Should Marketplace Threads Be Searchable Outside the Forum?

[koyala]

Indexing sales threads can bring external buyers, but it may also attract spam and scams. Is it better to keep marketplace sections private or open to search engines?

 

[Dominique]

It depends on the community’s goals. Public indexing can bring more buyers, improve SEO, and help sellers get visibility. But it also increases spam, scraping, and privacy risks. Some forums allow indexing for verified sellers only or hide prices to balance exposure and control.