Want to create your own community on Reddit?
In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to make a subreddit, including the account requirements, setup process, and practical tips to help your new community grow from day one.
What to Do Before You Make a Subreddit?
Before creating a new community, please understand the basic requirements for Reddit subreddits. Reddit does not allow newly registered or inactive accounts to create communities.
- Account Age Requirement: Your Reddit account must be at least 30 days old to create a subreddit.
- Karma Value Requirement: Reddit also requires you to have a certain amount of positive Karma value. The specific value has not been officially published.
If your Karma is too low, Reddit will not allow you to continue.
Read more: How to Get Karma on Reddit? 10 Simple Tips
How to Make a Subreddit?
Here’s a clear step-by-step guide to creating a subreddit:
Step 1: Click “Create a Community”
- Sign in to your Reddit account on desktop or mobile.
- In the left sidebar (desktop) or menu (mobile), click “Create a Community” or “Start a Community.”
If you don’t see this option, you may not yet meet the requirements for creating a Reddit subreddit.
Step 2: Add Topics and Tags
Reddit allows you to select up to three topics. These topics help Reddit understand your niche and increase the visibility of your content in recommendations and search.
Step 3: Choose Public, Restricted, or Private
There are three subreddit statuses to choose from. Please select the community type according to your needs:
- Public: Anyone can view, post, and comment.
- Restricted: Anyone can view, but only approved users can post.
- Private: Only approved members can view and participate.
If your goal is to promote your product or attract users, a public subreddit is the best choice.
Step 4: Decide if It’s NSFW (18+)
If your content contains adult or sensitive information, you must mark the subreddit as “Mature (18+)”.
Enabling this option will:
- Restrict access for underage users
- Mark the subreddit as “NSFW.”
- Restrict certain visibility and advertising options
Step 5: Set your subreddit name
Your subreddit name will appear as: reddit.com/r/yourname
Rules for setting your subreddit name:
- Maximum 21 characters
- No spaces
- Cannot be changed after creation
- Must be unique
When creating your subreddit name, ensure it is clear, concise, and relevant to the topic.
Step 6: Write a clear description
Your subreddit description tells users what your community does. Keep it short, clear, and focused on your target audience.
Final Step: Complete Subreddit Creation
After filling in all the information, click “Create Community”. This completes the core steps of creating a subreddit.
After completing this step, you will be redirected to a new subreddit control panel where you can customize the visuals, add rules, and start publishing content.
How to Choose the Right Subreddit Name?
Choosing the right name is crucial when creating a subreddit. It impacts brand building, increases exposure, and promotes long-term development.
1. Add Relevant Keywords
Adding keywords relevant to your niche allows users to quickly understand your subreddit.
For example, if your community is about email marketing, including words like “email,” “marketing,” or “B2B” will immediately convey your community’s content.
2. Keyword-Based or Brand-Based?
There are two main approaches to creating a subreddit:
- Keyword-based naming: Clear, descriptive, and easier for new users to understand.
- Brand-based naming: Unique and memorable, better for long-term positioning.
3. Precise Targeting, Avoid Broad Names
One of the most common mistakes people make when creating a subreddit is choosing overly broad names.
The more specific your niche, the easier it is to attract your target audience and build authority.
4. Refer to competitors’ titles
Before finalizing the subreddit name, you can also search for similar communities on Reddit to see the size and activity of competing subreddits.
Ensuring network security and stability is crucial when creating and managing Reddit subreddits.
Using a reliable VPN like LightningX VPN can help protect your connection, safeguard your personal data, and provide a smooth browsing experience as you engage with the community.
How to Grow a New Subreddit?
Creating a subreddit is easy, but developing it is the real challenge. If you genuinely want to learn how to successfully operate a subreddit, you need a clear launch strategy.
1. Focus on Your First 10 Members
Your first 10 members are more important than your first 100.
- Invite trusted friends or colleagues who genuinely care about the topic.
- Message those who have already shown interest in similar discussions.
- Contact them if you already have an audience on other platforms.
The goal isn’t to recruit members randomly, but to actively engage early members who will comment and post. Activity attracts more activity.
2. Use a Seed Content Strategy
Before promoting your subreddit, make sure it doesn’t look empty. Create 5-15 high-quality initial posts, such as:
- Discussion Questions
- Useful Resources
- Opinion Posts
- Industry News
- Newcomer Guides
New users should immediately feel the value when they visit.
3. Use Cross-Posting Cautiously
If done correctly, cross-posting can bring you your first wave of traffic. The key is to contribute content first, then promote it.
- Only cross-post relevant content.
- Choose a relevant subreddit with a similar audience.
- Adhere to the promotion rules of each subreddit.
- Avoid over-linking to your own community.
4. Maintain a stable posting frequency
In the initial stages, consistent posting helps build credibility. Inactive subreddits are considered abandoned. An active subreddit helps build trust.
- Post at least 3-5 posts per week initially.
- Regularly participate in comments and interactions.
- Quickly reply to early discussions.
5. Participate in a relevant subreddit
Instead of heavily promoting your own subreddit, build authority within relevant best Reddit communities. You can:
- Provide insightful answers.
- Share insights.
- Participate in discussions.
Once people recognize your expertise, they will naturally browse your profile and discover your subreddit.
6. Choose the right posting time
Posting time affects exposure. Generally, posting professional topics on weekdays is more effective, and interaction rates are usually higher in the evening (US time zone).
Early likes are crucial. Publishing content during the peak hours of your target audience’s activity can increase your chances of gaining initial attention.
Common Mistakes When Creating a Subreddit
Here are some pitfalls you might encounter when creating a subreddit and how to avoid them:
1. Choosing an overly broad niche
The most common problem when creating a subreddit is choosing an overly broad topic. Overly broad communities face intense competition and a fragmented audience. The more specific your niche, the easier it is to attract the right audience and build authority.
For example, a subreddit about “marketing” is far less likely to grow than one focused on “B2B email marketing for startups.”
2. Lack of clear rules
A subreddit without rules quickly becomes chaotic. You need to clearly communicate to users:
- What can be posted
- What’s considered spam
- How promotions are handled
- What behavior is unacceptable
Clear rules protect content quality and make management easier as your subreddit grows.
3. Not posting content consistently
Creating a subreddit is only the first step. Many creators stop posting after the initial setup.
An empty or inactive subreddit discourages new members. If people visit and see no activity, they leave.
When learning how to make a subreddit successful, consistency matters more than perfection. Regular posts and discussions create momentum.
Read more: How to Post on Reddit: Desktop & Mobile
4. Over-promoting yourself
Reddit users are very sensitive to self-promotion. If your subreddit resembles a sales funnel, a personal blog, or a platform constantly pushing products, users will lose interest and may even report it.
5. Ignoring spam and low-quality posts
Spam and low-quality posts damage your subreddit’s reputation. If you don’t actively manage irrelevant links, bot comments, and low-quality posts, your subreddit will quickly lose quality.
Use Reddit’s admin tools early and set up automated moderation bots.
FAQs about Make a Subreddit
1. How much karma do you need to make a subreddit?
Reddit does not publicly disclose the specific karma value requirements. To find out if you are eligible to create a subreddit, simply check if the “Start a community” button is displayed in the sidebar.
The specific karma value threshold is kept secret to prevent spam.
2. Can anyone make a subreddit?
Not everyone can create one immediately. To make a subreddit, your account must meet Reddit’s basic requirements, including minimum account age and positive karma.
3. Can you rename a subreddit?
No, you cannot rename a subreddit after it has been created. The name is permanent, so choose carefully before finalizing your community. If you make a mistake, the only option is to create a new subreddit with the correct name.
Read more: How to Change Reddit Username? Here’s the Only Way
