Introduction to Reddit

The main feature of the resource is the anonymity of its users. They can create an unlimited number of accounts. They do not need to provide their phone number, bank card details, or other info. Thanks to this, Reddit provides users with free and easy communication. To avoid abuse of this freedom, moderators keep things tidy on the site. To perform a Reddit promotion effectively, you should know the basic vocabulary of its regular users.

Basic Vocabulary

• Subreddit (Sub) — a forum section dedicated to a specific topic. For example, r/gaming is a community of gamers, r/science — high technology, r/cryptocurrency — cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and everything related to them.  

• Front Page — the main page that contains a feed with trending posts and links to popular topics.
• Default Subreddit — the main sections created by owners and site administrators. They are displayed on the main page by default.
• Sidebar — a window on the left side of the user interface. It is filled by the administrator of a particular section. It usually contains moderator contacts, community rules, links to related topics, etc.
• Upvote/Downvote — this is an analog of likes and dislikes on other social networks. The sum of user ratings generates the overall post rating.
• Karma — is a user’s overall rating, which is determined by the number of ratings from other participants. An upvote adds one point to it, a downvote subtracts one point.

• Link-karma is determined for the redditor’s posts; Comment-karma — for comments under their or other people’s posts.
• Shadowban — a situation when a user can see their posts and comments, but they are not available to others. It is usually used as a punishment for violating community rules.

Abbreviations and Tags for Posts

• AMA — ask me anything. It is used in the post title of a post. It means that commentators can ask the author any questions they wish.
• AMAA — ask me almost anything. The author can ignore some questions. It is considered good form to stick to the post topic in the comments.
• DAE — does anybody else?
• EDIT — an edited post or comment. Redditors usually treat them negatively. 
• ETA — edited to add. The author explains why he/she changed the original post.
• FTA — from the article.
• FTFY — fixed this for you. It is usually used in comments when a user offers the author an alternative version of the post — serious or humorous.
• IMO — in my opinion.
• IMHO — in my humble opinion.
• IIRC — if I remember correctly.
• ITT — in this thread.
• MIC — more in comments.
• NSFW — not suitable for work. This is usually used to label posts with sexual content.
• OP — the author of the original post.
• RTFA — read this **** article. An angry comment that suggests that the commentator is not adequately knowledgeable about the topic.
• SRD — subreddit drama. A post that caused a scandal that shook the entire forum section.

• TIL — today I learned. This is usually what people say when they see hot news, whether seriously or ironically.
• TL;DR — too long, didn’t read. This can be an annoyed comment or a note that means a shortened version of the post from the author.
• WIP — work in progress. An unfinished post, article, or other material.

Reddiquette

These are the general rules of the site. Violations of these rules may result in various penalties, ranging from post deletion and warnings to shadowban and lifetime account ban. The full version of the document can be found here. The main points are:

• Be human and remember that other users are people just like you. Follow the same rules of decorum you do in real life.
• Treat your posts seriously. Do not repeat other users’ posts. Avoid typos and clickbait. If you add an external link, first find the info source.
• Read the post carefully before rating and commenting on it. Avoid spam and report such posts to moderators if you see them on the forum.
• Do not violate the law, harass users, incite them to violate the law, and avoid swearing, trolling, bullying, and other forms of inappropriate behavior.

• Rate the post, not its author. If you only give positive or negative ratings to a specific user, it will not make moderators happy.
• Reddit prohibits any form of vote fraud, such as voting campaigns, lotteries, raffles, racketeering, begging, etc.
• You can’t create clickbait titles and write only in UPPERCASE, deliberately inflate the scope of events or mislead users in any other way.
• Redirects to personal blogs and sites that are not related to the topic of discussion are prohibited. Moreover, shortened links are not allowed.
• Comments must be meaningful. Spamming and attention-seeking are prohibited.

Why Use Reddit for Promotion

Owing to its huge audience, Reddit is among the top 20 most visited websites in the US and among the top 50 in the world. This platform is ahead of Twitter and LinkedIn. 

Reddit self promotion has several advantages. First, it is easy to target. The site owners and administrators have already carefully divided it into post topics. It is much easier to create a reader profile for each subreddit than to determine a Facebook visitor profile. 

Secondly, Reddit’s audience is more active and engaged. People visit this site to learn interesting and new info and discuss it with like-minded people. The chances that users will click your links and perform targeted actions are much higher than on Instagram, which people use to look at photos. 

Thirdly, Reddit does not have the clear commercial focus that most social networks have. There are much fewer ads there. Consequently, organic content that calls for a transaction will work more effectively.

How to Promote on Reddit Step-by-step

The main tip: if there is an avid redditor among your friends, colleagues, or acquaintances, ask him/her for help. The social network is so specific that it will not be possible to tell you about all its nuances in one article. To become an expert, you will need to have extensive user experience. 

Everything great starts with small things. Use this guide to get Reddit upvotes, earn a high rating, and create a base for your business promotion:

1. Create an account or even several — five at least. One of them will be your personal one, for getting interesting info, communication, and general monitoring of the situation. Two accounts will be commercial — for regular posting. And two more are backup accounts, in case the main ones are banned.

2. Install the Reddit Enhancement Suite (RES) browser plugin. It allows you to log in to multiple accounts at once and switch between them instantly. Moreover, it has other useful features that will help you hide multimedia content in comments, save info from posts to your device, and search for posts by keywords. 
3. Before you start a commercial promotion, you need to gain a certain amount of karma. Experienced forum users say that they trust only those accounts that have at least 100 points for posting and 1,000 points for comments. To get these scores, you should post interesting and unique content, communicate, and help others solve problems.

4. Focus on subreddits related to your business. Study their target audience — their demographics, behavior, and especially their communication style. Your posts will get a much higher conversion rate if you establish a trusting relationship with your audience. However, don’t limit yourself to one section — stick your foot in the door of other topics to avoid arousing suspicion. 
5. When the time comes, and you feel confident enough, start promoting your business. Create a subreddit dedicated to the product. However, don’t expect it to become instantly popular. Most likely, you will get what you want much later when tens of thousands of people get to know about your brand. 

6. Talk about your product only in thematic subreddits and related sections of the site. Avoid deliberate advertising. Share links to reviews, ratings, and guest posts on blogs rather than to commercial pages. And get ready for pitiless criticism. Anonymity on a website often gives rise to a sense of impunity and permissiveness.
7. If you post links, do it as organically as possible. Tell your readers how it can solve their problem and how it will be useful. Links that are added after a certain time look appropriate in the comments, for example: “Update: I found what you need!”
8. When you see interest in your product, move on to the question of how to get more upvotes on Reddit. Create AMA sessions, post funny and creative memes, engage partners with high ratings, and post comments in trending feeds. 
9. Never forget about the Reddiquette and the rules of each subreddit. The punishment for violations will depend on the moderator`s mood. Sometimes, they ban accounts even for the slightest offense. Hence, don’t post empty posts and comments, don’t upvote your accounts, don’t post links unnecessarily, and avoid spam ads.

Reddit Promotion Best Practices

At a first glance, the social network seems chaotic. It does not have clear order like on Twitter or Instagram. Given the peculiarities of the audience, general SMM approaches usually prove to be ineffective on this platform. Consequently, you should use special techniques created by marketers with extensive experience in Reddit promotion.

Be Active on New Posts

It is even recommended by Reddiquette. Site administrators urge users to consider upvotes and comments as “pro bono work.” Of course, not every new post in the feed attracts users’ attention. However, a well-placed comment in this section can collect dozens or even hundreds of upvotes. Such activity will help you gain karma and earn the trust of other forum members.

Participate Regularly in Subreddits

Accounts that publish posts and comments only on one topic attract the moderators` attention. And then, they may start analyzing your activity, searching for links and monitoring mentions of a particular brand. Always keep in mind that blatant advertising can be a reason for an instant ban. 

To avoid unnecessary attention to your activity, you should participate in various subreddits. Comment on global news, be surprised by technological innovations, express your admiration for sports teams, and tell about interesting blogger posts. However, do not over-egg the pudding — if the number of likes and comments exceeds the average, the situation will only get worse. 

Focus on the Quality of Your Content

This is a universal tip that applies to all areas of marketing, including SMM, SEO, and PPC. To get upvotes on Reddit, share interesting info that solves users’ problems and benefits them. For example, you can share your experience and offer a solution to a problem: “I’ve been struggling with phone mounts in my car for a long time until I found product X that meets all my requirements” or: “Do you remember that thing from the nineties? I found its modern counterpart and was filled with nostalgia.” Don’t make posts for the sake of posts and comments for the sake of comments. Moderators treat them negatively. Hence, your karma can choke as quickly as it can skyrocket.

Share Recent Events and News

Yesterday’s Apple presentation will interest people more than the 1969 Woodstock festival. However, over time, it is out of date. News on Reddit peaks in popularity within 12-36 hours. During this time, you can collect a huge number of reactions surfing the waves of hype. This is useful for gaining positive karma and commercial results. Within a day and a half, the topic discussion begins to subside, and in 5-14 days, activity returns to normal. Hence, hurry up and take advantage of this window of opportunity!

Keep Track of the Latest Content Trends

Do you think Elon Musk is still Reddit’s #1 star? The top discussion topics change daily or even several times a day. Fortunately, it’s easy to keep track of them — all trending posts are published on the site’s main page. Don’t forget to check it every time you use the social network.

Inspire Discussions

Don’t be afraid to express your opinion. If you are sure you can gain your point and convince others, feel free to start discussions. It is in these discussions that brand mentions and external links will look organic. Moreover, they increase user engagement and boost your chances to get the intended effect. For example, you can disagree that product A best meets consumer needs or express distrust in the words of a famous person and cite research materials as evidence.

Craft Attention-grabbing Titles

Use the most effective trigger words such as “free,” “new,” “easy,” “want,” “proven,” “now,” “secret,” etc. Use vivid visuals and phrases that create trust in the brand. Support your appeal with convincing numbers and hint at the offer`s urgency. Appeal to strong emotions — from love to anger, from admiration to fear. However, you should keep in mind the clickbait limits. Never promise users more than you can offer. 

Make a Use of Videos and Images

How to get upvotes on Reddit? You should post funny memes, interesting comics, and videos with cats. Such posts are guaranteed to attract attention and generate numerous comments. And this is your uh-oh moment for promotion and karma generation!

Engage with People Who Comment on Your Posts

If redditors respond to posts, reciprocate their feelings. Thank them for a positive review and give them your opinion on a negative one. The longer a post stays within users` eyeshot, the more reactions it will get. Thus, your chances of being published on the main page will grow. 

Use Karma Bombs to Your Advantage

It is a risky but very effective tactic. Look for top-rated posts and leave comments as close to the beginning of the feed as possible. However, keep in mind the Reddit etiquette. If you break the rules, you will get the opposite result.

Why should you start promoting on Reddit today?

SMM managers and marketing agencies often ignore this social network — for no reason at all! It offers a clear structure for post topics, an active audience with a high level of engagement, and a relatively low level of advertising competition. Moreover, it doesn’t require a lot of effort to get started — just create several accounts, boost upvotes, gain karma, and give your readers an organic business offer. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

How Does Reddit Promotion Work?

Organic commercial offers included in useful content can give you the best results on this social network. Direct advertising or spam can result in your account ban. Hence, each post should be carefully thought out.

Why Use Reddit for Promotion?

The site is divided into topics. It simplifies the target audience analysis. The Reddit audience is more active and engaged than on other social networks. Fewer ads mean that successful campaigns are more effective.

How Do I Promote on Reddit for Free?

You should create both personal and work accounts. Publish posts and comments and gain karma. Once you have a certain rating, you should create a section dedicated to your product and continue to share quality content.