I haven't been around 4 years ago, but I can only imagine being much worse than now, because before changes the way threads were sorted this paid bumper technique actually worked, while now it's completely useless. So if anything, it can only be easier for legit projects with genuine interest to stand out. The fact that altcoins are mostly promoted on other social media platforms like Twitter is another story...

By the way, have you considered running running signature campaign?