I'd like to dispel some myths about what you've said here, in case other people who are considering using RR may be discouraged. Note, this can happen to people, and I'm not saying that what you've done is necessarily wrong, just that this isn't the only experience that can happen on RR.
1. I disagree with the 'Jump through hoops like a seal' statement. I've only done a single 'review swap' and it was optional. One of my readers left a review, and asked if I'd be interested in reading their story and leaving a review. I gave it a look, found it interesting, and left a review. I never went to the forums seeking them out, and as of right now, that's the only review I've written on RR.
2. Advertising is something that people mess up a lot on RR. I've seen it multiple times. I've run 2 ad campaigns now, and both resulted in a net income boost on my Patreon. People think advertising is just about getting eyes on your story. If those eyes are people who wouldn't want to read your story, then you'll get swamped with negative reviews. Both my ad campaigns were targeted at individuals who would enjoy reading my story, and even then I've taken a very small hit to my overall rating thanks to them. They're a double edged sword. I also only started running them when I was confident that my story was high enough quality to support running an ad campaign. Too many people put the cart before the horse on this and end up just burning money.
3. They do have different standards than Scribblehub and certain content isn't allowed (and it has become more restrictive since they put their app up on the google play store). This is what it is.
The review swaps were mistake.
They were, however, suggested as the one thing the starting writer not only could but also should do in order to "get eyes on their story" so I went alone with it. I did from 40 to 50 review swaps. First, it was in order to get the views, the eyes of the story, as it was suggested, then I become the desperate to remedy the damage the "fixers" had caused as punishment for doing what I was suggested to do.
If I could suggest anything to people still willing to try the Royal Road, do
not do review swaps. Never ever. Review swaps are the suicide pact of the Royal Road. I was stupid seal to jump through their hoop, and I was punished for it. Once you jump, you could never stop jumping. The necessity to keep up with the retarded mechanics of the Royal Road would burn one out sooner than writing the story would.
I would always help other writers up. It was bad for them, as it was bad for me. They were also struggling for views, for attention, for positive feedback. I think there was one I swapped with that made it. But for most, it was a trap, which lead to another trap - and the second one would cost real money.
The Royal Road personifies the "unwanted feedback" this thread speaks about on an industrial scale. And revel in it, to make money.
Not only writing is competitive level on the Royal Road. The "feedback" is too.
I was, in fact, so keen to hear something positive for the chance that I did asked Reddit if there are sites you could post the story on that aren't the a ... Royal Road.
There is a reason why someone put the Reddit mascot on the images I posted.
Needless to say, I didn't like the answer.
Of course that all the writers receive the negative feedback. You couldn't be traditionally published successful author without receiving at least a few death threats.
Only hobbyist receive the negativity during the creative process, not after the work is completed.
And they can wonder whether the posting anything was worth it.
If they didn't react to it, and "toughed up" a little, the others wouldn't receive quite a kick from being negative, and in the end, no one would interact with anyone.
Internet interactions are strange anyway.
To cite the certain movie "strange game. Only winning move is not to play."