Traffic. If Google is using site traffic as a reference point, the traffic shows whether I'm reading posts, posting posts, or private messaging.
I never navigate direct to the site because my cache is cleared regularly, and I don't have it in "favorites". CAF is always the 3rd item in the search results, and I link to it from the Google search. That helps the site.
As for the "numerous chances", I am not sure if you are the one mod or if there are several, but I was never afforded any warning or explanation as to why it was unacceptable for me to regularly call other members out for posting flat-out lies, but it is OK for them to make threats of violence, post potentially slanderous falsehoods and dangerous misinfomation, and when their BS gets challenged to always respond with some variant of "go **** d***s" or some other homophobia. Literally HUNDREDS of times. Seems rather lopsided.
And to be honest, I asked the question MANY times, and was simply ignored. This is why I'm responding here.
Yes, we are talking about an off-topic thread. But if the off-topic thread should not be off-topic, must be policed to control the members from speaking freely, is not wanted, and provides no value in Google's eyes, then maybe the site should not have it?
I am members of other forums that have a different primary focus, and they have similar off-topic "rooms" where the discussions are all over the map. Some of them go leaps and bounds beyond what I've ever seen here. Yet, those sites have great traffic and rank very high on the Google search results.
Food for thought.
