The Science Of Going Viral On Reddit
Jan 13, 2014 19:22
A lot of people would kill to know what the “secret formula” might be to going viral online. While most things usually go viral by accident, there are certain people out there who seem to have mastered the art of creating viral content on purpose. And Randy Olson happens to be one of them.
Based on his research and observations, this Computer Science graduate research assistant at Michigan State University has decided to share a couple tips on what he says influences more upvotes on Reddit:
Mention the time
Some mention of time is commonplace in top Reddit posts. These words seem to be used to make the post relevant to current or past events, and thus make for a more interesting post title.
Mention other people
Mentions of other, non-specific people seem to be extremely common among the top posts. Reddit apparently likes to gossip and share stories about other people.
Puppies and kitties are popular
Reddit isn’t just all cat lovers any more: cats and dogs are mentioned equally in the top posts from the past year. It’s easy to relate to other people through likable animals like cats and dogs, especially when you’re sharing a cute picture of them.
Know your video games
Big surprise, Redditors like to talk about games. Video games, specifically.
Talk about what you're posting
As I mentioned before, images and videos are the primary content on Reddit. It turns out it helps if you talk about the image or video you’re posting.
Have a broader perspective
People come on Reddit to escape their daily life and learn something about the world. If you can fill that need for them, they will upvote you for it.
Emotions make people like your post more
If you’re really passionate about what you’re posting, let it shine through! Redditors love it when a post title shows emotion.
Talk about Reddit!
Reddit is big on self-referential jokes. If you can get in on those, you’re golden!
Location is key
If it’s relevant, mention a location related to your post. It helps give context to what Redditors are looking at. Amusingly, “work,” “school,” and “home” are the most-used words related to location.For more helpful tips on what it takes to create a viral Reddit post, click here
Based on his research and observations, this Computer Science graduate research assistant at Michigan State University has decided to share a couple tips on what he says influences more upvotes on Reddit:
X-post i.e. cross-posting
“X-post” is the most-used word in the top posts from last year, and if you’re familiar with Reddit, this should not be a surprise. Cross-posting is huge on Reddit, especially when there are many subreddits with similar interests. Generally, cross-posted links do better because they’re already well-liked in another subreddit before they were cross-posted, and thus were vetted for the poster beforehand. A word of warning: be careful with cross-posting to excess. Reddit can get pissed off pretty quickly if you share a link too much. Sharing too many links can get your account blocked. If you are confused if your account blocked or reddit is down you can check reddit status.
“X-post” is the most-used word in the top posts from last year, and if you’re familiar with Reddit, this should not be a surprise. Cross-posting is huge on Reddit, especially when there are many subreddits with similar interests. Generally, cross-posted links do better because they’re already well-liked in another subreddit before they were cross-posted, and thus were vetted for the poster beforehand. A word of warning: be careful with cross-posting to excess. Reddit can get pissed off pretty quickly if you share a link too much. Sharing too many links can get your account blocked. If you are confused if your account blocked or reddit is down you can check reddit status.
Mention the time
Some mention of time is commonplace in top Reddit posts. These words seem to be used to make the post relevant to current or past events, and thus make for a more interesting post title.
Mention other people
Mentions of other, non-specific people seem to be extremely common among the top posts. Reddit apparently likes to gossip and share stories about other people.
Puppies and kitties are popular
Reddit isn’t just all cat lovers any more: cats and dogs are mentioned equally in the top posts from the past year. It’s easy to relate to other people through likable animals like cats and dogs, especially when you’re sharing a cute picture of them.
Know your video games
Big surprise, Redditors like to talk about games. Video games, specifically.
Talk about what you're posting
As I mentioned before, images and videos are the primary content on Reddit. It turns out it helps if you talk about the image or video you’re posting.
Have a broader perspective
People come on Reddit to escape their daily life and learn something about the world. If you can fill that need for them, they will upvote you for it.
Emotions make people like your post more
If you’re really passionate about what you’re posting, let it shine through! Redditors love it when a post title shows emotion.
Talk about Reddit!
Reddit is big on self-referential jokes. If you can get in on those, you’re golden!
Location is key
If it’s relevant, mention a location related to your post. It helps give context to what Redditors are looking at. Amusingly, “work,” “school,” and “home” are the most-used words related to location.
