My First Reddit Comment Got -12 Votes. Now I Get Hundreds of Upvotes. Here's What Changed.

Your first Reddit comment got -5 votes. Your second got removed by moderators. Your third got called out as obvious marketing.

Welcome to Reddit’s brutal feedback system.

Reddit isn’t cruel for no reason. It’s protecting itself from the flood of marketers trying to exploit the platform. Understanding what Reddit actually wants helps you contribute without triggering defensive responses. Avoiding the most common Reddit marketing mistakes is essential before you start commenting.

The Reddit Comment Mindset

Before writing any comment, ask: “Would this comment be valuable if I had no product to sell?”

If the answer is no, don’t post it. Reddit’s communities have survived by ruthlessly filtering self-interested content. They’re extremely good at detecting it.

Comment Types That Work

The Detailed Answer

When someone asks a question, provide the most thorough answer you can.

Bad example:

“Check out [Tool], it’s great for this.”

Good example:

“For client reporting, you have a few options depending on your needs. If you need real-time dashboards, [Tool A] handles that well but requires some setup. For automated weekly reports, [Tool B] is simpler but less customizable. I’ve used both and personally prefer [Tool A] for agencies with technical staff because [specific reason]. The learning curve is about 2 weeks.”

The good example provides options, acknowledges tradeoffs, shares personal experience, and includes specific detail.

The Experience Share

Reddit values first-hand experience over theoretical knowledge.

Bad example:

“You should try X approach.”

Good example:

“We ran into this exact problem last year. Initially tried X, which worked for about 3 months before we hit scaling issues. Switched to Y and it’s been stable since. The migration took about a week, main pain point was [specific detail]. Happy to share more if helpful.”

Personal stories with specific details are trusted. Generic advice is not.

The Honest Opinion

Reddit respects honesty, even when it’s not positive.

Bad example:

“[Product] is amazing, you should definitely try it!”

Good example:

“I’ve been using [Product] for two years. It’s good at X and Y, but honestly frustrating for Z. If Z isn’t important to you, it’s probably worth trying. If Z matters, look at alternatives.”

Admitting limitations builds credibility. Pure praise sounds like marketing because it usually is.

The Helpful Resource

Sometimes linking to useful resources is valuable.

Bad example:

“Here’s a link to our blog post about this.”

Good example:

“The official documentation covers this at [link]. For a more practical walkthrough, I found [independent resource] helpful. There’s also a good discussion in [another reddit thread] from last month that covers edge cases.”

Link to external resources, not your own content. Link to multiple sources, not just one.

Technical Aspects of Good Comments

When to Mention Your Product

Sometimes mentioning your product is appropriate. These are the only situations:

When Directly Asked

If someone asks “What do you use for X?” and your product is relevant, you can mention it. These tool recommendation threads are goldmines for visibility. But include competitors too, be honest about limitations, and disclose your affiliation.

When It’s The Best Answer

If your product genuinely solves the exact problem being discussed better than alternatives, mentioning it serves the community. But be honest: “I work on this product, so I’m biased, but…” is more credible than pretending to be a random user.

When Context Requires It

Sometimes your experience only makes sense with context. “I’ve been building tools in this space for 5 years” explains your expertise. If that naturally leads to mentioning your product, fine. Just don’t force it.

Comments That Get Downvoted

Avoid these patterns:

The drive-by promotion:

“Try [your product]!” Downvoted immediately. No value added. Obviously marketing.

The fake question:

“Has anyone tried [your product]? I heard it’s good for this.” Redditors can smell fake questions. Don’t try this.

The humble brag:

“At my company we solved this by building [your product] which…” Nobody asked about your company. This reads as bragging, not helping.

The vague agreement:

“Great point! I totally agree.” Adds nothing. Gets ignored at best, downvoted at worst.

The defensive response: Any comment that gets defensive about criticism, even if the criticism is unfair. Defend your product calmly with facts or don’t respond at all.

Building Reputation Through Comments

Comments compound over time. Good commenting habits build:

Karma: Direct upvotes increase your karma, which increases posting privileges and credibility. Building karma is a critical foundation for brand accounts.

Recognition: Regular helpful participation makes your username familiar. People start noticing and trusting your contributions.

History: Your comment history is public. A history of helpful, balanced contributions makes everything you say more credible.

Relationships: Regular commenters in niche subreddits form relationships. You become part of the community rather than an outsider.

This takes months. There’s no shortcut. For the full timeline, see our guide on building Reddit authority without getting banned.