The Power of Reddit (When Used Correctly)

[Owlins]

Aloha.

I just want to give some very quick advice for growing YouTubers: use reddit (but use it correctly). My post for reference is /r/hardware/comments/3snu6n/rosewill_neutron_review_miniitx_case_for_3999/

I restarted Youtube and uploaded my first video two days ago. Yesterday, I posted it to reddit. After getting 70 upvotes, I gained 5 new subscribers and now the video has almost 500 views and 10 likes.

So, like I said: use reddit. Just make sure you follow these guidelines:

• Post to a smaller sub-reddit (like under 150K subscribers) - I posted my video in /r/hardware with 80K subs
• Don't spam - make your video a supplement. My reddit post is a long text based review and I linked my video as an OPTION for people to watch if they wanted. Don't make your video the primary, but the secondary.
  • If you are not reviewing something, make sure the caption or title is captivating. Don't post "Fallout 4 Walkthrough Part 14"...redditers don't like that. Instead, if there is a funny part in your video, link that time stamp and make the title something interesting.
  • Another way to go about posting - use gifs:
• Post to many sub-reddits (if you know what you're doing). (Only do this if someone told you that you should crossover your post, or if you know what you're doing) I currently posted to 3 sub-reddits including /r/hardware and am getting positive feedback. Usually, someone will tell you to cross your post over to another sub-reddit if it is good.

I know there is a long reddit tutorial, but I wanted to do a small TL;DR from the eyes of a smaller YouTuber. REMEMBER: Half of YouTube is promotion.

This is THE best explanation on how Reddit works so far. I've tried to post some videos on there and the ones that were allowed got quite some views fast.

But posting a piece of explanatory text and possible a timestamp of your video is actually a way better idea. I'm trying this as soon as I get the chance.

You need to have a good standing as well of course, but a little activity goes a long way I've noticed.

 

[AmeGaming]

Aloha.

I just want to give some very quick advice for growing YouTubers: use reddit (but use it correctly). My post for reference is /r/hardware/comments/3snu6n/rosewill_neutron_review_miniitx_case_for_3999/

I restarted Youtube and uploaded my first video two days ago. Yesterday, I posted it to reddit. After getting 70 upvotes, I gained 5 new subscribers and now the video has almost 500 views and 10 likes.

So, like I said: use reddit. Just make sure you follow these guidelines:

• Post to a smaller sub-reddit (like under 150K subscribers) - I posted my video in /r/hardware with 80K subs
• Don't spam - make your video a supplement. My reddit post is a long text based review and I linked my video as an OPTION for people to watch if they wanted. Don't make your video the primary, but the secondary.
  • If you are not reviewing something, make sure the caption or title is captivating. Don't post "Fallout 4 Walkthrough Part 14"...redditers don't like that. Instead, if there is a funny part in your video, link that time stamp and make the title something interesting.
  • Another way to go about posting - use gifs:
• Post to many sub-reddits (if you know what you're doing). (Only do this if someone told you that you should crossover your post, or if you know what you're doing) I currently posted to 3 sub-reddits including /r/hardware and am getting positive feedback. Usually, someone will tell you to cross your post over to another sub-reddit if it is good.

I know there is a long reddit tutorial, but I wanted to do a small TL;DR from the eyes of a smaller YouTuber. REMEMBER: Half of YouTube is promotion.

I'm giving it a shot to see, thanks for the advice, it's hard when you're a small channel to find ways to grow without spamming the sh*t out of people

 

[Uncivilized Elk]

I've tried text with a video link within for those who prefer a video, and it wad received worse (as in any interaction on just the thread itself, as well as the video) than just posting the video link. Since I do TV show reviews, it might just be that a transcript of my review was too long and there was just too much text, so people were put off.

Either way, reddit felt helpful early on when I had under 100 subs to get that slight initial boost in views, but now that I can usually break 100 views on a new video within a few hours, it seems mostly pointless. Sort of like it doesn't hurt (as long as you don't spam up the same subreddit, only post like once every week at the maximum assuming it moves fast, and less than that if it moves slow) but it also doesn't really help.

 

[OzTalksHw]

This is THE best explanation on how Reddit works so far. I've tried to post some videos on there and the ones that were allowed got quite some views fast.

But posting a piece of explanatory text and possible a timestamp of your video is actually a way better idea. I'm trying this as soon as I get the chance.

You need to have a good standing as well of course, but a little activity goes a long way I've noticed.

Thank you! I tried to keep it SSS. Let me know what happens when you do it, I'm very curious.

I've tried text with a video link within for those who prefer a video, and it wad received worse (as in any interaction on just the thread itself, as well as the video) than just posting the video link. Since I do TV show reviews, it might just be that a transcript of my review was too long and there was just too much text, so people were put off.

Either way, reddit felt helpful early on when I had under 100 subs to get that slight initial boost in views, but now that I can usually break 100 views on a new video within a few hours, it seems mostly pointless. Sort of like it doesn't hurt (as long as you don't spam up the same subreddit, only post like once every week at the maximum assuming it moves fast, and less than that if it moves slow) but it also doesn't really help.

Possibly. My reviews aren't too long and they're pretty insightful. I take at least two hours typing them out, checking for errors and formatting. The issue with reddit is that you only get one shot on a sub-reddit, so make sure it's worthwhile.

I would honestly try again. It could have been that specific subreddit or an array of other things.

Reddit is good early on, but I will continue to use it when possible. You can never have too much growth, and reddit is one tool that promotes your content. I'm sitting at 140 subscribers now and 1500 views, but I will keep using the site.

 

[TwoTakes]

Aloha.

I just want to give some very quick advice for growing YouTubers: use reddit (but use it correctly). My post for reference is /r/hardware/comments/3snu6n/rosewill_neutron_review_miniitx_case_for_3999/

I restarted Youtube and uploaded my first video two days ago. Yesterday, I posted it to reddit. After getting 70 upvotes, I gained 5 new subscribers and now the video has almost 500 views and 10 likes.

So, like I said: use reddit. Just make sure you follow these guidelines:

• Post to a smaller sub-reddit (like under 150K subscribers) - I posted my video in /r/hardware with 80K subs
• Don't spam - make your video a supplement. My reddit post is a long text based review and I linked my video as an OPTION for people to watch if they wanted. Don't make your video the primary, but the secondary.
  • If you are not reviewing something, make sure the caption or title is captivating. Don't post "Fallout 4 Walkthrough Part 14"...redditers don't like that. Instead, if there is a funny part in your video, link that time stamp and make the title something interesting.
  • Another way to go about posting - use gifs:
• Post to many sub-reddits (if you know what you're doing). (Only do this if someone told you that you should crossover your post, or if you know what you're doing) I currently posted to 3 sub-reddits including /r/hardware and am getting positive feedback. Usually, someone will tell you to cross your post over to another sub-reddit if it is good.

I know there is a long reddit tutorial, but I wanted to do a small TL;DR from the eyes of a smaller YouTuber. REMEMBER: Half of YouTube is promotion.

Hey, thanks for the advice- we've been really struggling getting any interest on reddit. The hardest part is finding the right sub-reddit to post in I think- we make film review videos and so far I haven't really been able to find a place where anyone is posting similar content.

Any ideas how to find the right community or reddit or is it trial and error?

 

[Owlins]

Hey, thanks for the advice- we've been really struggling getting any interest on reddit. The hardest part is finding the right sub-reddit to post in I think- we make film review videos and so far I haven't really been able to find a place where anyone is posting similar content.

Any ideas how to find the right community or reddit or is it trial and error?

Aren't you able to post in /r/movies ? That should be the goto subreddit imo.

Or maybe /r/moviecritic at least?

Anway, good luck!

 

[TwoTakes]

Aren't you able to post in /r/movies ? That should be the goto subreddit imo.

Or maybe /r/moviecritic at least?

Anway, good luck!

Thanks buddy! I genuinely hadn't found r/moviecritic before (god knows how) so that's really helpful! =]

 

[DJBenz]

Aren't you able to post in /r/movies ? That should be the goto subreddit imo.

Or maybe /r/moviecritic at least?

/r/movies prefers in-sub discussion over external links. Even where a self post permits a link to your own content they still prefer to keep the discussion in-sub. I've never seen any YT review channels or videos go down particularly well there. /r/moviecritic is nothing more than a promotional platform and as such doesn't attract nearly as much traffic as other subs. Compare /r/moviecritic's current top post with 7 karma, versus /r/movies' top post with 5029 for evidence.

 

[Uncivilized Elk]

I would honestly try again. It could have been that specific subreddit or an array of other things.

I've done it many times by now. I mostly review episodes of two cartoons so I'm pretty much restricted to the two subreddits for those shows (the few that are broader-topic subreddits are also pretty much dead so it's not even worth it).
My results have always been fairly consistent. After my thread has moved to the backlogged pages, it usually ends up between 5 to 10 upvotes and around 75-80% approval, and usually only 1 - 3 comments (all positive).

The two subreddits that pertain to me definitely prefer in-topic discussion and image threads though - like most subreddits they are averse to videos and self-promotion. I've posted images with quotes and whatnot on them, and gotten nearly 1k upvotes before, so I'm mostly aware what can work well if you're just being a karma (is that what it's called on reddit?) hog. So I know how to make reddit "work for me" in general, just without YT being involved. It's just rare for videos to be received well.

Like I said, it's not a bad tool even if it doesn't achieve much. Usually you don't get a ton of people hating you or disliking you, most likely your thread will just slump away and die quietly and that hurts nobody. If it's been a long time since I shared a video and I upload a new one, I will often times share it on reddit, I'm noy advocating against it.
It's just on the whole, most people won't be able to get a lot of traction out of reddit unless they have really targeted videos that appeal strongly to specific subreddits.

It can work amazing and there's examples on this forum of it working amazingly, but it's not an "all-around" promotion tool is all.

 

[OzTalksHw]

Hey, thanks for the advice- we've been really struggling getting any interest on reddit. The hardest part is finding the right sub-reddit to post in I think- we make film review videos and so far I haven't really been able to find a place where anyone is posting similar content.

Any ideas how to find the right community or reddit or is it trial and error?

Trial and error. Before you post there, I would befriend the community. Be active before posting there.

I've done it many times by now. I mostly review episodes of two cartoons so I'm pretty much restricted to the two subreddits for those shows (the few that are broader-topic subreddits are also pretty much dead so it's not even worth it).
My results have always been fairly consistent. After my thread has moved to the backlogged pages, it usually ends up between 5 to 10 upvotes and around 75-80% approval, and usually only 1 - 3 comments (all positive).

The two subreddits that pertain to me definitely prefer in-topic discussion and image threads though - like most subreddits they are averse to videos and self-promotion. I've posted images with quotes and whatnot on them, and gotten nearly 1k upvotes before, so I'm mostly aware what can work well if you're just being a karma (is that what it's called on reddit?) hog. So I know how to make reddit "work for me" in general, just without YT being involved. It's just rare for videos to be received well.

Like I said, it's not a bad tool even if it doesn't achieve much. Usually you don't get a ton of people hating you or disliking you, most likely your thread will just slump away and die quietly and that hurts nobody. If it's been a long time since I shared a video and I upload a new one, I will often times share it on reddit, I'm noy advocating against it.
It's just on the whole, most people won't be able to get a lot of traction out of reddit unless they have really targeted videos that appeal strongly to specific subreddits.

It can work amazing and there's examples on this forum of it working amazingly, but it's not an "all-around" promotion tool is all.

I agree with your last statement. Your content has to be targeted at specific subreddits for this to work, but I'm sure you can find one for you.

I wouldn't give up. Approach it a different way. We can talk more through PM