Table of Contents
Introduction
As a moderator on Reddit, you have the ability to create and nurture subreddit communities around topics that matter to you. Building a successful subreddit takes time, effort, and strategy. In this guide, I’ll share my experience and expertise on how to launch and grow a thriving subreddit community from the ground up.
Getting Started
Before creating a subreddit, make sure your Reddit account meets the requirements:
- Your account must be at least 30 days old
- You need to have acquired a minimum amount of positive karma
Once your account meets the criteria, navigate to the homepage and click “Create Community” on the right sidebar.
Choosing a Name
Picking the right name is crucial – make it descriptive, memorable and aligned to the subreddit’s focus. The name:
- Should be 20 characters or less
- Can only contain letters, numbers and underscores
- Cannot contain spaces or special characters
- Must not violate trademarks
Configuring Your Subreddit
In the subreddit creation form, you can configure:
- Topics: Select up to 25 topics that define your community’s scope
- Description: Summarize what the subreddit is about
- Community type: Choose between Public, Restricted or Private
- Content type: Mark as NSFW if intended for 18+ audiences
Setting the Stage
Before promoting your subreddit, establish a solid foundation by:
Creating Rules
Define guidelines on allowed content and behavior to maintain a constructive community.
Making Visual Customizations
Add visual flair through banners, icons and styling to give your subreddit an identity.
Seeding Initial Content
Populate your subreddit with at least 10 posts to pique interest from potential members.
Recruiting Moderators
Onboard moderators to share the workload of daily community management and upkeep.
Promoting Your Subreddit
Getting the word out is pivotal to subreddit growth. Effective promotion strategies include:
Engaging With Users
Participate in discussions, answer questions and ask for feedback to build connections.
Cross-Posting Content
Share your best content across related subreddits to gain more exposure.
Getting Featured Listings
Getting featured in r/newreddits and r/subredditoftheday can drive initial traffic.
Using Other Platforms
Promote your subreddit on social media platforms and relevant online communities.
Building Backlinks
Get websites and profiles to link back to your subreddit to improve discovery.
Advertising
Consider Reddit Ads to target niche audiences if your budget allows.
Collaborating on Events
Coordinate special events or AMAs with complementary subreddits.
Reciprocity
Ask established communities to promote your subreddit in exchange for cross-promotion.
Maintaining and Growing
Once you have a steadily growing member base, focus on keeping members engaged and continuing growth by:
Encouraging User Content
Incentivize users to post content through contests and community events.
Adding New Moderators
Assign mentors to help train new mods on policies and community management.
Keeping Content Fresh
Continuously post new content and discuss trending topics relevant to your community.
Monitoring Analytics
Track growth metrics to identify well-performing content worth promoting.
Listening to Feedback
Solicit suggestions from members and fine-tune your subreddit based on input.
Staying Consistent
Persistently execute your promotion strategies and community participation.
Conclusion
Building a thriving subreddit takes time but pays off tremendously in establishing meaningful connections and online authority around topics you are passionate about. The key is laying the groundwork, executing multiple promotion strategies consistently, engaging your community and tracking growth to keep members invested in the subreddit. With dedication and resilience, your new subreddit will continue expanding.
