A Quick Guide to Understanding Reddit's Concepts and Slang

This article introduces the core concepts within Reddit, including users, registered users, anonymous users, posts, comments, voting, subreddits, moderators, Karma, Upvote/Downvote, ranking, hot, new, controversial, locked, multi-level comments, private messages, Reddit Gold/Reddit Premium, and the Reddit API.

Core Concepts of Reddit

Reddit is a social news aggregation, rating, and discussion website where users can submit content such as links, text posts, and images, which can be voted up or down by other users. The core concepts of Reddit include:

1. User: A participant on Reddit who can submit content, comment, vote, and join subreddits.

2. Registered User: A user who has created an account on Reddit, enjoying more features such as saving posts, setting preferences, etc.

3. Anonymous User: A user who has not registered, can browse and vote but cannot submit content or comments.

4. Post: Content submitted by users, which can be links, text, or images. Posts can be voted on and commented on by other users.

5. Comment: A user's response to a post, which can form a discussion thread.

6. Vote: A user's support or opposition to a post or comment, indicated by up or down arrows. Voting affects the ranking of posts or comments.

7. Subreddit: A specific interest community on Reddit, each with its own theme and rules. Users can subscribe to subreddits to see relevant posts on their homepage.

8. Moderator: A user responsible for managing a subreddit, who can set rules, remove inappropriate content, approve new posts, etc.

9. Karma: Points a user earns on Reddit, usually calculated by the votes received on posts and comments. Karma can reflect a user's activity and popularity in the community.

10. Upvote/Downvote: A user's positive or negative feedback on a post or comment, expressed by clicking the up or down arrow.

11. Ranking: The ordering of posts and comments within a subreddit or across Reddit, usually based on the number of votes received and time factors.

12. Hot: A list of posts in a subreddit that are currently receiving the most votes.

13. New: A list of recently submitted posts in a subreddit.

14. Rising: A list of posts in a subreddit whose vote count is increasing rapidly.

15. Controversial: Posts that receive a similar number of upvotes and downvotes, causing them to appear in the controversial list.

16. Locked: A post or comment that has been locked by a moderator, disallowing further comments.

17. Nested Comments: Comments can reply to other comments, forming a multi-level structured discussion.

18. Private Messages: Private communications between users.

19. Reddit Gold/Reddit Premium: Reddit's paid subscription service, offering additional features and an ad-free experience.

20. Reddit API: A programming interface that allows developers to access Reddit data and functionalities.

These concepts form the foundation of the Reddit platform, making it a diverse and active online community.

Introducing Reddit's Karma

Reddit Karma, often simply referred to as Karma, is an informal scoring system within the Reddit community that signifies a user's level of engagement and contribution. Karma is divided into two types:

1. Post Karma: You gain Post Karma when your submitted posts (including links and text posts) receive upvotes from other users on Reddit.

2. Comment Karma: You acquire Comment Karma when your comments on Reddit receive upvotes from other users.

The primary functions of Karma include:

• Reflection of Community Engagement: The amount of Karma can to some extent reflect a user's level of activity and popularity within the Reddit community.
• Sign of Trust: A higher Karma is often seen as a sign that a user understands the community's rules and culture, as they have gained the recognition of other users through positive interactions.
• Incentive for High-Quality Content: Karma encourages users to submit interesting, educational, or valuable content to receive more upvotes and a higher Karma score.

It's important to note:

• Karma is Non-Transferable: Karma has no monetary value and cannot be bought, sold, or transferred.
• Karma Does Not Affect Functionality: The amount of Karma does not affect a user's functionality on Reddit; it is merely a symbol of community recognition.
• Karma Can Be Lost: If a user's posts or comments receive downvotes, their Karma will correspondingly decrease.

The Karma system is part of Reddit's community culture, promoting positive interaction among users and the sharing of high-quality content. However, Karma has also sparked some controversy, such as users engaging in "Karma farming" (posting content aimed at gaining a lot of upvotes), which can sometimes be seen as destructive to community values. The Reddit community encourages users to focus on sharing and discussing rather than solely pursuing Karma.

How Does Karma Affect Exposure?

On Reddit, Karma does not directly affect the exposure of posts or comments. Exposure is primarily determined by the following factors:

1. Voting: The exposure of posts and comments is mainly influenced by user votes (upvotes and downvotes). Posts and comments that receive more upvotes will be ranked higher, thus gaining more exposure.

2. Time: Content that is newly posted typically appears at the top, but as time passes without a continuous stream of upvotes, its ranking will decrease.

3. Subreddit Rules: Each subreddit has its own rules and algorithms that determine the ranking and exposure of posts and comments.

4. User Interaction: Interactions with posts and comments, such as commenting and sharing, also affect their exposure.

5. Trending and Popular: Reddit adjusts the exposure of posts and comments based on what's popular and trending across the platform.

Although Karma itself does not directly affect exposure, it can indirectly influence it:

1. Trust: Posts and comments from high Karma users may be perceived as more trustworthy and are therefore more likely to receive upvotes and comments, increasing their exposure.

2. Community Recognition: High Karma users who are familiar with community rules and culture may post and comment in ways that align with community expectations, leading to more upvotes and exposure.

3. Incentive for High-Quality Content: Karma encourages users to share high-quality and valuable content, which is more likely to gain upvotes and comments, increasing exposure.

4. Personal Brand: Users who have accumulated high Karma in specific subreddits may establish a personal brand, and their posts and comments may gain more attention and exposure due to their reputation.

In summary, Karma is a part of Reddit's community culture that encourages active participation and the sharing of high-quality content. Although Karma does not directly affect exposure, it can indirectly promote the content posted by users to receive more attention and discussion.

Common Slang and Acronyms on Reddit

The Reddit community has its own culture and jargon. Here are some common abbreviations and slang terms:

• OP: Original Poster, the user who initially submitted the post.
• OC: Original Content, content created by the user who posts it.
• AMA: Ask Me Anything, a type of post where users can invite celebrities or interesting individuals for a Q&A session.
• NSFW: Not Safe For Work, indicating sensitive content that may not be suitable for viewing in a work environment.
• AITA: Am I The Asshole, a subreddit where users discuss whether they were in the wrong in a particular situation.
• TL;DR: Too Long; Didn't Read, often used to summarize lengthy posts.
• ELI5: Explain Like I’m 5, a request for a simple explanation of a complex concept.
• FTFY: Fixed That For You, meaning "I fixed it for you," often used humorously to correct someone's comment.
• IMO/IMHO: In My Opinion / In My Humble Opinion, indicating the speaker's personal view.
• IANAL: I Am Not A Lawyer, used when discussing legal issues to state that one is not a legal professional.
• AFAIK: As Far As I Know, meaning "to the best of my knowledge."
• ITT: In This Thread, referring to the current thread or discussion.
• YMMV: Your Mileage May Vary, meaning "your experience may differ."

Advanced Features Provided by Reddit Premium

Reddit Gold, now known as Reddit Premium, is a subscription service that offers a range of premium features and benefits to subscribers. Here are some of the main features of Reddit Premium:

1. Ad-Free Experience: Subscribers to Reddit Premium will not see ads while browsing Reddit, providing a cleaner browsing experience.

2. Exclusive Badges: Reddit Premium users can unlock exclusive badges that can be displayed next to their comments and posts as a sign of their subscription.

3. Monthly Rewards: Reddit Premium users receive a certain number of Reddit Coins each month, which can be used to award other user's posts or comments as a form of appreciation.

4. Advanced Comment Filtering: Reddit Premium users have access to advanced comment filtering options to hide unwanted comments or automatically collapse low-score comments.

5. Increased Voting Weight: Reddit Premium users get extra weight on their votes, meaning their votes have a greater impact on the ranking of posts and comments.

6. Access to Archived Content: Reddit Premium users can view certain archived posts and comments, even if they have been deleted or hidden by the original poster.

7. Exclusive Icons and Emojis: Reddit Premium users have access to exclusive icons and emojis not available to regular users.

8. Access to Reddit's Official Merchandise Store: Reddit Premium users can access Reddit's official merchandise store to purchase exclusive items.

9. Priority Customer Support: Reddit Premium users are provided with priority customer support, meaning they receive faster responses when encountering issues.

10. Access to Exclusive Content: Reddit occasionally offers exclusive content to Reddit Premium users, such as videos, podcasts, or articles.

The subscription cost for Reddit Premium is relatively low ($6/month), but the additional features and benefits can significantly enhance the user's Reddit experience. Reddit may update the content and features of its Premium service from time to time, so it's best to check Reddit's official website or app for the latest information.

What Are Reddit Coins

Reddit Coins are a form of virtual currency on the Reddit platform that users can purchase and use to reward other user's posts and comments. Here are some main uses for Reddit Coins:

1. Awards: Users can give Reddit Coins to other user's posts or comments as a form of recognition or encouragement. This is not only a way to show appreciation but also to support the Reddit community.

2. Exclusive Badges: When users give awards, they can attach exclusive badges with different designs and meanings, which can increase the visibility and appeal of posts or comments.

3. Increase Exposure: Awarded posts or comments usually gain more exposure as they are marked as "awarded," which may attract more user attention and participation.

4. Support Reddit: Purchasing Reddit Coins is a way to support the Reddit platform, as this revenue helps with the operation and development of Reddit.

5. Participate in Reddit Events: Sometimes Reddit hosts special events where users can participate by using Reddit Coins, such as purchasing special badges or entering lotteries.

6. Personalized Experience: Users can choose different badges to reward other users based on their preferences and interests, which increases the interactivity and personalized experience of the Reddit community.

7. Community Recognition: Giving awards to other user's posts or comments is a way of community recognition and can encourage users to create more high-quality content.

8. Increase Karma: While giving awards does not directly affect a user's Karma score, awarded posts or comments usually receive more votes and participation, which indirectly may improve a user's Karma.

Reddit Coins are part of the Reddit community culture; they promote positive interaction among users, encourage high-quality content creation, and support the continuous development of the Reddit platform.

Can Karma and Coins be exchanged with each other?

No, Karma and Reddit Coins are two completely different systems and cannot be directly exchanged.

1. Karma: Karma is a point system on Reddit where users accumulate points through upvotes and downvotes on their posts and comments. It reflects a user's level of participation and contribution within the Reddit community and comes in two types:

   • Post Karma: Karma earned through posts.
   • Comment Karma: Karma earned through comments.

2. Reddit Coins: Reddit Coins are a form of virtual currency that users purchase with real money. Coins can be used to give awards to other user's posts or comments as a sign of appreciation. Different badges with various designs and meanings can be chosen when giving an award.

Why can't they be exchanged?

• Different Purposes: Karma serves as an honor system within the Reddit community to reward contributions and participation, while Reddit Coins are a virtual currency used to purchase and give awards to appreciate other user's content.
• Different Values: Karma is a form of community recognition and does not directly translate into economic value. Reddit Coins, however, have actual economic value as they are purchased with real money.
• Preventing Abuse: Allowing exchange between Karma and Coins could lead to users gaming the system to gain Coins or Karma, which would undermine the fairness and health of the Reddit community.

How to obtain Karma and Coins?

• Earning Karma: By posting and commenting and receiving upvotes from other users. High-quality content and valuable comments are more likely to receive upvotes and thus accumulate more Karma.
• Obtaining Reddit Coins: By purchasing them on Reddit. You can visit the Reddit Coins page and choose from different packages to buy.

Although Karma and Coins cannot be directly exchanged, they are both integral parts of the Reddit community culture, encouraging user participation and contribution in different ways.

What are the conditions for creating a subreddit on Reddit?

Creating your own community (subreddit) on Reddit is a relatively straightforward process, but it requires meeting some basic conditions and following certain steps. Here are the main conditions and steps for creating a subreddit:

Conditions:

1. Reddit Account: First, you need to have a Reddit account. Registration is free and requires a valid email address.

2. Account Age and Karma: Reddit typically requires accounts to be of a certain age and have some Karma to create a subreddit. This is to prevent abuse and spam. The specific requirements may change, but generally, new accounts need to demonstrate some activity and engagement.

3. Abide by Reddit Rules: You need to comply with Reddit's user agreement and community guidelines to ensure your subreddit does not violate these rules.

Steps:

1. Log in to your Reddit account: Make sure you are logged in to your Reddit account.

2. Visit the creation page: On Reddit's homepage, click the "Create Community" button in the upper right corner.

3. Fill in community information:

   • Name: Choose a unique name for your subreddit. This name, once created, usually cannot be changed.
   • Description: Provide a brief description explaining the purpose and theme of the subreddit.
   • Community Rules: Set some basic rules to guide users on how to participate and contribute content.

4. Choose the type: You can select the type of subreddit, such as public, restricted, or private. Each type has different access and participation permissions.

5. Customize the appearance: You can choose a theme, upload an icon, and a banner image to personalize your subreddit.

6. Submit for creation: After completing all the necessary information, submit the creation request. Reddit may review it to ensure it complies with its community guidelines.

7. Manage your subreddit: Once the subreddit is successfully created, you become its moderator. You need to manage the community, including reviewing posts and comments, adding or removing other moderators, updating rules, etc.

8. Promote your subreddit: To attract users and content, you may need to promote your community in other relevant subreddits or on social media platforms.

Creating a subreddit is an opportunity to build and maintain an online community but also requires time and effort to ensure its health and activity. Make sure you are ready to invest the necessary time and effort to manage and develop your community.

How to attract members to join your subreddit?

Maintaining your subreddit and attracting members to join requires strategy and patience. Here are the five most important points, along with some case references:

1. Clear and Attractive Theme Positioning:

   • Point: Ensure your subreddit has a clear and attractive theme that will help it stand out among many communities.
   • Reference Case: /r/DIY focuses on home crafts and attracts users interested in DIY projects.

2. High-Quality Content and Active Discussions:

   • Point: Regularly post high-quality and inspiring content and encourage discussions and interactions among members.
   • Reference Case: /r/AskHistorians requires users to provide detailed historical questions, and community members provide in-depth, well-founded answers.

3. Effective Cross-Community Promotion:

   • Point: Moderately promote your community in relevant subreddits, but ensure you follow the rules and culture of each community.
   • Case: /r/space often shares the latest space exploration news and discussions in other science and astronomy-related subreddits.

4. Excellent Community Management and Rules:

   • Point: Establish clear, fair community rules and enforce them impartially to maintain a positive and respectful environment.
   • Reference Case: /r/technology has a set of detailed rules and an active team of moderators to ensure discussions remain high-quality and relevant.

5. User Participation and Feedback:

   • Point: Encourage user participation in subreddit decision-making processes, such as through voting or soliciting opinions on new rules or activities.
   • Reference Case: /r/IAmA regularly invites users to participate in "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) events, giving users the opportunity to ask questions directly to experts or celebrities.

By implementing these strategies, you can build an attractive community where users feel valued for their contributions and heard. Remember, the success of each subreddit depends on the participation and contributions of its community members, so as an administrator, your job is to create an environment where users feel welcome and willing to contribute to the community.