Reddit is one of the internet’s premier places to discuss the latest news, memes, and just about anything else you can think of. While you can get a lot out of Reddit just by browsing, after a while you may decide it’s time to create an account and join in.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Before you start posting, though, it’s a good idea to go over some basic rules of Reddit etiquette—often referred to as “Reddiquette.” Let’s talk about some things not to do on Reddit. Avoid them, and you’ll be on your way to a more enjoyable experience.
1. Don’t jump in right away
If you haven’t browsed around Reddit much, we don’t recommend you start submitting content right away. The first thing you should do to get an idea of how it works is take a look around the site, check the rules for your favorite subreddits, and see what kind of Reddit posts make the front page.
After some time looking around, reading these tips, and catching up on the Reddit 101 guide, you should be better equipped to start posting.
2. Don’t beg for upvotes
To decide which posts are the best, Reddit allows users to upvote or downvote content. Obviously, the posts with the best scores rise to the top. However, this should happen systematically.
Starting your post with “Upvote if…” or “Can we get this on the front page?” Include phrases like Not allowed. As the warning on the old Reddit interface says when you create a new post, doing so is a “violation of intergalactic law”. Doing so may cause the moderator to remove your post.
Instead, submit content with a clever title that is interesting in itself, and the upvotes will come naturally. And if they don’t, then your fellow Redditors haven’t deemed your content good enough to be seen. Don’t take it personally, luck plays a big part in what becomes popular on Reddit.
3. Don’t repost content
A common problem on Reddit is reposting—sharing content that isn’t new. Sometimes people do this to signal-boost great content. After all, not everyone is online at the same time, so you might miss the highest rated Reddit post. This type of reposting is acceptable at times, but there is another, much worse type.
Many reposts involve people stealing someone else’s photo or video and pretending it’s their own. After a post goes viral, they wait a few months, and share it again (sometimes with the exact same title). Often these again get a lot of upvotes, but you’ll also see curious people calling out reposts in the comments. The above is an example.
Don’t bother with reposts. It is better to share fresh content rather than trying to repeat past successes.
4. Don’t leave useless comments
Reddit comments are a place to dive deeper into the linked article, make jokes about the image, or go completely off-topic in a long thread. These are all fine, but you should avoid low quality comments.
Leaving comments like “this”, “lol”, or “came here to say this” is useless and not helpful at all. You can show your agreement by upvoting a comment; Just leave a comment if you have something worthwhile to say.
5. Don’t downvote content you disagree with
It makes sense that you should upvote any content that you think is solid. But the downvote button is often misunderstood. It is not intended as an “I disagree” button. Rather, you should only downvote content that is low-quality, off-topic, or otherwise shouldn’t be on Reddit.
So if you click on a link and it goes to a spammy site, downvote it. If a post doesn’t follow the subreddit’s rules, downvote it. But don’t downvote just because you personally don’t agree with the article or content being shared. There can be an interesting discussion behind something that you personally do not like.
6. Don’t Self-Promote
For the most part, Reddit disdains self-promotion. Since this is designed to be a place where you can share cool online content you’ve found, your own book, art, website, or similar shilling doesn’t mind. As such, you should avoid submitting links to your own website or YouTube channel, or promoting a cause in which you are personally involved.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t share anything of your own on Reddit. You’ll find several subreddits dedicated to sharing your artistic work, such as r/ITookAPicture and r/MusicCritic. But in general, don’t post just to increase clicks on your content.