Why isn't Lemmy searchable on a search engine?
Why don't Lemmy posts (from any instance) show up on search engines? Like if I try my hardest to get a thread to show up, virtually nothing from the actual instances in the fediverse comes up. I'm sure if I searched the exact url or something I could get it but it's very noticable that the search engines by and large just kind of gloss over posts on here and I'm not sure why.
This stinks cause that was one of the biggest draws for reddit. So many times when you search some super obscure or specific question you'd get a few reddit threads with all sorts of information.
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Lemmy is not opimized for google. There is some consideration when you run a full-javascript app like Lemmy, and to the best of my knowledge, Lemmy didn't follow their guideline.
If lemmy takes off, like Reddit, and has lots of content, google will adjust their algorithm to compensate and include it. Lemmy will likely focus on better SEO if it helps growth, but scaling and stability and usability are more important right now.
Guidelines are for little guys!
Give it time. They might be able to implement something. More development effort is being directed at the Fediverse now which might've been the biggest obstacle. It's hard work building and maintaining this stuff from scratch.
Fedisearch exists and LemmySearch should have a public website Soon™️
https://lemmyverse.net/
https://sub.rehab/
https://www.quippd.com/writing/2023/06/15/unofficial-subreddit-migration-list-lemmy-kbin-etc.html
It'll take some time to settle everything up
We need content for them to search.
Because google indexes wherever the content is. That's all.
What are you trying to search?
I see some Lemmy results quite fine. Google results need some time to be indexed.
I'm sure it will be someday, but it's so new, I don't think the devs are focused on that right now. Mostly, I want them to focus on fixing the platform right now and making it better. Stuff like better mod tools, better local sorting and filtering, some better discoverability and searching features, universal @mentions, better ways to interface with other servers, etc. It will come in time, I'm sure. I think lemmy and activitypub as a whole weren't quite ready for the reddit exodus.
I say don't let them crawl. I'd rather the server and bandwidth costs go to real people rather than bots
Ignoring everything else about this, how do you propose we get new people without being searchable?