I don't remember when exactly I create my HIVE Onboard (@Hiveonboard) account, probably almost 3 years ago, or even longer.
I am interested on lowering the boundaries and make it easier for new users to enter HIVE ecosystem. So, HIVE Onboard was a good choice to help new user to signing up for FREE HIVE account.
Because at that time, opening HIVE account will cost someone around $2 - $5, for some people it's virtually nothing, peanuts. But, for some people it costs too much for an entrance to a blogging platform where other option like Medium back in that day was free and popular.
So, @roomservice did a very kind deed for many people by initiating HIVE Onboard!
Long story short, I made an Indonesian blog post about it, some people signups and onboarded, around 20% of them actually stayed and grow their HP until now. Not bad for a conversion numbers, huh?
But, I closed that blog (was a self-hosted Wordpress blog) since I didn't really have time to maintain it, got too much on my plate. So, it practically dead for years.
Hol'up!
This is not a creepy pasta story, but it surely creeped me out.
Few weeks ago, or probably around Q4 2022, some automated posts from @hiveonboard-log notified me that some people actually signed up using my ref link.
WTF!
The blog is dead. Like dead, DEAD!
How could this freaky people keep signing up using my ref link? Holymotherofcow!
I was busy back then, so I kept ignoring those notifications until now, I'm determined to find out what kind of sorcery is happening here.
It turns out that my dead Wordpress blog was using SteemPress plugin, yes that old magical thing. So it automated a cross-post from my Wordpress blog to my HIVE account. Practically immortalized my writings.
Let that sink in for a moment.
Ho Lee Fuk, that SteemPress plugin was doing it's job.
It got one job, and graciously nailed it!
But, didn't we always think that HIVE blog contents have VERY BAD SEO traits?
Don't ask me, Sherlock, ask Google!
And that's exactly what I did, frantically typed into Google's mouth and find out that my cross-posted blog post on HIVE is appeared on Google Search First Page!
This is the culprit:
@evanstinger/caramembuatakunhivedulusteem-g2aldraa6y
Notice that it use hive.blog domain, I never use it to post on HIVE, I'm a loyal user of @PeakD
But, I believe SteemPress Plugin cross-posted using that domain.
So, that's why people keep signing up using my HIVE Onboard ref link.
I made a visit to my HIVE Onboard Dashboard this morning, and found out that I have a Referrer badge, and I will have 1 VIP Ticket (claimable every week), to let new user to sign up a Free HIVE Account quickly (no verification needed).
It also has the ref link version (the VIP code added to the URL query).
I think, I'm gonna give it out weekly, probably to friends or even strangers I met in the club, LOL.
Anyway, HIVE journey always find its way to excite me again!
That big green dildo on this morning market chart did it too 😹
Cheers!