[Lammy]

> Google slowly stopped ranking traditional forum posts and blogs as well around that time

IMO the true inflection point was 2014 when Google first hid (from the UI) and then fully removed (no longer accessible by magic URL) the “Blogs” and especially the “Discussions” filters. Some contemporary discussions on “Discussions”:

- https://techcrunch.com/2014/01/23/googles-search-filters-now...

- http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2014/03/bring-back-forum-se... (details the briefly-working magic URLs)

- https://www.ghacks.net/2014/01/23/search-discussions-blogs-p...

- https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-filters-gone-1799...

- https://www.webmasterworld.com/google/4687960.htm

- https://www.thecoli.com/threads/i-cant-google-search-by-disc...

- https://www.neogaf.com/threads/anyone-else-annoyed-google-re...

- https://webapps.stackexchange.com/questions/57249/has-the-op...

- https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/how-to-do-google-discuss...

- https://browsermedia.agency/blog/alternatives-discussion-sea...

[layer8]

I recently noticed that there is now a not-visible-by-default “Forums” option in Google Search. It is selected by specifying the query parameter udm=18:

https://www.google.com/search?q=hp+50g&udm=18

[lkramer]

This is interesting. I wonder why it's not visible by default.

[layer8]

Maybe it is/was an A/B test, to see if it hurts ad revenue (it probably does).

The option appeared randomly for me on a search, and I took immediately note of the udm number. :)

[wholinator2]

In addition to the others mentioned on the sibling comment (I cannot reply to it?), udm=28 is shopping, 36 is books, 37 is "products", 44 is "visual matches", 48 is "exact matches", 50 is "AI Mode" but no tab appears, 51 is homework and I stopped at 80 because the page kept removing that part of the url all the way up to that point.

[Scoundreller]

For some reason the reply button won’t pop up right away but you can click on the post’s timestamp and reply there

[Scoundreller]

Ran through the lower numbers that hit something interesting:

8 = jobs (but doesn't return any results) 15 = attractions (but doesn't return any results)