Front Page feels spammy these days

[Zak Ray]

Maybe spammy isn't the right word, but it just feels obvious that more articles = more clicks and the mods have taken that message to heart.

“5 Apple Products That Did XYZ”
“Meta Having a Hard Time Keeping Employees”
“Twitter Adds This New Feature”
“Anker Products On Sale Again”
“Get $10 off an Apple TV”
“Netflix Raises Prices”
“Recapping the Rumors on XYZ”

Posts with a title like this are either not news, not Apple news, or only Apple news if using a very vague definition. I am hard pressed not to call some of them spam.

I think the ideal solution would be that paid members can customize their news feed. But I understand that may be technically unfeasible at least in the short term.

For now I think I'll switch to the weekly digest email. I still love MacRumors, I just miss when there was a slightly higher bar for what qualifies as a front page post.

 

[icanhazmac]

I agree and disagree at the same time.

Slow news days tend to collect either sales or general tech stories, I appreciate both but acknowledge that YMMV. I started having an issue with the front page when it was seemingly overrun with Oprah does this and Oprah does that on AppleTV+ but simply chose not to click on those articles, in the end MR backed off of those types of articles.

One can say that more articles = more clicks but crap topics/articles don't generate anything. I am very sure that MR tracks clicks based on article type so if they keep posting certain article types it is most likely because they are popular to some segment of the community and generating clicks. Not all of us will appreciate all of the content Apple generates and MR then reports on.

As for our suggestion that paid members could customize their feed... good idea if easily implemented but personally I'd refrain from using it because of FOMO (fear of missing out). Example: even though I don't have AppleTV+ and generally could care less about its current content I would hate to miss out on a new documentary or series that might change my mind. Currently I scan the article titles and make my decision to click or not to click.

 

[Zak Ray]

I agree with your sentiment overall but:

One can say that more articles = more clicks but crap topics/articles don't generate anything

The most commented article on the front page today is the one about Gucci's $980 AirPods Max case. Let's be honest, it's basically clickbait.

 

[icanhazmac]

I agree with your sentiment overall but:

The most commented article on the front page today is the one about Gucci's $980 AirPods Max case. Let's be honest, it's basically clickbait.

Well..... yes, but it was also a lot of fun commenting on the stupidity, which was the point I'm sure, no one thought that was hard hitting journalism.

 

[bpeeps]

Well..... yes, but it was also a lot of fun commenting on the stupidity, which was the point I'm sure, no one thought that was hard hitting journalism.

Name a more nonexistent duo than hard hitting journalism and Macrumors. 😂

Personally I think the front page is looking okay these days, they've found a decent balance for deals and TV+ news.