A Reddit Post After 48 Hours

This article introduces the entire process of a Reddit post from its publication to becoming popular, from being deleted, and finally being forgotten.

Phenomenon: The 48-Hour Rule According to Reddit's official data, there are over 1 million posts and 10 million comments published daily on Reddit. So, how long does it take for a post to go from being published, to becoming popular, getting deleted, and finally being forgotten?

I mentioned 48 hours in the title, but that's just a general estimate. The lifespan of a Reddit post is variable and depends on the content of the post, the time it's published, and the nature of the subreddit.

I analyzed my posts from the past 90 days, which included popular high-traffic posts, average posts, and posts that were completely ignored. The exposure time for these posts indeed generally does not exceed 48 hours, as shown in the figures below:

So the question arises: How long does it take for a post on Reddit to go from being published, to becoming popular, getting deleted, and finally being forgotten?

Understanding: The Lifecycle of a Reddit Post In layman's terms, the lifecycle of a post on Reddit can generally be divided into the following stages:

Creation Phase: We submit a new post to a specific subreddit. We can choose the type of post, such as a link or text, then enter the necessary information like the title and content, and submit the post.

Display and Interaction Phase: Once the post is submitted, it will be displayed on the page according to the rules of the subreddit and interactions with other users (such as voting). Reddit uses a voting system to gauge the popularity of posts, where other users can "upvote" or "downvote" the post.

When other users can comment on the post, we can also interact with other users. During this process, the activity and engagement of the post will definitely affect its visibility within the subreddit, but this process is not visible to us.

Sinking or Pinning Phase: Generally, older posts will gradually sink, while newer or more popular posts will rise. The exposure time given to a post is approximately 12 to 48 hours. Of course, in some cases, such as when moderators or users use special tools, a post may be pinned. This is a special case and will not be discussed here.

4. Archiving Phase: Over time, some posts may be archived, which means they no longer accept new comments or votes but can still be viewed. This is almost the ultimate fate of all posts.

In addition to the four main stages mentioned above, there may also be some other exceptional situations during this process:

1. Locking Phase: If a post becomes too chaotic or does not comply with the subreddit's rules, the moderator may choose to lock the post, meaning users can no longer comment or vote.

2. Deletion Phase: Users can delete their own posts, or moderators may delete posts due to rule violations or other reasons.

These two processes may involve manual intervention, such as when an administrator discovers inappropriate content, or they may involve automated intervention, such as when a bot detects that certain posts violate Reddit's rules. Both can trigger a post to be locked or deleted. I once encountered a situation where I was required to include an address in the title of a photo post, and because I didn't see the rule clearly and didn't provide address information, it was deleted by a bot about 6 hours later.

Analysis: Differences in Post Lifecycle Across Different Subreddits

Overall, the lifecycle of a Reddit post, from creation to sinking, does not have a fixed period because it is influenced by various factors such as the quality of the post, user interaction, and the characteristics of the subreddit. However, we can still distill some general patterns.

The consensus is that the visibility of a post is usually highest in the first few hours because Reddit's algorithm tends to display newer posts. According to user behavior and Reddit traffic analysis, the activity and engagement of a post are most critical in the first few hours after publication.

For example, Reddit users are most active in the morning, during lunchtime, and in the evening on weekdays, while weekends may see lower activity. The lifecycle of a post may vary due to different rules of subreddits, user interactions, and Reddit platform algorithms. Some posts may sink quickly within a few hours, while others may remain in popular positions for a longer time due to ongoing interaction.

However, Reddit itself is a global community, and user activity times may differ across different countries and regions. For instance, Asian users may be more active in the evening, while North American users may be more active in the evening. This makes answering the question of post lifecycle very complex.

Below is a summary of typical exposure times for posts in different subreddits. We, of course, cannot cover all subreddits, but through this data, we can gain insight into the exposure times of posts on Reddit and use it as a reference based on our actual scenarios.

The lifecycle of a Reddit post, from creation to sinking, typically follows these patterns:

• r/technology: Posts related to technology may see user activity during the daytime on weekdays, with peaks lasting for several hours to a day.
• r/gaming: Posts related to gaming may be more active in the evenings and on weekends, with peaks potentially lasting longer as gaming communities tend to be more active during leisure time.
• r/news: Posts related to news may peak shortly after a news event occurs but can also last for several days due to ongoing news coverage.
• r/AskReddit: Posts that ask questions may have a longer lifecycle as different users respond at different times, potentially garnering attention over several days.
• r/funny: Posts with humorous or funny content, if engaging enough, can quickly rise within hours and maintain peak visibility for a day.
• r/todayilearned: Posts sharing knowledge may gain attention within a few hours of being posted and can remain active for the following days due to continuous voting.
• r/amitheasshole: This subreddit discusses ethics and behavior, and the lifecycle of posts may be longer as users continue to discuss and comment, potentially lasting for several days.
• r/ChatGPT: This subreddit is dedicated to topics about artificial intelligence and chatbots, and the lifespan of posts often depends on the level of engagement, typically lasting from several hours to a full day.
• r/Entrepreneur: This subreddit is for entrepreneurs, and the lifecycle of posts may be longer as entrepreneurs share experiences and advice at different times, potentially lasting for several days.
• r/WallStreetBets: This subreddit is about stocks and investments, and the lifecycle of posts can be very short as financial markets change rapidly, and posts may be replaced by new information within a few hours.

In summary, while we cannot exhaust the exposure times of all Subreddit posts, by using some reference data and combining it with our actual scenarios, we can calculate the exposure time of our own posts on Reddit and effectively arrange our post-publishing strategies.