Revitalizing DART's Debate Section

Author: Ultracrepidarian
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#1
Ultracrepidarian
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Forums like ours exist all over the internet on places like Discord, Reddit, and elsewhere. The main appeal of DART is the debate section, which is worryingly lifeless.

I'm confident there's a large demographic this site appeals to, but I legitimately don't understand how our few new members find us. When I googled "debate online" and "moderated online debate" this site wasn't listed, only pages upon pages of forums, courses, and videos. Even when actively trying I was able to find the site any way besides a direct search.

I'm also guessing our retention is hurt by the fact there is hardly ever more than one or two debates to accept at a time, many of which are completely forfeited by one side or never voted on. 

Some possible solutions:
  • There are copious argumentation blogs/channels that might be willing to give our non-profit debate site some publicity
  • Hosting debate tournaments 
  • Gamification - a level system where XP is earned from voting and victories
  • Push Barney's style wiki guide and wiki to increase quality of debate (They were game changers for me) 
  • Site-created debate topics to promote activity 
Any more ideas? 


#2
Savant
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I legitimately don't understand how our few new members find us. When I googled "debate online" and "moderated online debate" this site wasn't listed, only pages upon pages of forums, courses, and videos. Even when actively trying I was able to find the site any way besides a direct search.
We need ads. A lot of them, and they cost money.
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#3
Ultracrepidarian
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I hate to be the one who brings this up, but any ideas for monetization then?


#4
AdaptableRatman
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@Ultracrepidarian
Nothing at all will work when you have mods as spineless as these ones.

Theyre enabling sadistic trolls and bullies to run the site into the ground. It happened on DDO and has been happening here since day 1.

People come, they see toxic bullying, racism, sexism, "I will mutilate your anus" rap bars, "Children can consent" topics and all of it.

They go 'yiiiiikes' and never ever continue using the site. Alternatively, they were okay with that but as it is so dead, they run away due to needing to beg hard for even 1 decent vote.

Or... They remain enthusiastically adding to the dumpster fire the site is.

And every time someone wants to clean it up the ones ruining it and those enabling them say 'but more moderation will drive down the userbase!'

Yes. That is good. Purge and reform. Scrub it clean, leave nithing to dissaude advertisers, then bith advertise andnout ads on the site.

Any who stand to ruin its success, even me, must be exterminate asap, from its userbase if they refuse to reform.
#5
Savant
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@Ultracrepidarian
any ideas for monetization then
Gambling. Let people wager on debates and charge a facilitation fee. Or have a pay-to-enter tournament.
#6
LucyStarfire
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@Savant
We need ads. A lot of them, and they cost money
I used to advertise this site on my YouTube channel, but I aint doing that anymore until this site gets better. I simply cant tell people to go to site where I know their experience will likely be bad because this site abuses new users in multiple ways.
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#7
Ultracrepidarian
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Perhaps we could solicit donations and offer small perks like credits or little customization features.
#8
badger
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I don't know what it takes to get a site listed in Google, but it can't be that much. I have highlighted this a whole bunch of times. Is there a single new user here who isn't from DDO?

Also the name sucks. 
I don't think there's any needs of ads, just fix the Google thing.

#9
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@badger
Google sees the contents, scans for slurs etc and ranks us lower.
#10
LucyStarfire
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Google sees the contents, scans for slurs etc and ranks us lower.
Google gives popular results first.

#11
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@AdaptableRatman
Highly doubt that's the issue.
Also isn't the popularity thing. edeb8 was first page listed for years and it was a tragic.

Ads also are honestly up to nothing. I bet not one single person here clicked an ad to find DDO. 
#12
badger
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It also isn't banning people is the issue like all the momentum and hoorah going on in that other thread.
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#13
Ultracrepidarian
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Back links maybe? 
#14
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@badger
Did edeb8 allow slurs and topics about children consenting? I doubt it
#15
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Again edeb8 was first page Google result for years. It was a shambles of a website. 
I don't think we got to play a game of Google algorithms or anything. It's gotta be something about the website itself. 
#16
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@AdaptableRatman
100% down to ban the paedophile guy. Baffling he hasn't been. 
#17
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100% down to ban the paedophile guy
It would be a relief at this point.
#18
IlDiavolo
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@badger
I don't know what it takes to get a site listed in Google, but it can't be that much.
That's a good question. What I learned about SEO is that images improve a lot the listing on Google.

It's been one of my suggestions since I was in DDO, let people add images and videos in their posts.

#19
Castin
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@IlDiavolo
Takes more server space which requires more $$$, is the last word I heard from Mike on it.
#20
Lemming
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@Ultracrepidarian
Create a DART YouTube channel,
Encourage contribution from Users.

Encourage current users to comment and vote on debates.

Set up a table of contents of decent forum topics and debates on DART, categorized by subject.
They can get buried at times, but are sometimes 'relevant to new users, and this relevance can be seen when seeing what they debate, for instance.
Then when one votes, one can also link drop the decent forum thread or debate.
By decent I mean engaging, interesting to read, or well argued.

#21
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@Lemming
Create a DART YouTube channel
If you do that, make sure to upload shorts instead of long videos. Somehow, shorts get like 10x more views, especially with correct tags and title. I was thinking of making such YouTube channel, like taking funny screenshots and turning them into short videos. But probably would upset some people here.
#22
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@LucyStarfire
Shorts probably 'do get to the punchline of a video quicker,
And one can watch 'more of them in one sitting.

Long videos, I think I heard something about 'some people making long videos, for the ads that get added to videos?
Or something about YouTube valuing long videos more?
#23
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@Lemming
Long videos, I think I heard something about 'some people making long videos, for the ads that get added to videos? Or something about YouTube valuing long videos more?
There are bunch of people who make long videos and get like 2 views. With shorts, your first short can get like 600 views with correct tags alone. Plus, shorts are much easier to make. YouTube adds music, all you need is literally just 1 photo to make a short video.

#24
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@LucyStarfire
Good points,
One could also make both,
Or for some content, one could make a longer compilation 'out of their shorts.

I don't really 'like shorts in 'general, that much myself.
A lot feel clickbait, excessive padding, fluff, superfluous inferior quality duplicate of a longer video.
'But, maybe longer videos that as well sometimes, just easier to 'see such in short videos.

Though I 'do like some shorts,
Not a fan of the scroll for random feature,
Though maybe there are more features I don't know of.
#25
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@Lemming
Also, making DebateArt channels on Tik Tok and other social media would probably help too.
#26
Lemming
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@LucyStarfire
True, There 'are a lot more media platforms than just YouTube.

Tik Tok had/has a US ban, in recent history I think?
#27
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@Lemming
Tik Tok had/has a US ban, in recent history I think?
I am not in USA, and I dont know if Tik Tok is still banned there.

#28
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@LucyStarfire
Glancing at Wikipedia, seems it's been in an odd state in the USA, of being banned, unbanned, banned but with extension, and plans of something or other.

Still regaurdless, more than just USA users use DART.
So Tik Tok could still have value.
#29
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@Lemming
Tik Tok mostly gives audience from your own country. Thats what makes it different from other social media. If you want audience from other countries, you have to change your feed and people you follow.
#30
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@Lemming
But if just 10 users here made few accounts on these social media, and did it properly, we could maybe get over 10000 views in total in a short time and it requires no money. But if on YouTube, it must be done through shorts, and videos MUST have tags and hashtags.