Policy on promoting personal projects

Question

I just wanted to make a post regarding this posts that include personal projects and articles and would like some sort of consensus from the community (if there isn't one already). As a general rule I think we should not allow for promotion of personal content on this platform as it fills an otherwise useful website up with noise and spam.

I'm saying this in spite of being a content creator myself as I feel this site serves a completely separate purpose.

Practically speaking what does this mean?

No links to external non-academic sources in questions/answers.

This means i don't think its useful to say (albeit with a bit of sarcasm)

EconJohn Writes:
... and thats why we need to use my microsoft excel randomizer model for the probability of intergalactic space slavery for understanding international trade policy between Canada and Austria. check this out more on my youtube channel/blog (URL).

now though id like to make a policy regarding questions of "inventing new models" (though im probably guilty of this in the past and still have fun with the exercise on my own website), I feel first and for most we need to have written site policy regarding the promotion of self made materials and external sources.

Answer 1

I suggest that a post which links to personal content should be judged on its merits:

a) Is the linked content genuinely relevant to the question or answer?

b) Is it, whether in an academic context or not, of a standard likely to be helpful to users of this site. Note that "non-academic" sources could be taken to include not only personal blogs but also things like publications of government statistical offices, and books which are on the borderline between academic and for the general reader.

c) As with any link, does the post include a summary of the linked content or indication of what it is about, or is it a bare link?

d) Does it appear that the main motive is to post a good question or answer, rather than to promote their own content?

So I agree that promotion of personal content should be discouraged, but a ban on any links to non-academic sources would I think be going too far.