Anyone notice that question megathreads aren't picked up by google?

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheoryOfReddit/comments/1giy6mk/anyone_notice_that_question_megathreads_arent/

created by SnooCakes9 on 03/11/2024 at 21:47 UTC

22 upvotes, 3 top-level comments (showing 3)

If a question has been answered in a megathread, it can't be found through searching. This means that people have to ask questions again and again, instead of one post with an answer that everyone can refer to. This is inefficient and annoying to both askers and answerers. Am I the only one who sees this as a problem?

Comments

Comment by dougmc at 04/11/2024 at 02:02 UTC

4 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Google is going to index threads, not individual comments.

And not even the entire thread, but it'll go to the base URL and index whatever shows up -- and if anything is hidden behind a '"load more comments" or a "continue thread", well, it won't get indexed.

So small threads would get fully indexed, but large threads would only get partially indexed.

Now, this assumes that reddit isn't giving google specially formatted pages that include everything -- and they could -- but if I'm right, it would probably explain what you're referring to.

Comment by Thoughtful_Mouse at 03/11/2024 at 22:30 UTC

3 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Big if true.

Can you talk about your methodology for verifying that and do you know where the stoppage is?

Can reddit do that? Does Google do it?

Comment by NihiloZero at 04/11/2024 at 17:08 UTC

1 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Mega-threads serve to limit discussions in multiple ways. Any good takes on a particular subject can effectively be buried in a mega-thread and people won't be able able to see those takes get upvoted as their own posts, with their own focus, in the typical Reddit upvote/downvote system. So a megathread can be made which frames a topic in a certain way and then nuance can be ignored or buried. A completely fresh take with important new information can be buried in a 12 hour old megathread because... "there is already a megathread about this subject."