Playbook
How to Get Your First 100 Users From Reddit
Your first 100 users are the hardest. You have no audience, no budget, and no social proof. Reddit is one of the few places where a single founder with a good story can still cut through — if you do it right.
This is the exact, repeatable plan for getting those first 100 users from Reddit without spending a cent on ads.
Step 1: Find the 3 subreddits where your buyers already complain
Forget the giant generic subreddits for now. Search Reddit for the problem you solve and watch where the threads pile up. The best subreddits are the ones where people are already describing your problem in their own words.
- Search phrases your customer would use, not your product name.
- Note which subreddits show up repeatedly — those are your three.
- Read the rules and the top posts before you do anything else.
Step 2: Build karma before you ever mention your product
A brand-new, zero-karma account that drops a link gets removed instantly. Spend your first week purely contributing: answer questions, share opinions, upvote good threads.
Aim for genuine comment karma and a history that looks like a real person, not a marketer who showed up to pitch. This single step is the difference between a post that ranks and a post that gets nuked.
Step 3: Write the launch post that doesn't read like an ad
When you're ready, lead with a story or a lesson, not a feature list. The post should be valuable even to someone who never clicks your link.
- Start with the struggle: what problem pushed you to build this.
- Share something concrete: a number, a mistake, a before-and-after.
- Mention the product once, near the end, as part of the story.
Match the tone of the subreddit's top posts. If they're casual and self-deprecating, don't show up in corporate voice.
Step 4: The comment strategy that quietly drives signups
Most of your first users won't come from a viral post — they'll come from helpful comments on threads where people are actively looking for a solution.
Set up a habit: each day, find two or three threads describing your problem and write a real, useful answer. Mention your product only when it genuinely fits, and link sparingly. Comments on threads that rank on Google keep working long after you post them.
Step 5: What to do when a post takes off (and when it flops)
If a post gains traction, reply to every comment fast — engagement keeps it visible and turns lurkers into signups. Pin your best follow-up and make it dead simple to find your product.
If it flops, don't delete and spam-repost. Learn from the top comments, adjust your angle, and try a different subreddit next week. Consistency beats any single home run — your first 100 users almost always come from a dozen small wins, not one viral hit.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I get users from Reddit with a brand-new account?
Yes, but you have to warm it up first. Spend about a week building comment karma and a genuine post history before you mention your product, or your posts will be removed as spam.
How many users can I realistically get from Reddit?
Reddit is excellent for your first dozens-to-hundreds of users and for ongoing, compounding traffic. It rewards consistency — a steady habit of helpful posts and comments outperforms any one-off launch.
Should I post or comment to get users?
Both, but comments are the safer, more scalable workhorse. Posts are higher risk and reward; helpful comments on high-ranking threads quietly drive signups for months.
Do I need to disclose that it's my product?
Yes. Being upfront that you built the thing actually builds trust on Reddit — pretending to be a neutral user is the fastest way to get called out and banned.