Are you looking to learn how to post on reddit? If so, you’re in the right place!
In this brief article, we’ll cover a number of topics on how to post on Reddit, including:
- Why Post on Reddit?
- Understanding Subreddits
- How to Create an Account on Reddit
- Creating your First Post on Reddit
- How to Post on Reddit: Desktop
- How to Post on Reddit: iPhone
- How to Post on Reddit: Android
- Observing Posting Etiquette
Before you know it, you’ll want to post on Reddit every day!
Why Post on Reddit?
Reddit is one of the most popular online networks in the world. Known as “The Front Page of the Internet”, Reddit is an online form of social media that enables people to discuss, rate, and share interesting content among its users in real-time worldwide.
And with very few exceptions, this means anything is up for discussion on Reddit. From custom-made furniture to politics, futuristic cakes and simply just venting about relationships, Reddit is the place to learn and interact with other users (known as “Redditors”).
Just about anyone can create a Reddit account, create a post, receive comments from other Redditors, upvote and downvote a Reddit post depending on its relevancy, and much more!
While there is a slight learning curve towards learning the in’s and out’s of Reddit for users, once you learn the basics of how to post on Reddit, it will become second-nature – and maybe even a little addictive!
Understanding Subreddits
Reddit is divided up into categories of posts that are organized into “subreddits”. Subreddits function as micro-communities on Reddit that just about anyone can join (some are invite-only, however).
Each subreddit on Reddit is different. Some are limited to pictures/video, others are nothing but discussions, and some are a blend of both.
What makes each of Reddit’s subreddit interesting, however, is that each functions according to its own rules of interaction, customs, language, and more! And as mentioned above, there are practically subreddits for everything under the sun. This is the beauty of Reddit!
How to Create an Account on Reddit
The only way to post on Reddit is if you have a Reddit account. Luckily, the process is simple!
On Reddit’s homepage, look in the top-right corner for a “sign up” button.
(Note: Once you have an account, the “Log In” button is in the same place.)
You can choose to sign up for Reddit by linking your Google Account, Apple account, or simply use your email.
Once submitted, you will choose a Username and a Password, as well as verify that you’re not a bot by solving a quick Captcha.
After a quick confirmation (via email or through your device), you’ll be given a list of subreddits to join. Choose ones that are interesting to you or skip for now – you can join as many as you like in the future.
That’s it! You’re now a Redditor and you’re able to start posting on Reddit right away!
Easy!
Create a Post on Reddit
Now that you’re up to speed on the basics of Reddit, it’s time to post!
Depending on your device, you can choose to post from Reddit’s main webpage (http://www.reddit.com/) for desktop computers, or through Reddit’s mobile app for iPhone and Android users. As you’ll see, the process is basically the same simple steps for all platforms.
How to Post on Reddit: Desktop
- Open Reddit. Go to https://www.reddit.com/ in the browser of your choice.
- Log in by entering your username and password, then click “LOG IN”.
- Click the HOME tab located on the upper left corner of the Reddit page.
- Select a post type. Click one of the following options on the right side of the page:
- Submit a new link (enabling you to post a link, an image, or a video).
- Submit a new text post (enabling you to create a post in text)
- Enter a title. In the “title” text box, create the title of your post into the text box.
- When posting a new link, find the “title” text box in the middle of the form.
- Select a place to post. You can choose to either post in the “Your profile” box or the “A subreddit” box.
- For the “A subreddit” box, type in the name of a subreddit (e.g., u/holdmybeer) and click the subreddit’s name from the drop-down menu.
- Create your post. Depending on the type of post, this process varies:
- Text – Add text by typing in the “text (optional)” box.
- Link – Enter the web address in the “URL” box or you can upload an image/video from your computer by clicking CHOOSE FILE in the “image/video” box.
- Scroll down and check the “I’m not a robot” Captcha box on the bottom of the form.
- Click Submit at the bottom of the post window. Doing so will upload your post to your specified subreddit (or to your personal profile page).
How to Post on Reddit: iPhone
- Open Reddit by tapping on the Reddit app icon. (Reddit will open to your home page if you’re already signed in)
- If you aren’t already logged in, tap LOGIN
- Enter your username and password.
- Tap the Home tab at the top of the screen.
- Tap the “Post” icon (the pencil icon at the bottom of the screen)
- This brings up a pop-up menu, enabling you to select a type of post. Options include:
- LINK
- IMAGE
- VIDEO
- TEXT
- Tap the Choose a Community link at the top of the page to choose either a subreddit or “My Profile”.
- To find a subreddit, type the subreddit’s name into the “Search” box at the top of the screen.
- Add a title by typing into the text box “An interesting title” at the top of the page.
- Create your post. Based on the type of post you’ve selected, the following option will vary
- LINK – Type the link address into the “http://” field near the middle of the page.
- IMAGE or VIDEO – Tap Camera or Library, then either take a photo or video, or select one from your iPhone’s library.
- TEXT – Type your text post’s body text into the bottom text field (optional).
- Tap POST in the top-right corner of the screen. Doing so will upload your post to your specified subreddit (or to your personal profile page).
How to Post on Reddit: Android
- Open Reddit by tapping on the Reddit app icon. (Reddit will open to your home page if you’re already signed in)
- If you aren’t already logged in, tap LOGIN
- Enter your username and password.
- Tap the Home tab at the top of the screen.
- Tap the “Post” icon. It’s a blue-and-white plus-sign (＋) icon in the lower-right side of the screen.
- In the next pop-up menu, select a type of post. Options include:
- Post image/video
- Post some text
- Post a link
- Tap the Choose a Community link at the top of the page to choose either a subreddit or “My Profile”.
- To find a subreddit, type the subreddit’s name into the search bar at the top of the screen.
- Add a title by typing into the text box below your selected post location.
- Create your post. Based on the type of post you’ve selected, the following options will vary
- Image/Video – Tap either IMAGE, VIDEO, or LIBRARY
- IMAGE enables you to take a picture
- VIDEO enables you to record a video
- LIBRARY enables you to select a photo from your library (respectively).
- Text – Type the text of your post into the “Describe in more detail (optional)” text box.
- Link – Enter your link in the text box below the title.
- Tap POST in the top-right corner of the screen. Doing so will upload your post to your specified subreddit (or to your personal profile page).
Observing Posting Etiquette
Now that you’ve learned how to post on Reddit, you should know that Reddit enforces something called “Reddiquette”.
As a portmanteau of “Reddit” and “etiquette”, the ideas that there are official rules of Reddit to follow – as well as rules that are enforced for every subreddit.
While posting etiquette is a bit beyond the scope of this quick and easy guide, there are some simple guidelines to follow:
- Don’t post any sexual content featuring children or minors (including suggestive content).
- Don’t spam.
- Don’t try to affect how people vote on your posts.
- Don’t post personal information (your own or others)
- Don’t damage or interfere with the site itself.
These rules also apply to when you choose to comment, so be sure to follow these rules religiously.
Subreddit Rules
Beyond these rules, there are specific rules to post for each subreddit. To learn of these specific rules for each subreddit:
- Click/Tap the subreddit’s link,
- Click/Tap the menu button in the top-right corner of the screen
- Click/Tap Community Info (on Apple/Android mobile), or check the right side of the main page of that subreddit (for desktop).
Failure to follow the rules can get you banned from a particular subreddit – or from the entire platform. You’ll receive a warning based on your behavior the first time, but repeated abuse can cause you to be locked out.
Other Miscellaneous Rules to Keep in Mind
Reddit has a number of other unofficial rules and codes of conduct that go beyond creating a post. Here’s just a few to keep in mind:
- Don’t be obvious about promoting your business. While promoting your brand is fair game, unscrupulously shilling is looked down on and will receive downvotes.
- Images are a great way to build karma. This is especially true if these images are shared by other users; however, be aware that some users may try to steal your content if it isn’t watermarked or protected otherwise
- Be sure to answer comments if they’re directly addressed or related to your post. With the advent of bots, Redditors like to speak with another user that can react in real-time for an engaging discussion (even if the discussion is, for example, about your mom’s prized lasagna recipe).
- Karma is a very important aspect of Reddit. By posting genuine posts and responding with thoughtful comments, you’ll be able to earn karma – the points system of Reddit that helps build authority and bragging points on Reddit
Conclusion
Now that you know how to post on Reddit as a bonafide user, this is just the beginning of what you need to know when it comes to joining this vast online community. There are plenty of nuances of what Reddit has to offer for its millions of users. As you begin to use Reddit, you’ll become familiar with all that the site has to offer, learn what you like to post, and earn plenty of karma in the process!