological considerations. Keeping a domain separate may preserve its dedicated following and appeal to an audience that has specific emotional attachments to the previous brand. A brand merger, on the other hand, must be approached delicately. Communicating transparently and engaging with the old audience helps maintain their trust and loyalty, minimizing the risk of alienation during the transition. [ATTACH type=full" size="1024x1024]283[/ATTACH] Nurture Your Brand The Psychology Behind Domain Choices At its core, choosing an SEO-friendly domain name is about more than optimizing for search engines. It is about understanding and leveraging the psychological cues that drive user behavior. A good domain instills confidence, evokes familiarity, and aligns with the user’s expectations and values. Ultimately, the goal is not just to rank higher but to build a brand and an online presence that naturally attracts engagement. When these psychological principles are aligned with technical best practices, SEO becomes less of a burden and more of a natural byproduct of having a respected, trusted brand. By considering the psychology behind domain choices, businesses can create a lasting digital presence that not only captures attention but sustains it through trust and authenticity.

What toppings do you think don’t belong on a pizza at all? Personally, I’d say anchovies don’t belong on a pizza.

This video discusses how the 80/20 principle (Pareto principle) applies to community building, suggesting that 80% of community engagement or value often comes from 20% of the members. It emphasizes the importance of identifying and nurturing this core group of active participants to foster growth and sustainability. Practical strategies are mentioned for retaining these key contributors and scaling the community efficiently. The video outlines several strategies for community building using the 80/20 principle. Key approaches include: 1. Identifying and engaging the most active 20% of users to drive momentum. 2. Providing incentives or recognition to retain top contributors. 3. Streamlining efforts by focusing on high-value activities rather than spreading resources thin. 4. Encouraging organic growth through word-of-mouth from core members. These strategies help build a sustainable, engaged community by leveraging the energy of the most invested participants. What are your thoughts on the 80/20 principle when it pertains to community building?

I just upgraded my forum as well.😉

Hey bro! Welcome to the community.

Meta Platforms (META.O), is working on an artificial intelligence-based search engine as it looks to reduce dependence on Alphabet's (GOOGL.O), opens new tab Google and Microsoft's (MSFT.O), opens new tab Bing, the Information reported on Monday. The AI search engine segment is heating up with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, Google and Microsoft all vying for dominance in the rapidly evolving market. Meta's web crawler will provide conversational answers to users about current events on Meta AI, the company's chatbot on WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, according to the report, which cited a person involved with the strategy. The Facebook-owner currently relies on Google and Bing search engines to give users answers on news, stocks and sports. Meta did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Google is aggressively integrating its latest and most powerful AI model, Gemini, into core products like Search, aiming to deliver more conversational and intuitive search experiences. OpenAI relies on its largest investor, Microsoft, for web access to answer topical queries, using its Bing search engine. Scraping web data to train AI models and search engines, however, has raised concerns about copyright infringement and fair compensation for content creators. Meta said last week its AI chatbot will use Reuters content to answer user questions in real time about news and current events. Source: https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/meta-develops-own-ai-search-engine-cut-reliance-google-bing-information-reports-2024-10-28/

Microsoft is actually an investor in OpenAi, so their funds are helping them in some type of way.😏 https://finance.yahoo.com/news/microsoft-openai-clash-over-14-203024138.html Microsoft and OpenAI are locked in a high-stakes financial and governance tug-of-war and everyone in the tech world is holding their breath. With Microsoft having invested nearly $14 billion in OpenAI since 2019, the question is how much of a piece of the pie Microsoft will get as OpenAI shifts gears from a nonprofit to a for-profit model. Also, this article has covers another aspects of their partnership where Chatgpt is being expanded to Window. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/openai-expands-chatgpt-windows-microsoft-211004026.html OpenAI recently published early beta versions of its ChatGPT desktop program for Windows, the company stated on Thursday via a post on X. With improved access to OpenAI's AI platform, the app is available to Plus, Enterprise, Team, and Edu customers. It's important to note that Microsoft has been a massive beneficiary of OpenAI's surge, positioning it as one of the bellwethers in the AI space. With the partnership continuing to move from strength to strength, MSFT stock will continue experiencing healthy upward momentum ahead

That’s a fact!😏

Hey Daphne, welcome to the community!

I chose my niche because it’s my passion, and I love playing the games my community specializes in. I’ve been involved in this niche for over 20 years, so I don’t see myself ever leaving the industry.

ChatGPT is growing rapidly and has surpassed Bing’s traffic. I wouldn’t be surprised when SearchGPT is fully integrated with ChatGPT soon, it’ll lead to even more traffic growth.

The social media landscape is evolving. Influencers, once celebrated for their polished lifestyles and product recommendations, are gradually being overshadowed by a new wave of authentic, impactful community leaders. These leaders are fostering genuine connections, creating safe spaces, and prioritizing collective growth over personal branding. What’s Driving This Shift? • Authenticity Over Perfection: Audiences are becoming weary of perfectly curated images and non-stop product endorsements. People crave real, unfiltered interactions. Community leaders meet this demand by being transparent, relatable, and genuinely engaged with their audience. They show up as their true selves, fostering trust and building meaningful relationships. • Value-Driven Engagement: Instead of promoting products, community leaders focus on creating supportive environments. They cultivate spaces where individuals feel heard, understood, and empowered. Whether through niche forums or local gatherings, their goal is to uplift others, not just showcase a glamorous lifestyle. • The Rise of Grassroots Movements: Community builders organize spaces that encourage active participation. They bring people together through online communities, group chats, and meetups, forming bonds that go beyond the digital world. These spaces foster real connections, where shared interests and values create a sense of belonging. Impacting Social Spaces in Meaningful Ways • Encouraging Personal Growth: Community leaders aren’t about showing off but about inspiring and supporting personal and collective development. They offer environments where people feel safe to grow, share ideas, and learn from one another. • Creating Conversations with Purpose: These leaders prioritize meaningful discussions over vanity metrics like likes and follows. They tackle real-world issues, spark engaging conversations, and encourage others to take action, fostering communities built on substance rather than surface-level appeal. • Redefining Influence: Influence is no longer about follower counts but the impact one has on their community. As people shift from passive consumers to active participants, they seek leaders who empower them to contribute meaningfully. This marks a turning point where authentic community-building trumps performative influence. A New Era of Social Leadership The rise of community leaders signals a transformation in what it means to have influence. People are moving away from simply observing influencers’ lives and are instead gravitating toward spaces where they can actively engage, connect, and grow. This new model of leadership prioritizes authenticity, mutual support, and real connections, marking the beginning of a more meaningful social media experience. Community leadership isn’t just a trend—it’s a fundamental shift that empowers people to come together, make an impact, and change the way we engage online.

https://www.gsqi.com/marketing-blog/a-nightmare-on-affiliate-street/ Well, that’s pretty much what I’m seeing right now in the SERPs with larger-scale sites that are violating Google’s ‘Site reputation abuse’ spam policy. Their affiliate sections are getting obliterated one by one. And what’s super interesting is that it looks algorithmic and not via manual actions. For example, a few weeks ago I reported that Forbes got hit hard. It ends up their advisor directory which holds a ton of affiliate content dropped heavily on September 25th. You can see the drop below. It’s not pretty. And from what I’m seeing and hearing, it’s algorithmic and NOT a manual action. Forbes Advisor: But here’s the deal. Forbes wasn’t alone. I have a large list of sites violating Google’s ‘Site reputation abuse’ policy and noticed some weird things with the August 2024 broad core update. I covered that in my “Core Update Notes” and then in my video podcast “SEO From The Front Lines“. And as part of checking those situations out, I noticed some large drops BEFORE the August core update. For example, both APNews Buyline and Time Stamped dropped heavily on July 18th(and eerily on the same day). I don’t know if those were manual actions or algorithmic, but they were two more prominent sites with large affiliate sections dropping heavily. Also, Time Stamped first dropped heavily during the March 2024 core update and then more when APNews Buyline dropped in July. You can see the drops by directory below. APNews Buyline: Time Stamped: And as the slasher movie progresses, more cast members are going down. For example, I shared the other day that Fortune Recommends dropped heavily on October 11th. As of yesterday, there has been a 67% drop in search visibility for that directory. Yep, a huge drop.

Welcome to the community! [mention=83]Bluezone777[/mention] It’s great to see you here.😏

Bluesky has officially surpassed 13 million users, with the AT Protocol developer ecosystem continuing to expand. We’ve also introduced several highly anticipated features, such as direct messaging and video support. Today, we’re thrilled to announce a $15 million Series A funding round, led by Blockchain Capital, with contributions from Alumni Ventures, True Ventures, SevenX, Amir Shevat (Darkmode), Kubernetes co-creator Joe Beda, and more. Our lead investor, Blockchain Capital, aligns with our core belief that technology should serve people—not the other way around. They bring deep expertise in decentralized systems and a proven track record of building developer communities, making them an ideal partner as we strengthen the ATmosphere (the AT Protocol’s developer ecosystem). It’s important to note that Bluesky and the AT Protocol remain blockchain- and cryptocurrency-free, with no plans to incorporate token systems, crypto trading, or NFTs. We are committed to building a social experience that focuses on users, not financialization. As part of this collaboration, Kinjal Shah from Blockchain Capital will join our board, further supporting our mission to create a user-empowered social media ecosystem. This new funding will allow us to continue growing Bluesky’s community, enhance Trust and Safety measures, and provide more support for developers in the ATmosphere ecosystem. We’ll also introduce optional subscriptions for premium features like high-quality video uploads and profile customization (e.g., avatar frames or color themes). However, Bluesky will remain free to use, as we believe open access to information and conversation should be a right, not a privilege. Paid tiers won’t affect algorithmic ranking or visibility—users will not gain artificial influence just because they subscribe. We are also committed to empowering creators across our platform. From artists to developers, we want to create voluntary monetization opportunities. This will include building payment systems to help users support their favorite creators and projects, with more details to come soon. The AT Protocol opens the door for a thriving ecosystem of independent applications. Developers have already started building unique apps beyond Bluesky. Some examples include Smoke Signal (an event-planning app), Frontpage (a web forum), and Bluecast (an audio app with licensed karaoke!). We believe that monetization models like subscriptions, domain registrations, and creator payments will further fuel the growth of these diverse platforms. With each passing month, the need for an open, user-first social network becomes more apparent. We’re not just building another social app—we’re building an entire network that prioritizes freedom and choice. Thank you for being part of this journey. What We’ve Achieved Since Our Last Fundraise Since our seed round last year, we’ve made significant strides: • User Growth: Expanded from an invite-only platform to an open network serving over 13 million users worldwide, including from the U.S., Brazil, Japan, the U.K., and Germany. • Federation Launch: Enabled federation for self-hosters and developers, with over 1,000 personal data servers (PDS) now active beyond Bluesky. • Custom Feeds: Rolled out custom feeds, giving users the power to choose their algorithms—now with over 50,000 feeds available. • Trust and Safety: Invested heavily in anti-harassment tools, labeling services, and open-sourced Ozone, our moderation tool. • New Features: Delivered community-requested features like direct messaging, video uploads, GIFs, and innovative starter packs to help communities connect privately. • Strategic Partnerships: Partnered with organizations like Buffer to integrate Bluesky and with Namecheap to offer domain sales. • Developer Support: Launched $20k in developer grants and expanded developer resources with new documentation, talks, and partnerships. • New Additions: Introduced a new logo, a public web interface, and more! A New Era of Social Media Traditional social platforms have closed off the digital commons, locked down APIs, and implemented secretive algorithms that leave users in the dark. Bluesky is leading the way into a new era—one where power and choice are returned to users. The future of social media is open, decentralized, and built for the people who use it. We’re excited to continue this journey with you. Source; https://bsky.social/about/blog/10-24-2024-series-a

I’m doing good. You’re welcome! I’m Looking forward to the cooler weather. We had a minor cold front last week, but it didn’t last that long.

Reddit CEO, Steve Huffman says that it’s platform’s content is among the world’s best training data for artificial intelligence — and an increasingly valuable commodity as the company intends to find its place in the AI “arms race.” Reddit which become public in March has quickly become a major force in the world of AI. Why? Because its website is like a giant, ever-growing dictionary of everyday language on pretty much any topic you can imagine. According to Huffman, this makes it an incredibly useful tool for teaching AI systems to understand and communicate more like humans. Reddit has a massive index of user-generated content and that public content has already played a significant role in the creation of popular AI models, Huffman said, prompting the company to figure out its place in the AI ecosystem. “We think generally the internet is better when it’s open and interconnected,” Huffman said. “But we also need to make sure we aren’t just giving away the value of Reddit to the largest companies in the world for free.” Reddit’s heritage is one of internet openness, Huffman said. But the company needs to find a way to maintain its values on terms that are still sustainable for the platform, he said. Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/reddit-ceo-platform-arms-race-ai-training-steve-huffman-2024-10

How many threads do you make daily to keep your community active? I generally make about 2-4 threads on a daily basis. I usually spread threads out amongst all my forum categories to boast activity throughout my forum. What strategies do you use to come up with new topics? I use social media to come up with new ideas if I’m lacking inspiration. I also use Google trends along with Youtube. Do you think focusing on quantity or quality has a bigger impact on engagement? I focus on quality. Would you consider using fake accounts to create threads ? No, I’m not a fan of this tactic. I’d rather use my own account to post new content.

Running a successful forum takes more than just launching it; it requires consistent effort to keep users engaged. However, certain pitfalls can drive a forum into decline surprisingly fast. These three things can the biggest forum killers and how they can be avoided: 1. Neglect and Lack of Activity When admins or moderators become inactive, the community often follows. Without new discussions, users lose interest, and posts become stale. Over time, even the most loyal members stop visiting. A quiet forum can feel like a ghost town, making it less likely for newcomers to join or participate. How often should moderators or admins post to keep things active? 1:Can automated posts (like news feeds or bot-generated content) help maintain momentum, or do they make a forum feel artificial? 2. Toxicity and Poor Moderation Unchecked toxic behavior can quickly alienate members. Arguments, personal attacks, and spam drive people away, especially if moderators don’t step in. A forum needs clear guidelines and active moderation to ensure conversations stay respectful and productive. What’s the right balance between moderation and freedom of speech? How can forums prevent toxicity without driving away users who thrive on passionate debates? Overcomplicated User Experience: Forums with a clunky interface, confusing navigation, or too many rules can frustrate users. If people struggle to find relevant threads or don’t know how to post properly, they’re less likely to stick around. Similarly, forums that demand excessive sign-up steps can deter potential new members. What features make a forum easy to use and inviting? How important is mobile compatibility for today’s forums? What strategies have you found helpful in keeping your forum alive and growing?

Hey [mention=82]Wise Owl[/mention] welcome to the community!

There’s a court filing from Automatic(Wordpress) for a moved up timeline on WpEngine. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.437474/gov.uscourts.cand.437474.33.0.pdf Basically, thanks to a reddit user for the run on new court filing (https://www.reddit.com/r/Wordpress/s/r2HfKvRwZk)

Since 2006-2007 for me. I was a teenager (15-16) when I was started.