This article is part of our extensive series on Reddit Marketing. If you haven’t read our Complete Guide to Reddit Marketing, we suggest you start here. Enjoy!
In this post I’m going to talk about five common Reddit fails that could lead to your accounts getting banned or deleted.
Like we’ve mentioned before, guerilla marketing on Reddit is a tricky business.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re simply trying to promote a personal project or about to launch a full-blown Reddit marketing campaign for your biz. Getting your accounts banned is something you want to avoid as much as possible.
Surprisingly, many people fail to do the necessary steps needed to avoid bans and deleted Reddit posts.
If you’re planning to wield the power of Reddit marketing, make sure to avoid the following pitfalls.
1 – Not observing proper Reddiquette
Reddiquette refers to the core set of values that all Redditors must uphold.
It’s a rather long list of guidelines, but taking it to heart will massively improve your chances of succeeding on the site, and decrease your chances of ending up with a deleted comment.
The list of do’s and don’ts cover all sorts of matters related to using the platform — from stating your reason for editing posts to handling spam and flame wars.
Thriving on Reddit largely hinges on how well you embrace and assimilate to the unique culture of the site. Think of Reddiquette as the foundation on which you can build your Reddit success.
Following it is a crucial step that you simply shouldn’t overlook in order to keep your deleted Reddit comments to a minimum
2 – Not being on the right subreddit
One of the main selling points of Reddit is the ease with which you can customize your experience. It’s ridiculously simple to find and join subreddits you’re interested in.
You can personalize your feed to your heart’s content so you don’t have to see things you don’t really care about.
You know that one Facebook friend who complains about a different trivial matter each day? Yeah, you don’t have to deal with that on Reddit (Well, at least not as much).
Because of this, it’s easy to see why Redditors can be fiercely protective of the subreddits they belong in. If you post on the wrong sub, chances are high that you’ll be flooded with “Wrong sub!” comments from annoyed users.
And that’s the best-case scenario. If the subreddit’s mods are particularly strict, you can get shadowbanned right away.
Moral of the story? Make sure you’re posting on the right sub! We’ve done an in-depth article on finding the best subreddits to promote in, so make sure to check that out to learn where your Reddit post belongs.
3 – Neglecting to check the subreddit’s rules
Every subreddit has its own set of rules that you, as a member, must abide by. Blatantly violating subreddit rules is one of the most common reasons for banned accounts and deleted posts.
Some subs will have a short list of simple guidelines for their Reddit posts and comments, but other subs might not be as straightforward.
That said, it’s always a good idea to carefully study these rules. If in doubt, message the mods!
4 – Not familiarizing yourself with the subreddit’s culture
I’m not telling you to pander to the majority’s desires at the expense of your own opinion. However, if you want to succeed as a Redditor, being sensitive to the culture prevalent in your chosen subreddits will go a long way.
Not only will this help you craft better posts and increase your chances of shooting to the top of the Hot page, but it will also help you avoid getting banned or ending up with a deleted Reddit post.
Obviously, not being one of the cool kids isn’t a crime. The mods aren’t going to shut you out just because you don’t jive well with everyone on the sub.
However, some subreddits do ban users that constantly get a massive number of downvotes. So if your posts are designed to ruffle some feathers, you must make sure you’re doing it tastefully.
5 – Going overboard with self-promotion
Reddit users generally hate self-promotion, period.
While posting links to your website, blog, or channel isn’t entirely illegal, you have to be careful not to go overboard. Saturating a subreddit with self-promoting posts is an easy way to get banned.
This is why many subreddits implement strict self-promotion limits (if not totally forbid them). Some subs will let you post one self-promo over a certain period (like once every 14 days, for example).
Others will look at the ratio of your self-promo posts to the rest of your content and use that as a basis to decide whether you’re getting a deleted post or just plain kicked out of the sub.
Posting a good mix of your own links and other high-quality content with a relevant post title is the best strategy. Needless to say, a certain level of subtlety is needed here.
However, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and keep the fraction of self-promo posts on your profile to a minimum.
How to avoid being deleted or banned
Following the rules mentioned above and avoiding these five common pitfalls should dramatically improve your chances of surviving on Reddit.
From the points we’ve discussed, it’s clear that attention to detail is crucial if you want to thrive on the platform and minimize removed comments.
On top of that, successful Reddit marketing campaigns heavily bank on being able to maintain a certain level of savvy and subtlety in order to avoid getting banned from key Reddit pages.
If you’ve already tried your hand at marketing on the platform with your own user account, then you probably know that striking that delicate balance between subtlety and promotion is a lot harder than it looks.
And that’s exactly what Soar’s Managed Reddit services are all about. Running a Reddit marketing campaign is risky, but the payoff can be monumental when it’s left in good hands.
So, are you ready to leave your Redding campaign to the experts? Reach out to Soar here for professionally curated Reddit comments and posts!