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Do you want to see more posts about interesting topics in your Home timeline? And do you want your own posts to be noticed by others?
Here's how to do both these things:
1. Search for a hashtag you're interested in
2. On the results page, click the + or Follow button in the top right corner
3. Posts with that tag will start appearing in your Home timeline
4. Follow lots more tags
5. Include hashtags in your own posts, tag followers will then see your posts
More info at https://fedi.tips/how-do-i-follow-hashtags-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse/
p.s. The official Mastodon Android app does not have hashtag following. If you're using Android, I would strongly advise using the third party apps Tusky or Fedilab instead, which do support hashtag following and have a lot more features besides.
Alternatively you can use the website on your phone, it works well too and gets all the latest features first.
If you want the general public to come to Mastodon, that official app needs to give them everything they want without any effort on their end.
Maybe start them in the Federated feed as well.
@TheActualBrian @feditips Pre-fed-feed is sooooo important. It wasn't until I started just following people randomly that this place got fun.
When I was using the Mastodon app, there was no way to switch.
Little to nothing was happening.
I was also on rando server.
Once I switched servers and got Fedilab, I have control, but I needed to have knowledge about how the back end works.
A vast majority of people don't know, don't care, and won't enjoy themselves if it looks like no one is saying anything because their in their local, random server.
@TheActualBrian @feditips see it's crazy! I joined a big server, but didn't get the whole local/federated thing at all.
Like people kept saying about my games original tutorial... 'this sucks and why should I care anymore'
Right? I did the same thing. Had no clue why nothing was changing, ever.
They're not invested in building a new concept in distributed social media is whatever nerdy people, like us, find interesting.
They want social media that isn't hostile or toxic or whatever they're running away from.
You get one chance to make that first impression and if they're staring at a dead timeline because they're on local and some tiny server, they'll leave.
"They're not invested in building a new concept in distributed social media is whatever nerdy people, like us, find interesting. ... They want social media that isn't hostile or toxic or whatever they're running away from."
This is the problem, you're treating these as two unrelated things, when in reality they are the same thing.
The reason this place is less toxic is because it is on many servers, and because it has various anti-addictive features.
That's why there's hashtag searching, to reduce the ability of trolls to find victims.
And even small things like the colour of the alert icons being light blue on dark blue is designed to lessen the artificial alertness of the red dots you see on most social networks.
The Fediverse structure means vulnerable groups can own their own servers, it costs about $10 a month for a five person server or $100 for a 2000 person server, with all tech stuff done by the hosting company.
They can set their own rules, and block other servers they consider hostile or abusive. It's giving them the power instead of leaving it up to some billionaire to say stupid things like "cis gender is a slur".
Actual power here is with ordinary people.
@feditips @TheActualBrian which is perfect... If those who need it most realize it's there and how to do it. But many give up before they find the beauty in the ideals. I know I did on my first try here.
I know there are solutions, just hoping we get there and other people can come and help build something great.
@feditips actually thinking about it if I had just know about or see your account, I probably would have been much better off. Your tips DO make a difference.
If. They're. Also. Technical.
If. They. Want. To. Hide.
FFS, division isn't what "vulnerable groups" need or want.
They need to be in the open, treated like they're normal, because they are.
Being able to build a bubble and hide is exactly what those billionaire run ones are about.
Yes, federation is a good idea.
It's not the solution to all of life's problems and there are realities you can't ignore.
You'll never be main stream if you don't build for everyone.
"They need to be in the open, treated like they're normal, because they are."
I think it's up to vulnerable groups to say what they need. My point is that this place gives them options and powers which do not exist on Twitter, Facebook etc.
<sigh>
You're the one who claimed your technology was best for them.
You're just arguing to argue.
Responding only to the last thing I've said with no recall of the overall conversation.
You've drifted so far off topic that you've forgotten what I was initially saying.
This platform will never grow beyond obscurity if you don't embrace the general public and cater to them.
Period. Dispute that.
Hopefully without straw man, deflecting, or any other logical fallacies.
@TheActualBrian@mastodon.social @feditips@mstdn.social @Tearcell@mastodon.gamedev.place Speaking as a member of a 'vulnerable group' yes I want to be out in the open, and treated as normal, and because I am. But the only way we can have that is zero tolerance of bigotry and zero tolerance of those that enable bigotry. It is the Nazis, Tankies and other assorted bigots that need to be driven into hiding, and not seen as 'normal'.