Everything posted by Cpvr
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Forums are not as popular as they once were.
Online communities gave rise to social media, and without them, I don’t think we’d have sites like Reddit. Is it safe to say that Reddit is just one massive forum? The community aspect of forums is what has allowed them to flourish over the years. Many people have grown to love forums and remain loyal to them over social media. While the rapid growth forums experienced in the past has slowed, their endurance and longevity remain strong. They may break or falter, but they always find a way to come back!
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Do you have any pets?
I have a dog. I’ve had her since she was a puppy.
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Forum package
I’d like to order a content package with 5 threads and 20 posts for 250 credits. https://www.virtualpetlist.com/ Thank you!
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Staff to Member Ratio: What's yours?
That’s a solid ratio. With three staff members, you have enough coverage. Every community is different—some can manage with just one or two moderators, while others may need more depending on the activity levels. It sounds like you’re in a good spot based on your current size.
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Community Chat Thread
Good morning. How’s it going?
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OpenAI to integrate SearchGPT into ChatGPT before 2024 ends
OpenAI’s SearchGPT, initially launched as a temporary prototype in July, is set to be integrated into ChatGPT by the end of this year. Varun Shetty, OpenAI’s head of media partnerships, shared this update during an event for news publishers on Monday, as reported by PressGazette. Regarding ad revenue, it appears that publishers will not receive any direct financial compensation for SearchGPT or ChatGPT; instead, they can anticipate “payment” in the form of increased clicks and traffic. Shetty emphasized that today’s search users are looking for direct answers rather than a mere list of links. During his remarks at the Twipe Digital Growth Summit in Brussels, Shetty made several key points: • “We see a significant opportunity to drive incremental traffic from new audiences, and we will assess if this traffic is valuable enough for our partners to remain engaged.” • “Our initial focus will be on driving traffic.” • “Our goal is to balance the user’s desire for timely information with the publishers’ need for proper attribution and traffic directed back to their sites.” • “We aim to maximize the information-rich experience while also creating pathways for users to click through.” • “We believe users are inclined to explore further—whether to verify what they see, satisfy their curiosity, or deepen their understanding of the content they encounter.” When it comes to AI-generated news, Shetty pointed out that there’s little interest among readers. However, he noted that generative AI can assist journalists and content creators in refining their writing, making it more accessible to various audiences, translating content, or converting text into audio or video formats. He stated, “While no one wants to read AI-generated news, we can enhance journalists’ ability to recommend stories, locate suitable images within content management systems, and create contextual sidebars.” Why does this matter? Despite having approximately 10,000 users in the U.S., SearchGPT has been driving more traffic for many large brands compared to Perplexity, according to the enterprise SEO platform BrightEdge. However, any ad revenue generated for news publishers is likely to be minimal—essentially pennies on the dollar. While ChatGPT may not pose an immediate threat to Google’s search dominance, it does have a real opportunity to carve out a space in the search market. Given ChatGPT’s substantial user base, generative engine optimization (GEO) will become increasingly important in any SEO strategy. In summary, OpenAI executives have ruled out sharing revenue from SearchGPT with publishers, at least for the time being. Source: https://searchengineland.com/openai-searchgpt-chatgpt-integration-447379 As webmasters we may start seeing more traffic from OpenAi/ChatGPT in the upcoming months.
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Only 39 days until Christmas
I’m ready for some Turkey and ham!😉
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Semrush acquires Search Engine Land
October 16, 2024 – Semrush (NYSE: SEMR), a leading SaaS platform for online visibility management, has acquired Third Door Media, a well-known marketing education company and publisher specializing in search and marketing technology. This acquisition aims to enhance the resources, content, and insights available to marketers, while Third Door Media’s renowned brands—Search Engine Land, MarTech, Search Marketing Expo (SMX), and Digital Marketing Depot—will continue to operate independently. Founded in 2006, Third Door Media has long been a trusted source for digital marketing trends and search engine strategies. The acquisition represents a major step forward for both companies, uniting two leaders in the digital marketing and SEO industries. Marketers will benefit from expanded access to educational content and strategic insights designed to drive business growth. By integrating Third Door Media’s expertise with Semrush’s platform, the partnership promises to deliver new value and innovation for marketing professionals and brands alike. “The addition of Third Door Media’s platforms strengthens both our content offerings and educational programs,” said Andrew Warden, Chief Marketing Officer at Semrush. “This partnership aligns with our mission to empower current and future digital marketers, helping them thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape.” With this acquisition, Semrush customers will gain access to cutting-edge marketing tools and premium training from industry experts. Third Door Media has been a go-to resource for marketers seeking timely insights into technical marketing strategies, and now, its reach and impact will grow even further under the Semrush umbrella. Chris Elwell, founder of Third Door Media, expressed his excitement about the new collaboration: “Like Third Door Media, Semrush is committed to empowering marketers and businesses to succeed. This partnership is the perfect fit, and together, we aim to elevate digital marketing education and content to new heights.” This acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for both companies, combining their strengths to offer unparalleled value to marketers and continue shaping the future of the industry. Source: https://searchengineland.com/semrush-acquires-search-engine-land-447555
- Community Chat Thread
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Google to buy nuclear power for AI datacentres in ‘world first’ deal
In a landmark agreement, Google has committed to purchasing energy from a series of mini nuclear reactors to meet the growing power demands of artificial intelligence technologies. The tech giant has secured six to seven small modular reactors (SMRs) from Kairos Power, a California-based company. The first reactor is slated for completion in 2030, with the remaining units expected to be operational by 2035. Google aims to leverage nuclear energy as a sustainable, low-carbon solution for powering its datacentres, which consume vast amounts of electricity. The company, a subsidiary of Alphabet, emphasized that nuclear energy provides “a clean, reliable, round-the-clock power source” essential for meeting rising electricity needs. The surge in AI-driven innovations, alongside increasing cloud storage demands, has dramatically raised energy consumption within the tech industry. Following similar trends, Microsoft recently secured power from the Three Mile Island plant, reactivating the site for the first time in five years. Earlier this year, Amazon also acquired a nuclear-powered datacentre from Talen Energy. Though the locations of the planned reactors and the financial terms remain undisclosed, Google has committed to purchasing 500 megawatts of power from Kairos Power. Founded in 2016, Kairos is currently developing a demonstration reactor in Tennessee, projected to be completed by 2027. Michael Terrell, Google’s senior director for energy and climate, remarked: “The grid requires new energy sources to support AI advancements driving scientific breakthroughs, enhancing business services, and boosting national competitiveness. This agreement accelerates the deployment of innovative energy technologies to meet these needs sustainably while unlocking AI’s full potential for society.” Source: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/oct/15/google-buy-nuclear-power-ai-datacentres-kairos-power
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How much longer can Facebook stay relevant?
They also got caught sharing messages with Netflix. “By 2013, Netflix had begun entering into a series of “Facebook Extended API” agreements, including a so-called “Inbox API” agreement that allowed Netflix programmatic access to Facebook’s users' private message inboxes, in exchange for which Netflix would “provide to FB a written report every two weeks that shows daily counts of recommendation sends and recipient clicks by interface, initiation surface, and/or implementation variant (e.g., Facebook vs. non-Facebook recommendation recipients). ... In August 2013, Facebook provided Netflix with access to its so-called “Titan API,” a private API that allowed a whitelisted partner to access, among other things, Facebook users' “messaging app and non-app friends." https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/03/netflix-ad-spend-led-to-facebook-dm-access-end-of-facebook-streaming-biz-lawsuit/
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Only 39 days until Christmas
This year sure has flown by. I’ll be turning 35 next month.
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AI SEO: How to be visible in Google AI Overviews, chatbots, LLMs
According to a February 2024 forecast by Gartner, search engine usage is expected to decline by 25% by 2026, with AI chatbots and virtual assistants taking over a significant portion of the search volume. “Generative AI (GenAI) is becoming a substitute for traditional search engines, providing direct answers instead of search results,” explained Alan Antin, Vice President Analyst at Gartner. “Businesses must rethink their marketing strategies as GenAI becomes more integrated into daily operations.” With search trends shifting, SEO is evolving once again. While Google still processes around 8.5 billion searches daily, businesses must now balance between ranking well on Google and optimizing for AI-driven search. Here’s how you can stay ahead. 4 Ways to Succeed in AI-Powered Search Google Search Central advises that no new strategies are necessary to appear in AI-generated overviews. A recent study by Rich Sanger and Authoritas found that strong traditional search rankings correlate closely with AI-driven search results. Maintaining high SERP rankings will likely ensure visibility in AI-powered queries as well. 1. Maintain Strong SERP Rankings According to the study, pages that rank first on the SERP have a 53% chance of being included in Google’s AI-generated overviews, while those in the tenth position have only a 36.9% chance. The takeaway: Ranking high on the SERPs is essential to being featured in AI-driven results. To continue ranking well: • Create High-Quality Content: Focus on “people-first” content that provides value. Use multimedia elements like images and videos to engage users and increase time on site. • Earn Backlinks: High-quality content attracts backlinks, which improve your authority and ranking. • Optimize Technical SEO: Ensure your site is easily crawlable, mobile-friendly, and fast-loading. Use schema markup to help search engines understand your content better. 2. Target Informational Keywords AI overviews favor informational queries over transactional ones. For example, an article optimized for “how to grow white strawberries” is more likely to appear in AI-generated results than one targeting “white strawberries for sale.” Focusing on top-of-funnel keywords can increase your chances of being featured. 3. Use Long-Tail Keywords and Specific Queries AI aims to simplify search by providing detailed answers, so content targeting long-tail keywords tends to perform better. Rather than using a generic keyword like “black shoes,” opt for more detailed phrases like “how to choose black shoes for men.” 4. Align Content with Search Intent AI-generated results aim to meet user needs quickly. Ensure your content matches search intent to improve your chances of being included in AI results. For example, targeting the keyword “list of superfoods” with relevant content increases the likelihood of being featured. The Pros and Cons of AI-Powered Search Some SEOs question whether being featured in AI results is beneficial. Concerns include: • Reduced Click-Through Rates: AI answers may eliminate the need for users to click through to your website. • Content Borrowing: AI tools often rephrase and use content without directing traffic to the original source. While AI-powered search might reduce site traffic by 20% to 50%, especially for informational content, it’s crucial to embrace these changes. Google is unlikely to abandon AI-driven features, and being included in AI results offers visibility in an evolving search landscape. The Future of Search: Traditional SEO Still Matters Despite the rise of AI, traditional search engines remain dominant. Google processes 8.5 billion searches per day, compared to ChatGPT’s 14 million daily searches. Optimizing for conventional search remains essential, but businesses should also be prepared to adapt to AI’s growing influence. By continuing to focus on quality content, technical SEO, and search intent alignment, you can succeed in both traditional and AI-powered search. As the landscape shifts, staying proactive will ensure your strategy keeps pace with the future of search. Source: https://searchengineland.com/ai-search-visibility-guide-446740
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Wordpress VS WP Engine
Wordpress just stated this on their Twitter: “If WP Engine dropped its lawsuits, apologized, and got in good standing with its trademark use, you are welcome to have access to the plugin directory listing. In the meantime, Secure Custom Fields is a community plugin and open for contribution. We know you can't log into .org right now, but if you have any code changes you'd like to make get in touch and we'll set up an alternative pathway for you. We want the best, most secure code for our users. “https://twitter.com/username/status/1845663751342883195
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5 SEO Lessons I’ve learned over years
5 SEO Lessons I’ ve witnessed over the years Hey everyone! I’ve come across a lot of SEO-related questions on admin forums, and some of the advice has surprised me—until I realized that many of the responses were from SEO agencies promoting their services. No shade toward them; every business has to market itself. However, I wanted to share a few tough lessons I’ve learned firsthand while building a startup and figuring things out the hard way. 1. Domain Authority Matters More Than You Think No matter how perfect your on-page SEO or content may be, if your domain is new and lacks quality backlinks, ranking high on Google will be tough. Authority takes time to build, and without it, even the best content won’t get the visibility it deserves. 2. Buying Backlinks Happens More Often Than People Admit You’ve probably heard people say not to buy backlinks, but the truth is, many successful startups have done so at some point. It’s not widely discussed, but it’s a common practice—whether openly or behind the scenes, however, it’s not a practice that I’’m a fan of and I don’t condone it as an seo specialist. I don’t recommend buying backlinks unless you really want to and need to. Build them organically. That’s the best way. 3. Not All Backlinks Are Created Equal Buying backlinks isn’t the issue—buying the wrong ones is. Avoid purchasing backlinks from random providers; instead, focus on acquiring them through avenues like press features or guest posts on reputable sites. Be prepared to invest wisely, as high-quality backlinks are a one-time investment that can make or break your SEO efforts. That is if you want to purchase backlinks instead of building them organically. 4. You Don’t Need to Hire a Content Writer Once your domain’s authority is in place, hiring an external writer who doesn’t fully understand your business might not be necessary. In the era of AI tools, you can easily generate decent content with minimal effort. Spend a few minutes each week using tools like Frizerly to create posts. The key is staying consistent. 5. SEO Is a Long, Unpredictable Journey SEO should never be your only go-to-market strategy. For us, the goal was simply to ensure our business name appeared first when searched. Most of the content we created was for existing customers. Then, about six months in, Google unexpectedly started quoting our blog for a high-traffic query. To this day, that blog brings us a steady stream of signups—proof that SEO can surprise you in ways you don’t anticipate. I hope these lessons help fellow entrepreneurs starting their own SEO journeys! Have I missed anything? Let me know in the comments!
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It's me, Time Wizard Cosmo
Hey [mention=75]Time Wizard Cosmo[/mention] welcome to the community! We’re glad to have you on board.😉
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Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Selling your website?
No, I haven’t considered selling my website. I’d never sell it honestly.
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Tracking Your Traffic
It’s under the “ [HEADING=2]Search engine optimization (SEO)” tab in your Xenforo admin panel.[/HEADING] There’s an option to enable support for indexnow.
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Top Websites in the US by Traffic [August 2024]
Especially on the web dev and seo subreddit. They’re full of trolls smh. There’s a lot of garbage that floats around the seo subreddit as well. It’s hard to find good content on there nowadays.
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Is Reddit the Future of Crisis Comms?
Imagine you’re representing the most powerful government on the planet, and you need to get critical information to the public during a crisis. It’s the essentials: how to apply for federal aid following a series of devastating natural disasters, updates on the recovery process, and similar guidance. Fortunately, you have more ways to communicate than ever before. You could issue a press release, hold a press conference, or send out representatives to conduct interviews. The president could address the nation directly, or you could coordinate with state and local authorities to spread information through their channels. Social media platforms are also at your disposal, allowing you to reach people instantly—or at least that’s the theory. But even with all these tools, success isn’t guaranteed. Traditional media audiences are fragmented and deeply polarized. While plenty of people are glued to their screens, they may not be tuning into the right TV channels or consuming content that carries your message. Everyone seems engrossed in their phones, but your posts struggle to reach them. Facebook’s algorithms bury vital updates under piles of irrelevant content. Instagram posts lack the viral spread they once had, and on TikTok, your efforts are either ignored or viewed as out of place. Formerly reliable platforms like X (formerly Twitter) are now dominated by misinformation and noise, making it hard to cut through with accurate updates. It’s a strange paradox: despite being able to communicate with anyone, your messages often fall on deaf ears. Still, you need to get that FEMA phone number out and provide clear information to the public. At this point, a weary social media manager suggests an unconventional option: “What if we post it on Reddit?” Surprisingly, Reddit has become a viable communication platform for the government. In fact, the White House has recently posted updates in subreddits like r/NorthCarolina and r/Georgia, detailing federal responses to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Not long ago, it seemed odd for governments or public figures to use Reddit—after all, the platform has a reputation for being chaotic, nerdy, and unpredictable. But in recent years, Reddit has evolved into a sort of safe harbor for online communities, where people gather to share information and discuss topics, all managed by community moderators. It’s no longer unusual for governments to post there; instead, they hope the platform can amplify their messages without getting lost in the noise. Subreddits like r/NorthCarolina offer a rare space where simple posts—such as, “Visit DisasterAssistance.gov”—can actually be noticed and engaged with, rather than drowned out by conspiracy theories or misinformation. Reddit is also becoming a go-to platform for companies during PR crises. For instance, Rachel Karten’s Link in Bio newsletter recounts the story of KeithFromSonos, an employee who actively engaged with the company’s unofficial subreddit following a disastrous app update that alienated users. With hundreds of thousands of frustrated members, the subreddit could have easily turned against him. Instead, because Keith had built trust over time, users sympathized with him, making it easier for him to share updates without facing hostility. His efforts even caught the attention of Sonos’ CEO, who eventually joined the conversation on Reddit as well. Of course, Reddit isn’t a silver bullet. It won’t magically fix public perception of Sonos or transform the response to natural disasters. Subreddits remain relatively small communities, and many people can still access official information through other means. Reddit also has its own challenges: volunteer moderators are increasingly frustrated with the platform’s shift toward profit, and the site’s growing visibility on Google has attracted waves of bots and spammers. These issues hint at future difficulties for the platform. For now, though, Reddit serves as an unexpected lifeline for communication. In a time when traditional channels are faltering, it offers a rare space where straightforward messages can still reach the public. While the future of Reddit is uncertain, it remains a valuable tool—for now—capable of cutting through the clutter and delivering critical information where it’s needed most. Source: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/is-reddit-the-future-of-crisis-communications.html
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🏷️ Auction Time: Top Bar Advertisement Link for Credits!
70 credits.😃
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What ad companies have you used to monetize your community?
Have you monetized your community with any advertising networks? If yes, which ad networks have you used to monetize your community? If no, do you prefer to monetize your community in other ways?
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Tracking Your Traffic
indexnow is a feature thats pings the search engines and lets them know that there’s new content or that the website has been updated. You can submit one, but you might have to build it. https://www.seerinteractive.com/insights/how-to-create-and-submit-a-xml-sitemap https://www.indexnow.org/ You can setup an api key for it here: https://www.bing.com/indexnow/getstarted
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What topics are off-limits on your community?
Some communities place restrictions on discussing sensitive topics like politics and religion, while others openly allow those conversations. How does your community handle controversial or sensitive subjects? Are there specific topics that are off-limits to keep things running smoothly? I’d love to hear what kinds of discussions are encouraged or prohibited on your forum!