Reddit is a dynamic social media platform that allows individuals to engage in thousands of existing communities, known as subreddits, or even create their own subreddit if an existing one doesn’t exist or suit their needs.
Users can browse, engage with, or submit content to these subreddits. There’s a voting system that determines the content’s visibility, allowing popular content to rise to the top, while less engaging content moves further down the feed.
Screenshot from Reddit, September 2024
For non-logged-in users, Reddit’s front page displays a curated view of content from various “safe” communities, which is organized by popularity.
Logged-in users see a personalized front page featuring content from their subscribed subreddits, again ranked by popularity.
Table Of Contents
1. Reddit’s Unique Position In Social Media2. Navigating Reddit’s Ecosystem3. The Value Of Pseudonymity4. Understanding Reddit’s Algorithm5. Becoming An Active Redditor6. The Importance Of Commenting7. Avoiding The Spam Label8. Identifying Suitable Subreddits9. Creating Effective Reddit Content10. Maintaining Integrity On Reddit11. Start Now, Thrive Tomorrow
Reddit’s Unique Position In Social Media
Reddit has played a significant role in shaping internet culture, including:
Influencing meme creation and propagation.
Pioneering crowdfunding initiatives.
Popularizing the AMA (Ask Me Anything) interview format.
Fostering deep, meaningful online discussions.
For marketers, Reddit presents a unique opportunity to connect with potential customers in a space where users actively seek to learn, debate, and engage with topics they’re passionate about.
Reddit’s reach and engagement are impressive:
91.2 million daily active uniques, an increase of 51% year-over-year.
More than 100,000 active communities.
Approximately 16 billion comments across these communities.
Reddit’s user base is diverse and valuable, with a growing international presence (over 50% of traffic now originates outside the U.S.).
The platform attracts a well-educated audience with significant purchasing power, making it an attractive target for marketers.
Additionally, the platform’s influence extends beyond its own ecosystem.
In 2024, Google entered a $60 million agreement with Reddit to provide real-time content access and utilize its data in AI model training.
This partnership has increased Reddit’s visibility in search results, with users often appending “reddit” to their queries to access more authentic information.
Screenshot from search for [best electric car suv 2024], Google, September 2024
Navigating Reddit’s Ecosystem
To succeed on Reddit, it’s crucial to understand its unique characteristics and unwritten rules.
Subreddit-Specific Rules
While Reddit has overarching guidelines, each subreddit operates with its own set of rules. These can be highly specific and vary greatly between communities.
Screenshot from Reddit (/r/socialmedia), September 2024
Screenshot from Reddit (/r/funny), September 2024
For instance, r/dataisbeautiful, one of Reddit’s most popular subreddits, requires all diagrams to have at least one computer-generated element.
Always review a subreddit’s rules before participating to avoid potential bans.
The Value Of Pseudonymity
Reddit’s culture is built on pseudonymity. Most users, including founders and administrators, operate under usernames that don’t reveal their real-world identities.
Unless you’re managing a branded account for advertising purposes or overseeing a branded subreddit, it’s advisable to use a pseudonym.
For those with branded accounts, maintaining a separate pseudonymous account for general participation is recommended.
Reddit allows multiple accounts per user, provided they’re not used to manipulate the voting system.
Understanding Reddit’s Algorithm
Reddit’s content ranking algorithm uses a logarithmic scale based on upvotes, downvotes, and other engagement factors.
In simple terms, the first 10 votes on a submission carry as much weight as the next 100, which in turn carry as much weight as the next 1,000.
This means that initial engagement is crucial for a submission’s success. However, attempting to manipulate this system is strongly discouraged and can result in severe penalties.
Instead, focus on creating high-quality titles and descriptions, and consider adding thoughtful comments to encourage positive engagement.
Keep in mind that Reddit’s algorithm now also considers factors like comments and overall user interaction.
Becoming An Active Redditor
To truly understand and succeed on Reddit, it’s essential to become an active participant in the community.
Screenshot from Reddit, September 2024
Engage with subreddits aligned with your interests and expertise.
Familiarize yourself with the nuances of each community and contribute to discussions where you can add value.
Learn the Reddit language so that when you engage in each Subreddit, you sound like you belong.
Trust me, there are a lot of Reddit terms and phrases you definitely do not know but should if you want to have success on Reddit. Check out this handy Reddit Lingo Guide.
The Importance Of Commenting
Commenting is a fundamental aspect of Reddit participation. It’s the primary way to connect with other users, demonstrate community involvement, and even help avoid being labeled as a spammer.
To build karma efficiently, monitor the “rising” tab and contribute early to posts gaining traction, as well as participate in lower barriers to entry subreddits, like /r/meme, /r/oddlysatisfying, and /r/aww.
Avoiding The Spam Label
Reddit’s definition of spam is different from other platforms, but it’s clear they take it seriously, and if you’re not careful, you can quickly be labeled as a spammer.
Spam on Reddit isn’t just about posting links or overly promotional content – it’s more nuanced and tied to how you engage with the community.
Let’s break down the major actions that could get you flagged as spam on Reddit:
Exclusively Posting Self-Created Content
Reddit is a place to share and discuss, not just promote your own material.
If all you do is post your own stuff without engaging with others or sharing content from other sources, you’ll quickly be seen as self-serving, which will limit your success on Reddit.
Posting Without Engaging In Comments
This is one of the most common pitfalls. You can’t just drop a link and disappear.
Reddit is all about community interaction, so if you’re not jumping into the conversation around your post or others, you’re missing the point.
Comments are where the magic happens – it’s your chance to build credibility and trust.
Submitting Off-Topic Content To A Subreddit
Each subreddit has its own culture, tone, and rules.
Posting content that doesn’t align with the community’s focus is a quick way to be labeled as a spammer.
Take the time to understand what each subreddit values, and tailor your contributions accordingly.