Reddit marketing for Mobile apps: where to start

App store search is crowded and hard to win. A lot of people find new apps through recommendations, and Reddit is one of the places those recommendations live.

People there are happy to try things and tell you what is wrong with them. They are not happy to be treated as installs.

What your buyers are asking

These are the kinds of questions that come up again and again. Each one is a chance to be the helpful answer.

• What is the best app for [task] on Android or iPhone?
• Looking for an app that does [specific thing], any ideas?
• Is there a free alternative to [paid app]?
• What apps do you use every day?
• Why does [app] keep crashing?
• Is it safe to give [app] my data?

Where to look

• r/androidapps. People looking for Android apps. Active, with a focus on recommendations.
• r/iosapps. The same for iPhone apps. Check the rules on promotion before you post.
• r/SideProject. A friendly place to share what you made and ask for feedback.
• r/productivity. If your app helps people get things done, this is where they ask about tools.
• Communities for your users. A running app belongs next to runners, a budgeting app next to people who budget.

Rules change and every community is different, so read the sidebar and pinned posts before you write anything. Our guide on how to read subreddit rules shows what to check.

What tends to work

• Asking for specific feedback, like what confused you in the first minute.
• Being quick to fix what people report, and telling them when you did.
• Being clear about your pricing, ads and data from the start.

What to avoid

• Offering promo codes in exchange for votes or reviews.
• Posting an app store link and nothing else.
• Hiding that the app is yours.

An example of a good answer

Here is the kind of reply that helps. The product and company in it are made up, and the point is the shape: answer first, reasons next, a short honest note about the connection last.

Question: Any simple app to track habits without a subscription?

A paper calendar works surprisingly well, but if you want an app, look for one that stores data on your phone and has a one-time price. Try each for a week before paying for anything. Full disclosure, I made one called Tickr, and it is free for up to five habits with a single purchase after that. It is basic on purpose, so if you want charts and streaks across devices there are better options. Happy to tell you what I would pick in your place.

Post ideas you can use

• A post on how you picked what not to build.
• A beginner guide to the problem the app solves.
• A short story of the bug that taught you the most.
• A price and ads policy explained honestly.
• A request for beta testers in a community that allows it.

How to tell if it is working

Use links with campaign tags where links are allowed, and watch store page visits and installs on the days after a thread. Ask new users how they found you inside the app. Our guide to measuring Reddit marketing results has the full setup.

Common questions

Can I ask for beta testers on Reddit?

Yes, in communities that welcome it. Say what you need testers to do and what they get.

Should I offer a discount for reviews?

No. It breaks the rules of many stores and communities, and it makes the reviews worthless.

What if people say the app is bad?

Thank them, ask what they ran into and fix it. Public, calm responses win more people over than the app does.