Subreddit Marketing Guides
Every subreddit has its own rules, culture, and audience. These guides break down exactly how to market in each community without getting banned.
Subreddit Guides
Combined Subscribers
All Guides Are Free
Why Each Subreddit Needs a Different Approach
The biggest mistake founders make on Reddit is treating every subreddit the same. A post that gets 200 upvotes on r/SideProject might get you instantly banned on r/startups. Each community has its own moderation style, self-promotion rules, content preferences, and peak activity times.
These guides break down the specifics for each subreddit: what content works, what gets you banned, the best times to post, and how to engage without looking like a marketer. Pick the subreddits relevant to your product and read the guide before you post anything.
All Subreddit Guides
SaaS
125k members
Software as a Service discussions and growth strategies
Entrepreneur
3500k members
Business building and entrepreneurship community
Startups
450k members
Startup founders and early-stage business discussions
Marketing
850k members
Marketing strategies and digital growth tactics
SideProject
180k members
The sandbox where unicorns are born. This isn't just a showroom; it's the most critical feedback loop for pre-revenue founders. If you can't get traction here, you won't get traction on Product Hunt.
ProductHunt
95k members
Product launches and discovery discussions—the meta-community for makers who want to understand the PH algorithm and launch strategy.
WebDev
1200k members
The largest web development community on Reddit—where framework debates rage and technical expertise is respected above all else.
Freelance
280k members
The go-to community for independent professionals navigating client relationships, pricing strategies, and the feast-or-famine cycle.
SmallBusiness
320k members
The support group for small business owners fighting the daily battles of payroll, operations, and growth against larger competitors.
Business
2800k members
The largest business subreddit—a news-driven community focused on macro trends, corporate strategy, and market analysis.
DigitalMarketing
180k members
The tactical community for digital marketing practitioners—less theory, more implementation and results.
IndieHackers
120k members
The Reddit outpost for indie hackers—bootstrapped founders building profitable businesses without VC funding.
GrowthHacking
95k members
A hyper-competitive arena where vanity hacks go to die. Dominating r/growthhacking requires more than 'tips'—it requires high-density proof-of-work and radical transparency that out-thinks the most cynical crowd on Reddit.
Subreddit Comparison at a Glance
| Subreddit | Members | Self-Promo | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| r/SaaS | 125k | Moderate | saas marketing, customer acquisition |
| r/Entrepreneur | 3500k | Strict | startup funding, business ideas |
| r/Startups | 450k | Moderate | mvp development, product market fit |
| r/Marketing | 850k | Strict | digital marketing, content strategy |
| r/SideProject | 180k | Welcomed | mvp validation, first 100 users |
| r/ProductHunt | 95k | Moderate | product launch, user acquisition |
| r/WebDev | 1200k | Strict | javascript, react |
| r/Freelance | 280k | Moderate | client acquisition, pricing |
| r/SmallBusiness | 320k | Moderate | small business tips, entrepreneurship |
| r/Business | 2800k | Strict | business news, market analysis |
| r/DigitalMarketing | 180k | Moderate | digital marketing, seo |
| r/IndieHackers | 120k | Moderate | bootstrapping, indie hacking |
| r/GrowthHacking | 95k | Moderate | acquisition arbitrage, category moats |
Not sure which subreddits fit your product?
MediaFast shows you the best subreddits for your specific niche, what content works in each one, and the best times to post for maximum visibility.
See how it works →Universal Rules for Marketing in Any Subreddit
Read the rules first
Every subreddit has a sidebar with specific rules. Some ban self-promotion entirely. Others allow it on certain days. Getting this wrong means an instant ban.
Lurk before you post
Spend at least a week reading posts and comments in a subreddit before posting anything. Understand the tone, what gets upvoted, and what gets downvoted.
Give 10x more than you take
For every promotional mention, leave at least 10 genuinely helpful comments on other posts. This builds karma and trust with both the community and Reddit's algorithms.
Tailor your message
The same product should be positioned differently in r/SaaS (focus on metrics) vs r/startups (focus on the journey) vs r/entrepreneur (focus on revenue). Speak each community's language.
Never use URL shorteners
Bit.ly, TinyURL, and similar services are auto-filtered on most subreddits. Always use direct links.
Engage with every comment
If someone comments on your post, reply within 2 hours. Active threads get boosted by Reddit's algorithm, and engagement shows you are a real person, not a marketing account.
Subreddit Marketing FAQ
Common questions about marketing in Reddit communities.
The best subreddits for SaaS marketing include r/SaaS, r/startups, r/entrepreneur, r/SideProject, and r/indiehackers. Each has different rules and audience expectations. r/SideProject is the most promotion-friendly, while r/startups has stricter moderation. Always read the sidebar rules before posting.
Start by searching Reddit for keywords related to your product category. Look for subreddits where people discuss the problem your product solves. MediaFast helps you identify the best-fit subreddits for your specific niche, including activity levels and how receptive each community is to product mentions.
Posting identical content across multiple subreddits (cross-posting) can trigger Reddit's spam filters. If you want to share in multiple communities, tailor your message to each subreddit's culture and rules. Space posts out by a few days and adjust the angle for each audience.
Most US-focused subreddits see peak activity between 8 AM and 11 AM EST on weekdays. However, each subreddit has its own patterns. Smaller niche communities may have different peak hours. MediaFast shows you the optimal posting windows for any subreddit based on real activity data.
Follow the 10:1 rule - for every promotional post, make at least 10 genuine comments helping others. Read each subreddit's rules before posting. Build karma through helpful participation before any self-promotion. Never use URL shorteners, and always add context around any links you share.
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Find the Perfect Subreddits for Your Product
MediaFast analyzes your product and shows you the exact subreddits where your audience is active, the best posting times, and what type of content each community engages with.
