If you’ve been obsessing over SERP rankings, which you should, then you would have noticed Reddit’s increasing dominance in nearly every keyword. That is why more brands than ever are desperate to go viral on Reddit.
However, that is easier said than done.
Unlike other platforms where users tolerate blatant marketing, Reddit does not, a lesson many brands have learned the hard way.
This guide will teach you how to not only go viral but also how to build a community that can yield repeat success and sales.
First, let’s begin with the basics.
Things You Need to Understand About Reddit
Every brand that has tried and failed at going viral on Reddit has not taken the time to understand how unique the social network is.
Even though every social media platform is distinct, Reddit takes the cake. As one Redditor (that’s what users are called) defined it, it is the social media for people who hate social media.
While Redditors love memes, reels, and everything else shared on other platforms, they value genuine conversations the most.
That, by the way, is also why Google keeps favoring Reddit results.
Reddit is a forum-style network where users socialize via different communities called subreddits.
Each subreddit has a specific theme built for people passionate about that topic. Some have a few dozen members, while some have tens of millions.
The quality of interactions via posts and comments determines the community’s success. That is why Subreddits have strict rules to protect the quality of comments and users.
If you hope to go viral on Reddit, you must follow both community and Reddit rules or Reddiquette.
One rule that is site-wide is upvotes and downvotes. When subredditors like your post or comment, you get upvotes.
Posts with a lot of upvotes can get on the front page of Reddit or get shared by other users on their subreddits.
If you consistently get a lot of downvotes, you could get a shadowban. You can still post and comment, but nobody will see them. Brands or people constantly promoting a service also risk a shadowban.
The most valuable commodity on Reddit is karma. This is a rating system that rewards you for your contributions to the platform.
When you have high karma, both Reddit and Redditors trust your content, which can help you go viral.
Some subreddits also have minimum karma requirements, and some of these groups can be quite lucrative, especially for your SEO.
Karma is so valuable that there is a market to buy high karma profiles.
How to Boost Your Karma and Increase Your Odds of Going Viral on Reddit
High karma does not guarantee you’ll go viral; you can also go viral with low karma. However, the way to build karma can also help you go viral.
If you don’t have time to build your karma and want to go viral on Reddit right away, skip to the next section.
However, if you want to build a fanbase on Reddit that could yield high-quality leads consistently, here is what you need to do.
1. Find the right subreddits to focus on
Subreddits can be a goldmine for businesses, but only if you target the right ones. Over 3.4 million subreddits have been created, although only 138,000 are now active.
However, new ones pop up every day. Unless you have a dedicated marketing team, it is best to focus on only a handful of communities to begin with.
You can start by joining industry-specific groups. If you have a physical store, look for any location groups. Also, check for subreddits focusing on any particular goods or services you offer.
A good tool to help you find subreddits is Anvaka.
Before committing to a group, review their rules to ensure they benefit your business. Next, spend a bit of time studying how people interact in the community before you start commenting.
Offer as much value as possible without self-promotion, and the community will begin to trust you.
2. Comment occasionally in larger subreddits
When you join a community with millions of members, you can’t expect to get a lot of upvotes or interaction compared with smaller groups with under 200k members.
However, that does not mean you should ignore them. Keep your eye out on larger groups and trending posts on the frontpage to find opportunities to add value.
You can also use smaller subreddits as a testing platform. If the post performs well there, chances are it could do the same in a large group.
3. Provide quality content and comments
Subreddits are made of people with genuine concerns looking for genuine answers. If you can provide this in a manner that follows the Reddiquettes, you will be rewarded with karma.
Avoid, at all costs, any posts that don’t offer specific solutions or are purely promotional. However, that does not mean you can’t find creative ways around it.
For example, some subreddits allow you to ask members to give feedback on a product. Some groups like r/Entrepreneur allow you to offer free services or promos to the community on Thursdays.
4. Respond to comments promptly
When people reply to your comments or posts, ensure that you respond on time. This is crucial not just for upvotes but also for going viral.
Replying to comments is particularly important when you initiate an Ask Me Anything (AMA).
Replying also lets people know that you are not a spammer or a bot, which is important if you want to prevent a shadowban.
5. Post at the right time per group
Here is where it gets a bit tricky. While there are general rules for the best time to post on Reddit, subreddits don’t necessarily have the same schedules. You need to study each subreddit to find the best time to post.
Alternatively, you can use this cheeky strategy. Some Redditors will delete their post and repost it later if they don’t get enough traction initially. However, you can only do that if your karma is high enough.
6. Comment and add value to trending posts
You’ve probably seen this many times on other platforms – a comment on a popular post gets more likes than the post itself. You can do the same thing on Reddit.
Scour the front page to find relevant posts to your industry and give a thoughtful response to each one, adding details the original post missed. You can also answer questions users have before the poster gets a chance.
If you don’t have time to find trending posts manually, you can automate the process using Zaps.
7. Be strategic when promoting posts
Promoted posts are another way to get karma, as the posts can get upvoted like organic ones. However, you have to do this sparingly and you must get the messaging just right.
As mentioned earlier, Redditors don’t like blatant marketing, but they can tolerate it when it is from an active member.
You also need to demonstrate the value of the post. Avoid promoted posts until you fully understand how the platform works or get help from an expert.
How to Create Viral Content on Reddit
Now that we’ve discussed the longer way to go viral on Reddit by boosting your karma, here is a more direct route anyone can use.
Step 1: Analyse top or trending stories
The quickest way to go viral is to jump on an already viral trend. As mentioned in the previous section, you can do this using Zapier automation or go further with Later for Reddit.
This tool analyzes recent top posts and provides data like the times they were posted, keywords used, and other information you’ll need to recapture the magic.
Step 2: Create a similar blog on your site
Once you’ve found a viral post that is relevant to your business, create a blog that provides more actionable insights than the trending one.
You will then share the post on Reddit using high-quality visuals if needed.
Step 3: Share the post on different subreddits
Crossposting is when you share content from one community to others. Reddit allows you to do this for all subreddits that permit it. Viewers will be able to track the original source and view your karma score.
If you belong to a group that doesn’t allow crossposting, you can simply tweak the post and share it manually.
Step 4: Don’t stop with just Reddit
If you are active on other platforms like X or Facebook, share a link to the Reddit post there. You should also share a comment on your post and share your other social handles.
Nobody said that going viral on Reddit means that all of it must happen on Reddit.
How to Go Viral on Reddit: Conclusion
There is no surefire formula to help you go viral on Reddit. The reality is most people go viral by luck. However, brands that follow these steps tend to get “lucky” more often than others.
It is important to reiterate that while Reddit is not the easiest social media platform to grasp, it is worth the investment.
However, if gaining access to a steady stream of qualified leads, boosting your SEO results, and getting free product testing doesn’t appeal to you, then this isn’t the right platform for you.
If you want all those things and more, commit fully to this guide and consider optimizing with LLM SEO and you’ll be reaping the benefits for years to come.