Hello, this is just a friendly reminder of how marketing in our subreddit works. This is also a reminder of our spam/frequency rules in general for everyone. There are generally only two guidelines to follow.

• If it feels like spam, it will be treated like spam
• We allow --ONE-- Marketing post per marketing effort (Crowdfunding, Youtube Video, Unique Topic, etc).

That is the tl:dr; version. Below is the long-form version if you want to read on, please do.

soloboardgaming logo for the community highlighs preview

If it feels like spam, it will be treated like spam

This part is not an exact science, but we will remove anything that feels like spam.

This sub is a niche of a niche of a niche. While soloboardgaming unites us, our tastes are varied which is why we have these rules. YOUR project may not matter to everyone here. Not everyone here plays every game and the content should not be about one specific game, or user, or topic.

Frequency matters in this sub.

Frequency matters in this sub.

Frequency matters in this sub.

Frequency matters in this sub. <~~~~ (see what I did here?)

Some random examples:

• Don't post a part 1 in hopes to post a part 2 the next day(s). You can post it in 30 or more days or just consolidate it into one post.
• If your campaign is coming, do not post a pre-pre-pre-pre preview and a seven-step campaign to our subreddit. That works for social media and email marketing, but not here.
• Consolidate your efforts, pick your best content, link that, and if our users are interested, they will follow along on whatever your platform is. This can be a written guide, video, link, fun interactive game, whatever you want. Keep it to one post.
• Be transparent about your intentions
• If I can SEE your posts with very little scrolling on the same homepage... it probably means you are posting too much.
• If you post the same topic over and over (Same Game, Same Topic just slightly alterered, Rules Questions), it probably means you are breaking a spam rule unless somehow they are generating a lot of discussion.
• This isn't a personal blog, do not treat it as such. Use comments, the sticky threads, or single consolidated posts to do so.

yummy spam - if it feels like spam, it's spam!

We allow --ONE-- Marketing post per marketing effort (Crowdfunding, Youtube Video, Unique Topic or game, etc).

The community wants to hear about new games and we ALLOW and ENCOURAGE this. The quality and scope of the game does not matter as long as you follow this --ONE-- Marketing post rule.

Occasionally, due to interest, or the timeline of things, we allow a second post, in the last few days before a project ends (usually), or in the case when timelines are so spaced out with months between updates... especially if the original post was not done by the original stakeholder.

If you are a FAN of the project, please understand your post generally counts as the --ONE-- Marketing post. So if you are super eager to announce a game and do it before a Kickstarter, depending on how that original post did, we might not allow a second one.

What is allowed?

If you are a content creator - you can post here every 30 days. Make your posts matter. If you have a multipart series, wait until you can post it all, in one post and post that. If you are a reviewer, that's fine too. Whatever you do, be transparent about who you are and if you are just dumping your content and not responding to comments, your content will be treated closer to SPAM than actual content.

Users are smart, They will follow you if they like what you show off. Algorithms will resurface your content for them on Youtube or Tiktok or whatever if people like your stuff. Use this window wisely.

Written content, like written reviews we are a bit more lenient with. Play sessions or paid reviews we are a little more restrictive with. Sometimes we'll allow more through depending on how popular and commenty things get. Again - this is not always an exact science.

What we look for to decide to remove it

Mods are not always on to instantly remove spammy posts. But we do check your account in most cases to see if you have ever:

• Interacted with the sub before
• Spammed your marketing post with the exact same wording and messaging to many different subreddits at the same time
• If your game is soloable

If you want to use this as a blueprint to market your game and get it through - that's fine - because as long as you are within the rules, go for it.

Why is this post happening now?

I understand for the stakeholder releasing the game, sales is a big milestone, or releasing a video, subscriptions is a big milestone... and your project - FOR YOU - is the top priority. But for users of the sub, your game/video/content might not even be of interest to many depending on the game. tastes, etc. So this means you really have to make your --ONE-- post matter.

Make your content tailored to this sub. There are a lot of potential buyers/watchers/subscribers here. Be transparent about your intentions. If you are a designer or stakeholder - STATE that.

However, there has been an uptick on posts disguised as marketing lately. Posts like:

• Hey, check out my art for my upcoming game and give me feedback
• Hey, help me design my game, what do you think of this UI element?
• Hey, I'm releasing a freebie or something discounted for some other game
• Hey, I'm having a random discount code for an existing game
• Hey, this is a meme, it's funny, watch me
• Check Out This Cool New Game I Discovered! (post history shows that this is the designer of the game)

(If you haven't seen these, it's because they have been getting removed!)

Sometimes these are genuine, but unfortunately, many are not.

If there is any direct benefit for USERS here (like an actual discount code or something that feels tailored for the subreddit to engage with users), I will generally allow these things --ONCE-- as long as it's related to a specific game and not a retail entity (no codes from storefronts specifically, for instance unless it's tied to a specific game). But generally, the benefit is for the CREATOR and thus that is when the rules shift.

There are some designers who actively participate in this subreddit and I generally tend to give more leeway to them since they are actually part of the community, so I do check comment history when I can.

We also have MOD notes on repeat offenders, so when I see I've already removed 8 of your previous posts.... well... that is when I start with ban warnings, etc.

Ban worthy things

• Making fake accounts to promote your game or to pretend they are comments for your game (this happens a lot, it is something that can be figured out often enough)
• Being way too aggressive or frequent with your promotions
• Messaging mods on other platforms or through chat to "discuss" your removal (just use Modmail please)
• Pretending you are not a stakeholder in your verbiage

Why am I posting this now?

Because I need something to link to moving forward when people start messaging me about removed content (which also has had an uptick). I will link to this post as part of that message moving forward. I'm pro transparency and everyone should understand how these things are being judged to be removed.

If your post was removed, you probably did something on this page or from a mod perspective, looked like something on this page (we aren't perfect, it's not an exact science!)

Other mild considerations

We (currently) do not block content with A.I. currently, but creators need to be transparent with it's usage (especially for crowdfunding projects). That said, A.I. does tend to make things FEEL spammy, and thus, might get removed just because of that. This is not an exact science.

I try to give friendly reminders on this on posts for transparency. But please read our submission rules first.

Collection posts have been a prime candidate for BOT and KARMA Farming. Please keep reporting these posts when you see them. Your reports on stuff helps out a ton.

If modding sounds fun to you, please reach out to me through modmail. This sub is growing and can use a few more eyeballs to remove content faster.

Bernie is once again asking to read our submission rules

Do you have thoughts on how this is enforced?

Feel free to provide (friendly) thoughts below. I know some people want more content, some people want less. The rules as they have been for the 4-5 years have mostly stayed the same in an effort to keep the homepage less spammy - do you agree it's worked or not worked?

Generally the goals have been:

• More varied content from more users on different games
• Less sales pitches, less direct advertising... but with a fair route to do so if you want to
• We often allow meta threads or side conversations that happen naturally to coexist (until it feels like spam)