Sharing Side Projects: Strategies to Avoid the Spam Trap and Improve User Experience

Many small projects, especially those involving voting or ranking mechanisms, encounter an unexpected hurdle: they are often quickly flagged as spam across various online communities. This occurs even when there's no clear monetization strategy, ads, or growth hacking tactics involved. The underlying reasons are complex, touching on community norms, shifting online dynamics, and critical user experience considerations.

The Fine Line Between Sharing and Promotion

The primary challenge lies in the perception of intent. What a creator views as sharing a small experiment, communities often interpret as promotion. If a user's posting history primarily consists of introducing their own project and then disappearing, it can be seen as self-serving and spammy. Community guidelines in many places explicitly advise against using the platform primarily for promotion, even if some self-sharing is acceptable. This creates a significant tension for individuals who don't frequently engage in social media but are inspired to share a new creation.

The Evolving Landscape of Online Communities

The decline of traditional online forums, largely overshadowed by social media groups, has further exacerbated this issue. Forums once provided a fertile ground for in-depth technical discussions and the organic sharing of projects. However, as these spaces became less active, any self-promotion gained disproportionate exposure, making moderators more vigilant.

Conversely, many social media groups have become increasingly monetized, with administrators strictly controlling external links and self-promotion unless a fee is paid. This environment has shrunk the space for small, exploratory projects to be discussed freely, leading to a pervasive sense that the internet now 'sucks' for organic project sharing.

Essential User Experience Considerations for Builders

Beyond community perception, the user experience (UX) of the project itself plays a crucial role in its acceptance. Practical feedback highlights several areas for improvement that can prevent a project from feeling incomplete or suspicious:

Language and Onboarding: If your project is multi-lingual or has a primary non-English interface, make sure there's clear upfront explanation and easy options to switch languages. A user encountering a foreign language without context might quickly disengage.
Clarity and Purpose: Clearly articulate the project's purpose and how its unique features are implemented. For a ranking tool, explain how it fosters discussion rather than just decision-making, and what specific design choices support this goal.
Intuitive Interaction: Ensure core actions like creating a new post or voting are clear and intentional. Accidental post creation or difficulty in understanding basic navigation are significant red flags for usability.
Accessibility of Features: Consider whether users can vote anonymously, see comments easily, or participate without mandatory logins. While anonymous features can lead to manipulation, blocking basic interactions makes a tool feel less open and useful.

The Power of Silent User Testing

One of the most valuable tips for any project creator is to implement silent user testing. Instead of relying solely on self-testing, invite a friend or acquaintance to use your site with a simple, open-ended task (e.g., "Just create/vote on a poll about fruits").

Here’s how to do it:

Observe without Intervention: Sit a meter behind your friend, remain silent, and cross your hands. Do not offer help or explanation.
Identify Pain Points: Watch closely where they get stuck, express confusion, or make unexpected choices.
Provide Help (Eventually): After a reasonable period, or when they become frustrated, offer assistance.
Iterate: Thank your friend, fix the identified issues, and repeat the process with another friend. This iterative feedback loop is incredibly effective at uncovering fundamental usability problems that creators often overlook due to their familiarity with the project.

By addressing these design and community engagement aspects, builders can significantly improve the reception of their small, experimental projects and foster genuine discussion rather than triggering spam alarms.