So making users look into the promoted tab instead of hot or trending would already go into the direction you proposed, I guess?
Or, sliding promoted content through the promoted feature into trending for a price would work well as well. If promoted runs a bidding system (which I think it kind of does). Bid your way into the top spot and appear in trending in the first 5 posts. 2nd spot in the top 10 etc. (arbitrary numbers). It could have a feature that for lower amounts you could buy into a tag trending position.
This would take away the need for bidbots to get into trending and burn the SBD in @null
It wouldn't get rid of the bidbots but there would then be a clear separation of the motivations of why to promote the posts. Bidbot users would only have the claim of profit. I have no problem with people making profit but, be honest about it and don't hide behind the various masks claiming for engagement.
Or, sliding promoted content through the promoted feature into trending for a price would work well as well. If promoted runs a bidding system (which I think it kind of does). Bid your way into the top spot and appear in trending in the first 5 posts. 2nd spot in the top 10 etc. (arbitrary numbers). It could have a feature that for lower amounts you could buy into a tag trending position.
This would take away the need for bidbots to get into trending and burn the SBD in @null
It wouldn't get rid of the bidbots but there would then be a clear separation of the motivations of why to promote the posts. Bidbot users would only have the claim of profit. I have no problem with people making profit but, be honest about it and don't hide behind the various masks claiming for engagement.