It may seem like a large, disorienting place. Perhaps you already heard that it is a great place to find news, become a member of a hobby group or even get visitors to your site or YouTube channel.
You heard right! Reddit is also a site where one can be easily banned within a very short time if one is not aware of the rules.
We can discuss the size of Reddit.
- It boasts over 1.1 billion monthly visitors.
- It possesses over 100,000 active communities (also known as subreddits).
- Reddit users in the U.S. spend an average of 30 minutes on the site daily.
Reddit is a massive city with clubs. This guide will be your map. We will teach you how to become members of the clubs, find new friends, not to be kicked out, and, hopefully, just hopefully, make people visit your stuff.
We shall speak in straightforward terms—no hard words. Let’s get started.
What is Reddit?
Reddit is like a massive network of mini-sites or forums. It can be said that high authority social bookmarking Site or a forum submission Site. The forums are dedicated to one topic each.
These sub-reddits are referred to as forums. Everything has its subreddit. Really.
- Do you like video games? Go to r/gaming.
- Do you like funny pictures? Go to r/funny.
- Well, are you interested in knowing about money? Go to r/PersonalFinance.
- You want to go and see cute animals? Go to r/aww.
A subreddit is always named starting with r/ followed by its name. This is just its address.
In these subreddits, individuals do two things:
- 1. They post content. This may be a connection, an image, a video or even a textual post.
- 2. They comment on the posts.
That’s it. Reddit is simply an enormous platform upon which individuals post items and discuss them in niche groups.
Why Beginners Should Understand Reddit Rules, Cultures, and Content Sharing
The most significant section of the entire guide is this one. You need to know this: Reddit is a community and not a billboard.
The majority of people do not succeed on Reddit, as they use it as Twitter or Instagram. They come and leave a link to their YouTube video and scream, “Look at me!
What happens next?
- Their post gets downvoted (we will see this later).
- A moderator (a “mod”) deletes his or her post.
- The moderator exiles them permanently from the subreddit.
- They failed. Why? Since they did not create any value. They just spammed.
Reddit people (they refer to themselves as Redditors) are highly protective of their communities. They hate spam. They despise individuals who just want to sell. To succeed in the world of Reddit, you have to be a good member of the community. You must give before you ask.
The first rule is to know the rules, get the culture and be able to share things in a manner that will be liked by people before you create your own content. If you don’t, you will be banned. And coming back will be quite tough.
Understanding Reddit Basics
We will divide the key components of Reddit.
1. Accounts & Profiles
When you open an account, you choose a username. Your name is used across the entire Reddit. You cannot make it bad so make it a good one.
The profile page is not very critical in the beginning. Contrary to Facebook, the users on Reddit do not actually view the profile of one another. All that they are interested in is your posts and comments in their subreddit.
This is good. It is that you are evaluated by what you say, not what you are.
2. Subreddits
We talked about this. A community focused on a single topic is called a subreddit. Each subreddit possesses its rules, moderators and its own sense.
- r/science is very serious. You must back up what you say.
- r/memes is not serious at all. It’s all for jokes.
You can never post in a new subreddit without reading its rules. The regulations are nearly always on the right side of the page (on desktop) or in the About tab (on mobile).
3. Posts & Comments
It is a post that initiates a conversation. It is the primary thing that you see on the top.
- Text post: You simply make use of words.
- Link post: You post a link on another site.
- Image post: You post an image.
- Video post: You share a video.
A comment refers to a response to a post. The most interesting (and the worst) of Reddit can be found in the comments section.
4. The Voting System
This is a core part of Reddit. Beside each comment and each post will be two arrows:
- an up arrow (normally orange-red).
- A down arrow (usually blue).
- This is how voting works:
- You upvote something in case you like it and believe it should be in the subreddit.
- When you do not like something, or it is a bad post, or it does not follow the rules, you downvote it.
The posts and comments that received more upvotes will be put on the top. People see them first. Posts and comments that are highly downvoted are filtered out to the bottom. Your goal is to get upvotes. This indicates that the community is liking what you are saying.
5. Reddit Rules & Policies
There are two rules that you should follow.
Set 1: The Site-Wide Rules
These are Reddit’s main rules. These are regarding the entire site. The most significant of them is the “Remember the Human.”
- No threatening people.
- No harassment or bullying.
- No posting illegal things.
- Cheating the system (e.g. by using fake accounts in order to upvote your posts) is forbidden.
Reddit can suspend your entire account in case you violate these rules.
Set 2: The Subreddit Rules
These are the regulations of one particular society. The rules of every subreddit vary. There may be a rule of r/pics: No screenshots.
Length, detail, and source referencing are the rules of r/AskHistorians: to answer a question, one has to write long and detailed.
Something that r/funny can do is: No text-only posts. It is at this point that most beginners fail. They make a post that falls within Reddit’s main rules but violates a subreddit’s rules. And they kicked off that subreddit.
This is because you must always read the subreddit’s rules before posting. Always.
How to use Reddit Effectively
Okay, you know the basics. So, what about the site’s actual usage?
Discovering the Right Subreddits.
You have a friend in the search bar.
- Type in your hobby. “Knitting,” “Baking,” “Cars.”
- Type in your job. “Programming,” “Graphic Design.”
- Enter the name of a game or a show you are fond of.
- On discovering a subreddit, do not post immediately.
- Instead, “Lurk.”
Lurking means you just read. You read the top posts. You read the comments. You have the sense of the community.
- What type of jokes do they use?
- What are the types of posts that receive a lot of upvotes?
- What type of posts are downvoted and screamed at?
- Wait, wait, wait, a few days, or even a week. Learn the culture first.
Posting & Commenting
During the initial weeks, you have to comment primarily.
Posting is high-risk. In case you post something bad, you are downvoted. Commenting is low-risk.
Locate a post that is new (the New or the Rising tabs) and make a comment telling about something useful or funny.
Why? This is how you build Karma. We shall discuss Karma later, but it is highly important.
Ask yourself; When you are about to post;
- 1. Were the rules of this subreddit read?
- 2. Is this post useful, funny or interesting?
- 3. I am simply trying to sell something? (If yes, DON’T post it.)
Using the Reddit App vs. the Desktop
- Reddit App (Mobile): This one is good for scrolling through, reading, and general use (what some users refer to as scrolling on the toilet).
- Reddit Site (Desktop): This is for serious use. The rules in the subreddit are easier to read (they are on the sidebar). Long and useful posts or comments can be typed more easily. It is easier to be a moderator.
Being a new user, it is better to use the desktop version when you are getting used to a new subreddit so that you can observe the rules quickly.
Specific Purposes Reddit.
- For Fun: This is easy. Create subreddits about your hobbies (r/movies, r/gardening) and start having fun.
- To learn: To learn Easy: subreddits Ex: r/photoshop, r/learnpython. Lurk and read. The search query comes before you pose a question. Your inquiry was already likely to have been answered 100 times.
- News: Subscribe to news (r/news, r/worldnews) be very careful. Every subreddit has a bias. Read comments to know what people believe.
Formatting of the content and use of flairs.
This is a bit further, though it is not difficult.
- Do not type anything before you are done with it: Formatting: When typing a comment, you may use two asterisks to make words bold, e.g. **bold text**. The italics may be done using a single asterisk: *italic text*. This makes the comments easier to read.
- Flair: A flair is one of those labels on your post. There are lots of subreddits where you need to add a flair. You can use a flair, e.g. you can add a flair to r/help that says Question or Discussion. This only assists in structuring the posts. It is always best to add a flair where the subreddit requests it.
Understanding the Reddit Culture and Rules.
Here is everything concerning how to fit in and not be banned.
The 90-9-1 Rule
This is one of the commonly known rules of the internet. It is very true on Reddit.
- 90% of people are “Lurkers.” They only read. They do not post, comment or vote.
- 9% of people are “Contributors.” They comment on posts. They vote.
- 1% of people are “Creators.” They post new things which initiate discussion.
Why does this matter?
It implies that you are not addressing other “Creators” when you make a post. You are addressing the 90 percent silent lot. It also implies that being a “Contributor” (the 9%) is an excellent beginning. You are contributing to the discussion, which is beyond the contribution of most individuals. Be a productive member and the community will like you.
Rule 7 & Other Subreddit Rules
You may hear somebody say about Rule 7. It is an excellent instance of an amateur error. There is no site-wide “Rule 7.”
When a person writes, Your post violates Rule 7, he indicates that it violates the 7th rule on the rule page of that subreddit.
Rule 7
- r/LifeProTips may be: “No video games tips.
An example of Rule 7 in r/art may be: “you are obliged to mention the artist in the title.
- Rule 7 in r/legaladvice could be: No off topic remarks/jokes.
The number doesn’t matter. The thing is that you will read the rules on the sidebar. This is the best way of escaping a ban. You cannot tell me, I was not aware of the rules. It is your job to read them.
Avoiding Bans
Getting banned feels awful. Here’s how to avoid it.
- Read the rules. (Are you tired of hearing this? It’s that important.)
- Don’t spam your own content. This will be discussed in the traffic section, however, it is spam to post links to your blog only.
- Don’t be a jerk. “Remember the Human.” Don’t insult people. Don’t call them names. You may differ, but mind your manners.
- Don’t cheat votes. Do not request your friends to upvote your post. Do not give yourself fake votes. Reddit will catch this. It is known as vote manipulation, and it can suspend your whole account on the entire Reddit.
- Be careful with a new account. Reddit’s spam filter may mark you if you have a less than a week-old account and are posting and commenting heavily. Go slow.
Karma Building
Karma is your score on Reddit. It is the sum of all the upvotes you have gotten minus the downvotes.
You have two kinds of Karma:
- 1. Post Karma: based on the upvotes on your posts.
- 2. Reward: based on karma for your comments.
Karma is your reputation.
Why does it matter?
- A lot of subreddits do not allow you to post with low Karma.
- They do this to stop spammers. Spammers never have a 0 Karma account.
- If you have 0 Karma and post a link, the mods will assume you are a spammer.
- With 5,000 Karma, posting a link, the mods will believe that you are a real community member and you are sharing something.
How to Build Karma (the easy way):
- Do not visit subreddits of free karma. They are completely bot-saturated and other subreddits will simply ban you because of using them.
- The most advantageous one: Visit a very large, widely used subreddit. r/AskReddit is the most notorious.
- Sort by “New” or “Rising.”
- Identify questions that one can answer.
- Write useful comments, funny comments, or interesting comments.
- 1,000+ Karma can be gained with even a short amusing comment on a rising post.
R/aww (cute animals) is also a good place to visit, and you can leave such simple comments as What a beautiful dog!
Do this for a week. Build at least 100–500 comment Karma. You are like a real person now. You are willing to be a part of the community.
How to generate traffic on Reddit
This is what you have all come to see. You are a blogger, a YouTube channel, a small business, or an art page. You want visitors. Reddit can drive enormous traffic. One good post will give you 100,000 visitors. You can even be banned and receive 0 visitors. The line is very thin. It’s called Self‑Promotion.
Redditors despise spam, as we said. Self-promotion is posting what you have made simply to get clicks.
So, how do you do it right?
1. The 90/10 Rule (or 9:1 Rule)
And this is the golden rule of Reddit promotion. Normal helpful participation should make 90 per cent of your activity. Pot and comment on numerous subreddits out of curiosity. Self-promotion can be 10 per cent of your activity.
This is whereby every 10 posts or comments that you make, there should be 1 post that is a link to what you are selling. What will a moderator see on your account history (they will)?
Bad History (Spammer):
- Link to my‑youtube‑video.com
- Link to my‑youtube‑video.com
- Link to my‑youtube‑video.com
This person gets banned.
It was a Good History (Member of the Community):
- Comment in r/AskReddit
- Comment in r/gaming
- Post a picture in r/baking
- Comment in r/movies
- Comment in r/baking
- Post in r/youtube_creators
- Connection with my-youtube-video.com (in a corresponding subreddit).
- Comment in r/funny
2. Read the Rules on Self-Promotion.
Each subreddit has a rule of this kind, but it differs. You can post your YouTube video on some subs (such as r/videos). Other subs (such as r/baking) may include a No Self-Promotion policy. Some subs (such as r/DIY) could reply by saying, You can post your project, but you have to include the entire guide in the comments, not only a link to your blog.
There could be specific subs (such as r/vlogging) where you can post your links, but only on that particular post, which is Feedback Friday. You must read these rules. Banishment will follow breaking them. No second chances.
3. How to Post Your Content the Best Way.
The worst is making a link post with the title “Check out my new video!”. This feels like an ad. It will be downvoted.
The best way is to add value. Example (Bad):
- Post Title: My New Blog Post!
- Post Type: Link
- Link: mycoolblog.com/10‑tips
- Result: Banned for spam
Example (Good):
- Title of the post: I tested 10 ways on how to be a more productive person in 6 months. Here is what I learned.
- Post Type: Text Post
- Post Body: (You make a long, helpful post. Here in the post, you are typing 3-4 of your greatest tips. You give real value.)
(In the very bottom you write that you wrote more about this on my blog, and that you have a free checklist. I have written the whole of the post in case you are interested: mycoolblog.com/10-tips.
Do you see the difference?
- The Good Example works first. The connection is merely for more information.
- The Bad Example is not worth anything. It makes you have to click a link in order to receive any value.
- Good Example is popular among Redditors. They will upvote you. They will thank you.
- Bad examples are abhorred by Redditors. They will complain of you being a spammer.
4. Be Part of the Community
- Locate the subreddits your people belong to. Join r/fishing, in case you have a channel about fishing.
- Don’t post your video.
- Just hang out. Answer questions. Post photos of fish that you caught.
- In a couple of weeks, your username will be familiar to people.
And then when you upload your video, they will not consider it as spam. They will regard it as a message from a nice fishing friend. Give, give, give. Then (and only then) you can ask.
Advanced Reddit Tips for Beginners
- Maybe Lurking Is a Skill: Hear This, Before Thou Speakest. It will be through reading that you will learn all the inside jokes and unwritten rules.
- Include Links in Your Profile: Your Reddit profile (no one visits it) can include links to your site, YouTube, or Twitter. This is 100% safe. Then, when you make good remarks, people may be interested and thus go to see who you are and click your link. This is a very inactive, risk-free way to acquire traffic.
- Reddit Search with Google: The native search engine of Reddit is not good. To be better, it is always good to visit Google and enter the following query: best laptop for students Reddit. Google finds the best Reddit discussions.
- Not All Subreddits are Equal: the upvote of r/AskHistorians (very strict) is worth more than the upvote of r/memes. The subs are entertaining, some are serious. Know the difference.
Conclusion
Reddit is an amazing place. It may become the most entertaining, useful, and supportive community online. It may also be a disorienting, nasty place where you are banned because of a trivial error. The difference is you. When you use Reddit as a billboard to shout on, you will not succeed.
When you make it a community just like a real one, a community to listen to, to learn, and to share, then you will be doing well. You are supposed to become a human and not a marketer.
Build your Karma. Read the rules. Be helpful. Do so, and you will become a real Redditor. The likes and the traffic will come. Good luck.
FAQs
1. What is the question? How do you use Reddit as a new person?
It is best done by lurking (just read). Track down subreddits (communities) of your hobbies. Read the rules. Next, you should begin with little supportive remarks to accumulate your Karma (score of reputation).
2. What is the way to earn more karma on Reddit?
Get on a large subreddit such as r/AskReddit. Sort by “New” or “Rising.” Respond to questions or comment humorously, simple. When your remarks are upvoted, your karma increases. Free karma subreddits should not be used.
3. Is it possible to promote YouTube using Reddit?
Yes, but be very careful. Read the 90/10 principle. 90% of your posts are supposed to be ordinary community comments, and only 10% can be self-promotion. Locate a subreddit that accepts video posts, read the subreddit rules and attempt to post your video in a useful text post.
4. What is the 90 -9 -1 rule and its importance?
It implies that 90% of the users are just readers, 9% are commentators, and 1% are authors of new posts. It is not necessary to be a good member by posting new things every now and then.
5. What can be done to prevent bans and rule-breaking on Reddit?
Easy: Read the guidelines of each subreddit before making a post. Each subreddit contains various rules that are generally found on the “sidebar” or the About tab.
