✨ There are "groups" as well! Because of how Mastodon works, following a hashtag only gives you posts that your server knows about. "Groups" are bots that boost /every/ post they're tagged in. Type "[your interest]@a.gup.pe" into the search bar to follow them.

✨ It's encouraged to use hashtags and groups on your own posts! There's no full text search, so hashtags are the only way to make your posts searchable. You won't be punished by an algorithm (because there isn't one).

✨ It's also encouraged to interact with people! Say hi under introduction posts, tell that person how pretty their art is, join a conversation about one of your interests. Genuine connection is valued here.

✨ A couple more things that are encouraged here are alt text and content warnings! If you can, make your posts accessible (and more likely to be boosted) by adding a description to any media (just a few words is better than nothing), and warn for any common squicks/triggers as a courtesy.

✨ The report button actually works here! If you're on a well-moderated instance, your mods should quickly respond to any concerns you raise, including concerns about microaggressions. They have many options for moderation, including just giving a gentle warning.

✨ If you're /not/ on a well-moderated instance, you should move! It's super easy. You can transfer everything except your posts, and you can download an archive of those. Here's a guide: https://docs.joinmastodon.org/user/moving/

✨ You can find a specific post, even from another instance, by putting the URL in the search box!

✨ You can also search a specific hashtag on a specific person's profile! Use the format INSTANCE.NAME/@USER/tagged/TAG.

✨ If you post a thread, you can keep from spamming by using visibility settings! Set the first post (with any tags) as Public, then the rest as Unlisted. It'll still be visible to everyone if they click through, but only the first post will show up on Federated/Local timelines.