I apologize if this is old news, but I just noticed it. It looks like Kagi has added Fediverse Forums as a default Web search option.

  • SteveEnglish
    21·
    2 days ago

    If they aren’t paying anyone is it advertising? I’m not sure what you’re actually talking about anymore. Maybe I never did

    • sinceasdf@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      Well sure it is. I mean nonpaid advertising is the best kind for everyone since it’s likely to actually be honest and actually listened to but it’s not always easy to tell from some comments what their true motivations are. Thus the existence of astroturfing.

      Kagi probably has a social media manager or hires a marketing agency (as most companies do) and their time would be well spent posting on Lemmy (and other sites) about Kagi but in as organically of a way as possible since we’re all pretty ad averse here. I mean, it’s possible Kagi specifically isn’t doing it, but it is a matter of when, not if, companies start doing that here.

      • SteveEnglish
        1·
        2 days ago

        So yah, the social media manager or marketing agency is getting paid. People organically posting because they genuinely like the service, aren’t. The former would be advertising. The later not.

        Can you point to any accounts you think are doing Kagi astroturfing. IE being paid to advertise with. Because now it just sounds like you’re speculating.

        • sinceasdf@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          2 days ago

          ? It’s a well established strategy. I’m not speculating, this is how social media marketing works. You can find all sorts of resources on how marketers strategize about these things.

          https://old.reddit.com/r/SocialMediaMarketing/comments/1edu8u6/commenting_as_a_social_media_strategy/

          This has gotten quite pedantic but being paid is not a requirement, just is most often how it’s done:

          Advertising (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/advertising) 1: the action of calling something to the attention of the public especially by paid announcements

          I’m not trying to tell you how to post, genuine recommendations are the only form of advertising I respect. But it is advertising and companies have every incentive to astroturf that.

          • SteveEnglish
            1·
            2 days ago

            You’re speculating that Kagi is actually astroturfing on Lemmy. That’s why I asked for an account you believe to be doing it on Kagi’s behalf.