Reddit Posting Skill

Platform Overview

Reddit is a network of communities (subreddits) organized by topic. Posts succeed when they provide genuine value to the community. Self-promotion must be balanced with authentic participation. Reddit has 1.7B+ monthly active users and is the #1 platform for community-driven content.

Account Requirements

CRITICAL: Reddit's platform-level spam filters auto-remove posts from new or low-karma accounts. This is NOT a subreddit mod rule — it is Reddit's own filter and cannot be bypassed by changing content.

• Minimum Karma: ~100 karma recommended to post freely. Some subreddits require 1,000+.
• Account Age: Many subreddits require accounts to be 7-30 days old before posting.
• Subreddit Karma: Some subs track karma earned within that specific subreddit.
• Comment vs Post Karma: Comment karma is easier to build. Start by commenting helpfully.
• External Links: Posts containing external links (GitHub, personal sites) from low-karma accounts are auto-removed by Reddit's filters — even if the content is legitimate.
• Building Karma: Comment helpfully on r/AskReddit, r/CasualConversation, r/NoStupidQuestions for 2-7 days before attempting to post links.

Platform Constraints

• Title: Max 300 characters (keep under 100 for best engagement)
• Body: Max 40,000 characters for self-posts
• Media: Images, videos, polls, links
• Flair: One flair per post (required in many subreddits — post FAILS without it)
• Links: URL posts or self-posts with inline links
• Rate Limiting: Reddit rate-limits posting frequency per account
• Cross-posting: Reddit's built-in crosspost feature is distinct from reposting

Pre-Post Checklist

Before attempting to post, the agent MUST verify:

1. Check account karma: If karma < 100, WARN the user that the post will likely be auto-removed
2. Read subreddit rules: Navigate to

   https://www.reddit.com/r/{subreddit}/about/rules

   and check requirements
3. Check if flair is required: Many subreddits reject posts without flair
4. Check minimum karma/age: Some subs display these requirements in their rules
5. Consider text-only strategy: If account has low karma, post WITHOUT links in the body — put the link in the first comment instead

Link Placement Strategy

DEFAULT: Put links in the FIRST COMMENT, not in the post body.

• Reddit's spam filters aggressively target posts with external links (GitHub, personal sites, blogs)
• This applies to ALL accounts, not just low-karma ones -- even high-karma accounts get flagged for promotional links
• Always use a text-only self-post with "Link in the comments" at the end
• Post the URL as a reply to your own post immediately after publishing
• This is the safest strategy regardless of karma level

Posting Steps (Browser Automation)

1. Navigate to

   https://www.reddit.com/r/{subreddit}/submit

2. Wait for the submit form to load (must be logged in)
3. Select post type: "Text" (always prefer text posts over link posts)
4. Type the title (ASCII English only, max 300 chars)
5. Type the body content (ASCII English only, NO external links in body)
6. End body with: "Link in the comments."
7. Select flair if required by the subreddit
8. Click "Post" button
9. Immediately add a comment with the URL
10. Check for removal: After posting, verify the post is visible (not removed by filters)
11. If removed: save content as draft, inform user to build karma first

Content Format

Self-Post (Recommended)

Title: {Descriptive, specific title without clickbait}

Body:
{Opening context: what this is about in 1-2 sentences}

{Main content: detailed explanation, story, or question}

{Closing: question to prompt discussion or explicit request for feedback}

Link in the comments.

First Comment:
{URL to project/resource}

Link Post (High-karma accounts only)

Title: {What makes this link worth clicking}
URL: {Link to project, article, or resource}

Only use link posts if your account has 1,000+ karma and a history of participation in the target subreddit.

Subreddit Selection Guide

Subreddit	Best For	Key Rules
r/SideProject	Showcasing projects	No clear rules — but filters are active
r/sideprojects	Side projects (note the 's')	Flairs required, no astroturfing, significant changes for reposts
r/webdev	Web development	Technical content only, no pure promotion
r/programming	General programming	Links to articles, discussions
r/opensource	Open source projects	Rule #2: No spam or excessive self-promotion
r/startups	Startup advice	Questions and learnings, no ads
r/learnprogramming	Tutorials	Helpful content for beginners
r/artificial	AI/ML discussion	Technical AI content
r/entrepreneur	Business	Advice, lessons, strategies

WARNING: r/SideProject and r/sideprojects are DIFFERENT subreddits with different rules and mod teams.

Content Strategy

• Be genuine: Reddit users detect and punish marketing-speak instantly
• Provide value first: Help others before promoting yourself
• Tell your story: "I built X because Y" works better than "Check out X"
• Include numbers: Revenue, user counts, or metrics add credibility
• Ask for feedback: Redditors love giving opinions
• Follow the 90/10 rule: 90% community participation, 10% self-promotion
• No drive-by posting: You must participate in the community first

Algorithm / Discovery Tips

• Posts that get upvotes in the first hour rise fastest
• Comments drive engagement signals (reply to every comment)
• Cross-posting to multiple relevant subs is acceptable (use Reddit's crosspost)
• Timing: post during peak US hours (8-10 AM EST)
• Controversial titles get more engagement (but risk downvotes)
• 2025: Reddit now has AI rule-checking for draft posts and pre-submission notifications

Pre-Posting Engagement (Before You Post)

Reddit REQUIRES you to be an active community member before posting your own content.

If Account is New (< 100 karma)

1. DO NOT post links yet — they will be auto-removed
2. Spend 3-7 days commenting helpfully on:
   • r/AskReddit (easiest karma)
   • r/CasualConversation
   • r/NoStupidQuestions
   • Subreddits in your niche
3. Aim for 100+ comment karma before attempting to post
4. Comment genuinely — helpful answers, not one-word replies

If Account Has Karma (100+)

1. Browse the target subreddit for 10-15 minutes before posting
2. Comment on 3-5 posts in that subreddit (builds subreddit-specific karma)
3. Upvote 5-10 posts in the subreddit
4. Read the sidebar rules and recent posts to understand the culture
5. Then post your content

Post-Posting Engagement (After You Post)

The first 1-2 hours determine if your post rises or dies.

1. Reply to EVERY comment on your post within the first 2 hours
2. Upvote every reply to your post
3. Be genuinely helpful in replies — Redditors detect and punish self-promotion
4. Don't be defensive — if someone criticizes, engage constructively
5. Add your link in the first comment (NOT in the post body)
6. Check if post was removed: After 30 min, check if it's visible from a logged-out browser
7. If removed: contact subreddit mods via modmail

Account Nurturing (Karma Building Routine)

Reddit accounts need REPUTATION (karma) before they can effectively post content.

Daily Minimum (15-20 min/day)

• Browse and read: 5-10 min
• Comment on 5-10 posts (be helpful, add value)
• Upvote 10-15 posts
• Reply to replies on your comments

Karma Building Strategy

Days 1-3: Comment on r/AskReddit (5-10 comments/day)
Days 4-7: Add niche subreddits, continue commenting
Week 2: Post text-only in niche subs (no links yet)
Week 3: Post text with "link in comments" strategy
Month 2+: Regular posting with established reputation

Types of Comments That Build Karma

• Detailed, helpful answers to questions
• Personal experiences related to the topic
• Funny but relevant observations
• Sharing expertise or data
• Asking thoughtful follow-up questions

What Kills Karma

• "Check out my project!" without context
• Generic one-word replies
• Posting the same content to 10 subreddits
• Being argumentative or hostile
• Ignoring subreddit rules

Best Practices

• Read subreddit rules before posting (sidebar)
• Check recent posts for what gets upvoted
• Engage with comments on your own post
• Use descriptive titles, not clickbait
• Include a TL;DR for long posts
• Build comment karma before posting links

What to Avoid

• Generic self-promotion ("Check out my app!")
• Posting the same content to many subreddits simultaneously
• Ignoring subreddit rules or culture
• Using marketing buzzwords
• Asking for upvotes (against Reddit ToS)
• Posting links from a new/low-karma account

Known Pitfalls

• Reddit's platform-level filter removes posts with external links from new/low-karma accounts. This is the #1 cause of failed posts.
• Even "clean" posts with one GitHub link get removed from low-karma accounts
• Workaround: post text-only, put link in first comment
• Modmail to subreddit mods may help get posts manually approved
• Reddit rate-limits posting (wait between submissions)
• Some subreddits auto-remove posts from accounts under certain age
• Playwright cannot type emoji or Unicode characters
• Build karma by commenting helpfully for 2-7 days before posting

Related Skills

• content-writing

  — Content adaptation and templates

• image-generation

  — Image specs for Reddit posts