Reddit is a social media and content platform with millions of users, and it can be a great platform for content creators to reach a new audience. However, there are also some potential downsides to consider before posting on Reddit. This article will explore the pros and cons of posting on Reddit as a content creator, so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not it's right for you.
What is Reddit Exactly?
Reddit is a social media platform that allows users to submit content, such as text posts or direct links. Other users can then vote the submitted content up or down, which determines its position on the page.
Reddit is organized into subreddits, which are essentially sub-forums dedicated to specific topics. For example, there might be a subreddit for cat lovers, or a subreddit for people who live in a certain city.
Content that receives a lot of upvotes rises to the top of its subreddit, and is seen by more people. This makes Reddit a great place for content creators, because it allows them to get their content seen by a large and engaged audience.
It's important to note that Reddit is a platform with a very strict set of rules. Before posting on Reddit, be sure to read the specific rules of the subreddit you're posting in, as well as the general rules of Reddit.
Pros of Posting on Reddit
First, let’s go over all the pros of posting on Reddit, because there are quite a few positives when it comes to leveraging Reddit in order to promote your content.
You're exposed to a massive and engaged audience
Firstly, you're exposed to a massive and engaged audience. Reddit has over 430 million monthly active users, so there's a good chance that your target audience is on the platform.
In addition, Redditors are generally quite engaged with the content they're consuming. Upvoting and downvoting system ensures that only the best content rises to the top, while comments allow for discussion and feedback between users. As a content creator, this engagement is invaluable as it allows you to gauge the reaction of your audience and improve your content accordingly.
Of course, there are also some downsides to posting on Reddit as a content creator. One of these is the fact that your content can be quickly buried if it's not popular enough. With so much new content being posted every day, it's easy for yours to get lost in the shuffle if it doesn't receive enough upvotes. In addition, some subreddits have very strict rules about what kind of content is allowed, which can limit what you're able to post.
You raise your SEO
Additionally, posting on Reddit can help you raise your SEO. Reddit is a high-traffic website, and the links that are directed to and from Reddit consist of considerable SEO value. So, if you can get your content posted on Reddit, you're likely to see a bump in your SEO.
Subreddits make it easy for you to promote your content
Another pro is that subreddits make it easy for you to promote your content. Subreddits are basically forums with specific themes. The politics subreddit invites people to post about politics. The history subreddit does the same.
In fact, there are subreddits for just about everything, so you can find ones that are relevant to your industry or niche and promote your content there. It’s a great way to find people who are more likely to enjoy what you have to offer
Reddit is relatively less censored.
Finally, Reddit is relatively less censored than other social media platforms. Facebook and Instagram are notorious for their censorship of content. Twitter has likewise upped their censorship over the years.
On the other hand, Reddit is still pretty open when it comes to what sort of content you can post. There are some exceptions, such as promoting violence against people. But otherwise Reddit will allow a wide range of content, including adult content as well.
This means that you're more likely to be able to post content that wouldn't be allowed on other major social media platforms. So on Reddit, you can post away to your heart’s content.
Cons of Posting on Reddit
As much as there are pros to Reddit, there are also cons. It’s not a perfect platform. So let’s take a look at the negatives.
Your content could get reposted without your permission
When you post content on Reddit, there is always the risk that your content could be reposted without your permission. People can crosspost your content to another subreddit, or they can just grab the image and repost elsewhere in Reddit, or god forbid on other websites and platforms. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, since it could count as free promotion, it can be frustrating if you feel like you're not getting credit for your work. Besides, it’s always better to have control over where your content gets posted.
People aren't as friendly to promotions for paid services
In addition, people on Reddit are generally not as receptive to promotions for paid services as they are on other platforms. This is because Reddit is a platform that is known for its DIY ethic and its community-oriented nature. They don’t appreciate marketing, and they tend to punish those who are trying to sell something with downvotes. So if you are looking to make a sale or get more paid subscribers, you may have a tougher time on Reddit.
The anonymous nature of reddit makes it hard to punish bad actors.
Finally, Reddit is a platform built on anonymity. All you need to create a Reddit account is an email, and it does not reveal any information that the account holder doesn’t want to show. While this is true for other social media platforms like Twitter, Reddit takes this to another level. The anonymous nature of Reddit makes it difficult to punish bad actors who may be harassing you or ripping your content off. Even if you do get them banned from Reddit, they’ll simply make a new account and quickly come back.
How to best post on Reddit
Once you weigh the pros and cons of posting on Reddit, you may come to the conclusion that you indeed need to get on the platform. For that, you’ll need to stick to some best practices.
Create a subreddit
Creating a subreddit is a great way to get started on Reddit. This will allow you to have full control over the content that is posted and the community that is built around it, which is advantageous since you won’t have to deal with overzealous mods. Often content creators will make a subreddit that bears their name or is especially focused on the type of content they create.
Engage with People
Reddit is not just another platform. It’s a place of closely knit communities. This means that you need to engage with people. Interaction is key in developing meaningful bonds between you and Reddit’s users, and such connections are what you need. This can be done by posting interesting content, commenting on other people's posts, and by participating in the community.
Heavily watermark your content
There will always be the risk of others stealing and reposting your content. This can be done by individuals, but as well as bots that scrape content from Reddit. Heavily watermarking your content can ensure that should it be reposted elsewhere that you can still benefit from the traffic and be recognized for your work. Should a subreddit not allow watermarking to outside sources, you may want to reconsider participating in that particular sub.
Find subreddits that you fit within
Lastly, you should also try to find subreddits that you fit within. This can be done by searching for keywords that relate to your niche, and seeing what subreddits there are available. This is important because such places will give you that early boost you need when starting out on a new platform.
Try Reddit
Like anything, mastering Reddit will take some trial and error. You’ll have to learn certain things the hard way, and that is fine. Earn your Karma, post good content, and be an active part of the community. At the end of the day, getting better at Reddit is about being able to connect to people better.
