Reddit is where people ask for recommendations in public, so the person who answers first, honestly and helpfully, gets the customer. This guide is how to do that without getting your account removed.
130M+ people a day
6 steps
Copy-paste search phrases
Reddit reported 130.3 million daily active uniques for Q3 2026. Source
1. Set up your account
Use your real account, not a new throwaway.
Say in your profile who you are and what you built.
Spend the first days helping in your subreddits without mentioning your product. That gives you karma and history.
Never use extra accounts or ask people to upvote you. Reddit bans vote manipulation.
2. Pick 3 to 6 subreddits
Go where your buyers ask questions, not where other founders hang out.
Read each subreddit's rules and sidebar before you post.
Check what it says about self-promotion. Some allow it only in a weekly thread or on certain days.
Keep a short list and show up there every day.
3. Find people already asking
Search these inside your subreddits and sort by New. Reply while the thread is fresh, because the first good answer gets the most attention.
"alternative to [competitor]"
"recommend a [your category] tool"
"best [your category] for"
"how do you [the problem you solve]"
4. Reply first, then mention you
Answer their actual question fully first.
Then mention your product in one line and say you built it.
Never paste the same comment in several threads.
Example
Full disclosure, I built [your product], which does this. Happy to share it if useful.
5. Post things that teach
Teach something you learned, share real numbers from building, or give away a free resource.
Check the rules before adding any link.
End with a question and reply to every comment.
6. The rules that keep you safe
Say you're the founder every time you mention your product.
Follow each subreddit's self-promotion rules.
Most of your comments should just help and not mention your product. This is a common rule of thumb, not an official Reddit number.
No copy-paste comments, no extra accounts, no buying or asking for upvotes.
If a moderator removes your post, don't repost it. Message the mods and ask what would be OK.
The tool I use: MediaFast
It does the planning so you can focus on replying.
Finds the subreddits where your buyers hang out and checks their rules.
Watches Reddit and tells you when someone asks for a tool like yours.
Tells you what to post.
Tracks whether ChatGPT and Claude mention your product.
You still post yourself. That's on purpose: Reddit bans automated posting.