First of all, thank you @ljdawson@lemmy.world for pursuing Sync for Lemmy. It’s honestly given me so much hope for Fediverse adoption to actually happen. I do have one thought to share with you to help with success:
Come July 1st pretty much all Sync users are going to open the app due to muscle memory or due to a lack of awareness of what’s happening.
If they see “this app doesn’t work any more” or similar, they are simply going to delete the app and will likely go to the official Reddit app. The opportunity to engage them will be gone.
However, you can use it as a huge marketing opportunity if on that day it says something to the effect of:
- Sync for Reddit doesn’t work any more due to the API changes…
- However Sync for Lemmy is in development
- Here’s how you try Lemmy (and/or kbin) in the mean time…
- Keep Sync for Reddit on your phone to receive a notification when Sync for Lemmy is launched
Even if they don’t try Lemmy right away, if they get a notification from the old app saying the new one is ready they will possibly try it at that time (but you need to convince them to keep the old app on their phone)
But the clock is ticking - after July 1st the chance of engaging someone in this way is very low as they’ll likely uninstall the old app. IMO getting this teed up is of a higher priority than developing the minimal-viable-product for the new app.
You likely already have this in the works, but wanted to throw it out there incase you hadn’t planned on it already. Thanks again for doing this - I am so hopeful and excited for a viable alternative to Reddit and Sync could be such a huge piece in making it possible!
Originally posted to /r/syncforlemmy but figured I should put my money where my mouth is and post here as well. After all, this is the future!
You’ll be surprised by how many redditors you can convince to join lemmy by just mentioning Sync.
It’s very effective. Understandably so; I’ve always browsed Reddit with Sync and it’s probably the single best app I’ve ever used.
Here’s a quick summary of Lemmy/kbin mentioning Sync and Artemis that I find to be very effective to copy/paste to threads with confused redditors. I suggest others to do the same.
Upcoming Sync is why I’m here on lem in the first place…just had my 15th cakeday on reddit real bummer to see it go the same way digg did…
Remember it’s just an account on some website and the person behind it is what actually bought it to life.
Yeah, that’s what I keep telling myself.
I was actually surprised by how much karma I had accrued when I deleted my account the other day, given that the majority of my comments were deep down in threads or niche communities. Often, I was happier to have 10 upvotes than 500, because the comments that got hundreds (or thousands) of points were generally short and quippy. I much preferred the sincere, expansive discussions though, and that was apparent when scrolling through my history.
Edit (Forgot to finish my point): And that kind of stuff is available in oodles on Lemmy. Hell, if anything, it’s easier here, because I feel like it’s way more likely anything I write will be seen and responded to. Maybe in a few years, we’ll be nostalgic for these times.
These will be the good old days, as they say. Lemmy is poised for great things I’m sure, but I don’t think it will never be like this again. I’ll be happy to be proven wring, though.
I’ve been using the Lemmy app and finding myself quite unhappy with it, but stopping to ask “Is this app actually deserving of my ire, or am I just grumpy because it’s not what I’m used to (i.e. not Sync)?”. I think it’s mostly the latter. Don’t get me wrong, Jerboa is nowhere near the level of polish or functionality of pretty much any of the main 3rd party Reddit apps (yet?), it’s just that I’m a creature of habit (and so are many others)
Nah, I agree, Jerboa is just not there right now.
I prefer the webview over Jerboa on mobile at the moment; the higher flexibility outweighs the lower mobile-friendliness for me
I can definitely see it getting great though! With more contribution.
Edit: After using the new latest version of Jerboa (0.0.35), I think I do prefer it over the webview now.
I had never heard of Sync, but with the way people are talking about it and it’s features, I think it could replace Bacon Reader for me (RIP) and this is coming from someone who uses reddit a moderate amount for niche subreddits, but isn’t going to stand for this anti capitalist BS that Spez is pulling, so how I’m here. It wasn’t hard, but I appreciate the fact not everyone is as plugged in or aware of social causes such as this or more importantly thst not everyone has the free time to put in a minimal amount of research to figure out how to move to an alternative.
I think grabbing more users right now is of utmost importance. If the fediverse needs to grow, now is the chance.
Mastodon had a big spike when Twitter went awol. And nows the chance for lemmy.
I don’t think it’s a bad idea to say that Sync for Reddit is shutting down, if you would like to follow new projects by LJ, please click here for Patreon or here for Lemmy or something along those lines.
Honestly, I think it needs to be more aggressive than that, as bad as that may sound.
Something like:
"Reddit’s new API policies has made it impossible for Sync for Reddit to continue.
Click here for Sync for Lemmy, an alternative to Reddit, instead. You will be notified when it is out in [estimated time for prototype]."
Would probably be more effective if the app remained the same, and you didn’t need to download a separate Sync for Lemmy from the playstore; do we know which one’s happening yet?
I wonder if this would even be legal though.
This is a great idea, smart recommendation
Since we’re only talking about a week timeline here, would it be possible to update the sync app with a list of popular Lemmy instances and a way to view your favorite one from a web view within the app? That way people could still use sync in the meantime while native features gradually get rolled out.
For sure, we are still chronically starved of users. Need to play our cards right in the next few months.
In addition to OP’s idea, all of us who still have our reddit accounts should be going over there and letting people know about Lemmy in a helpful way, like ASAP. It’s really easy now because all the threads are about reddit sucking and how there is no alternative. But in a few weeks when reddit forgets, it’s going to be viewed more as spam to constantly keep bringing up Lemmy on reddit.
If we can make people aware of Lemmy before the app shutdown, it’s much more likely that they decide to actually try Sync for Lemmy.
all of us who still have our reddit accounts should be going over there and letting people know about Lemmy in a helpful way
Oh I’ve been trying to, hopefully got a few converts so far. Trying to tiptoe the line between informative and pushy since “horses water and drinking bla bla”
Yeah, good point. I just to go super enthusiastic and positive with it usually. The main problem is I don’t feel like I’m getting enough eyes on my comments. The migration/alternative subreddits are weirdly quiet.
I just to go super enthusiastic and positive with it usually
Honestly the best way to pitch it IMO. It’s been such a great experience here I almost feel compelled to proselytize the glory of the fediverse, but if I can’t keep it in my pants a bit I’m certain to put people off the message.
The migration/alternative subreddits are weirdly quiet
I’ve noticed that too the few times I’ve checked. I wonder how many people there are still regularly tying to do outreach. I’ve had some luck on the selfhosted sub, of course you’d expect that lot would be more eager to jump on a self-hostable platform anyway. Piracy subs too for obvious reasons lol
Yeah the Piracy community seems like it could become an anchor on this platform, which I would love.
Pirates are generally aligned against capitalism and corporatism, but they are not all in the same boat, politically speaking.
Such a diverse yet similar group could prove very helpful in charting a middle course amongst some of the more opinionated instances.
Arggh!
Best way is just to express excitement that development of reddit app for Android is continuing on a different platform, since many people in /r/Android use third party apps probably due to the demographic that even bothers to subscribe to /r/Android to begin with. All other subs might be more casual users who use stuff like reddit redesigned and don’t use adblockers, so this whole confusing cumbersome process is not something they care about. They just go API? What? Third party apps? Uh I don’t use that I don’t care. Ads? I’m used to it.
Apple is one that has nothing really that feels organic. There’s no like hey Apollo for Lemmy is coming out. And Apollo is kind of the only app that Apple users even care about compared to Android where there’s so many loved Reddit third party apps. Apple users are very used to subscriptions being sold on Apps too, so having to pay to remove ads and using official apps isn’t as big of a concern.
Plus, I don’t know that it even really matters going over to reddit to try to mention anything until the app comes out and it turns out to streamline the whole process of signing up and subscribing to different communities outside your instance as opposed to doing the weird !syncforlemmy@lemmy.world entry then wait for it to show up.
State of lemmy right now is something that people who weren’t deterred by the research they had to do ended up using. Apps have an opportunity to make it so none of that is necessary, but until then there is no selling point. People who wanted to move have moved, and those that didn’t stayed. Ones who are upset are shitposting, but I doubt they actually want to leave reddit since shitposting is also a sign they still want to stay on Reddit and wishing Reddit would roll back changes.
All good points, I largely agree. I still think it’s important to spread the word on reddit right now and use our momentum.
I think the biggest obstacle is the mods. I think very few actually gave a serious thought to leaving reddit, and some using reddit to communicate to each other when reddit can read everything instead of moving to stuff like slack, matrix, or even discord was bizarre. It was like a union discussing plans while corporate is invited to sit in.
To me it is very apparent the mods don’t want to leave reddit, and I wouldn’t be surprised if many who are holding polls on whether to continue black oust or go back to operations are hoping redditors vote to reopen so they can save face and say it was a community decision and they had no choice and that they are remaining on reddit for the community. Like just looking at some mod profiles they are still contributing to subreddits that are functioning normally, so even their contributions indicate they want things back to normal since they are providing the type of content in line with what reddit wants.
And obviously the people left are people who just want to use reddit, so when mods don’t give indications of wanting to move the remaining community with be very hostile. I feel like people who have made the decision to leave have had their commenting and contributions to the reddit site just drop significantly, and or completely left. So to me it seems difficult unless the mods get on board with actual alternatives.
Totally agree with all of this. They’ve been bowing down to reddit for so long they can’t truly comprehend leaving. And reddit is fully aware of that fact, which is why they’re not even pretending to negotiate.
You’re spitting facts
I realized if the mods wanted to increase visibility to alternatives they could restrict /r/modcoord and then put in an announcement and link to the lemmy or kbin instance where the reddit mods proceed to do the rest of their rants. That would be an opportunity to get people who love drama to check out lemmy or kbin to lurk, and people who want to participate whether negative or positive would also then have to end up making an account to talk back to the mods.
referencing users on Lemmy is not at all the same as reddit, since there are multiple instances.
there’s no automagic function for it (at least not on the web there isn’t - that’s probably why you couldn’t find one), you just have to do it by hand.
ie.
[.world](http://lemmy.world/u/foreverwinter)becomes: @foreverwinter@lemmy.worldAwesome. Thanks for the tip @alex@geddit.social !
Imagine if it just seamlessly continued working after a short account signup and translated your Reddit subs to various Lemmy ones where it could.
absolutely agree, get them here and make this community even more vibrant
I really don’t think that “marketing” sync for lemmy to reddit users is more important than doing the mvp that we who are already here need. I really don’t understand that reasoning. OK trying to get reddit users who don’t know about lemmy and Fediverse informed so they can choose to come here that’s okay. But a “marketing” campaign sounds so corporate and like the very thing we came here to get away from
Alot of us, including me, wouldn’t be here using Lemmy right now if people didn’t market it to us.
Even people who otherwise would can’t switch if they don’t know about it.
Marketing is important; nothing wrong with that on its own.
its just semantics chill lil bro
I think it would actually be pretty cool if somehow you could link configured subreddits that people have saved or subscribed to into a search for Lemmy communities.
Obviously we want to minimize time that distracts you from the Lemmy version, but I do think it would help people pivot into Lemmy communities away from their favorite subreddits.
+1 this is a super good idea - !ljdawson@lemmy.world
I would respectfully disagree.
The people who were susceptible to coming over to lemmy as it is are already here. Those who think its too complicated or whatever will stay on reddit.
I think the key to wider lemmy adoption is by focusing on the product, not so much the marketing. While it obviously helps for people to know about it, which many people now do, it doesn’t matter if they come check it out and its a confusing ghost town.
Getting these apps out and filling the platform with communities and content is, I think, much more important than trying to drag people here kicking and screaming.
As the platform becomes better, the people will come.
I disagree the more people that know about it the better. My friend is an avid reddit user but uses the basic app and regular reddit (not old.reddit) and he never heard of lemmy.world until I told him yesterday. If people know about its existence they will know its an option. He is considering switching as well after telling him.
I agree… I think there is a huge mass of blind sheep who will never come right now, no matter how much “encouragement” they get , maybe later they would when it’s more developed. And the ones who would come now are the type that would have heard about the fiasco from day one, and seen all the media articles and posts and already made the move, or planning the move on DDay. Numbers for numbers sake is not the way imo. Let’s build this thing from within, and the numbers will come
I feel like the communication from reddit was done on purpose so that the 3rd party app devs didn’t have the time to put things in place, how cool would it have been if come 1st July the app just points to a different service, with a note saying the app is being renamed and using a different website for content
I agree. They didn’t want developers to transition users to any other platform. They’re bargaining that users will just switch to the Reddit app.
Could be a good idea for RiF and Apollo as well, even if they don’t plan to build apps for the Fediverse.
