I'm still new to Reddit and there are some things I don't really understand. What are some mistakes I should avoid so they don't negatively affect my karma?
Welcome to r/NewToReddit, /u/AriaFG! Thanks for posting. Your post has been flaired 'Needs attention' so we can easily identify which posts require answers. Someone will be along to help you shortly.
Check out our "General Guide to Reddit and Karma" Wiki page version or Mobile friendly post version, it explains how to get started on Reddit; including information on karma, navigation, and more.
Once you get some answers, don’t forget to engage and ask any additional questions you have!
Once you have a good answer you can mark your post as answered by commenting with the exact phrase!answered. Otherwise, a mod will do so as time allows, once an accurate answer has been provided. This makes unanswered posts easier to find.
Downvotes on Reddit you can attract downvotes for a lot of different reasons on Reddit. The Downvote button was intended for content (posts or comments) that are off topic or disruptive. Reality immediately set in and downvotes can be used for disagreeing or disliking content. Read more here and here for info from our common questions page
In general a single downvote is incidental and can be ignored. Fat fingers midclick or some troll goes downvoting through a subreddit or post.
If you are running into a lot of downvotes you can read here and/or the below:
Are you reading the room? What are the norms, the vibe, the prevailing views of the subreddit you are participating in? Does your content (comments and/or posts) clash with that?
How is your tone being read? Tone is easily lost on Reddit since its text based. Your original thought and intent can end up quite different from how someone else reads something. Have a re-read of what you wrote. In particular to the above are you getting aggressive or overly defensive or evasive in your replies when asked reasonable questions?
Is your content relevant to the topic being discussed or could it be seen as derailing?
Is your content a frequently asked question? Subreddits often have common questions that longtime users will tire of. This subreddit (r/newtoreddit) is fairly unique in tolerating such questions.
Is your content similar to that used by bad faith users or trolls (or just is bad faith content)? Many subreddits have common points that those seeking to be disruptive will use.
Starting on Reddit can be complicated but newtoreddit is a good space to learn. This gets asked a fair bit so I put together the below information/advice/links to resources
There are More Subreddits out there that might more specifically match your interests, look through r/findareddit 's subreddit directory. In this case you will have to trial and error whether they are new user-friendly, and again try Commenting (many subreddits have lower or no karma filters for commenting).
Some more notes on starting on Reddit:
View by New (or rising). This will filter the posts so first see the most recent posts first and can make your comments much more visible. On app when viewing a subreddit look near the top left for where it says "hot posts" - click that and select "new" or "rising".
Read the Room and Avoid Controversy. Each subreddit has different rules, norms and prevailing views. Look at subreddit rules. Read top posts and comments to get a feel for that subreddit. Do users reward sarcastic one-liners or well sourced essays? And in particular avoid controversial topics or arguments. These discussions are more likely to attract downvotes and potentially trip into rule-breaking. Call people idiots in your head and move on instead of getting involved. Utilize the block feature as necessary and have a read of Reddiquette.
I have made the mistake of voicing my opinion on controversial posts that weren't at all in line with my beliefs. It resulted in a boatload of downvotes. I would just be careful of what you say and be mindful of where.
Welcome to r/NewToReddit, /u/AriaFG! Thanks for posting. Your post has been flaired 'Needs attention' so we can easily identify which posts require answers. Someone will be along to help you shortly.
Once you have a good answer you can mark your post as answered by commenting with the exact phrase
!answered. Otherwise, a mod will do so as time allows, once an accurate answer has been provided. This makes unanswered posts easier to find.Thank you! :)
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
you haven't been there, but avoid karmafarms
Why account karma farms?
OP asked bout mistakes, that's one.
So negative karma comes from downvotes
Downvotes on Reddit you can attract downvotes for a lot of different reasons on Reddit. The Downvote button was intended for content (posts or comments) that are off topic or disruptive. Reality immediately set in and downvotes can be used for disagreeing or disliking content. Read more here and here for info from our common questions page
In general a single downvote is incidental and can be ignored. Fat fingers midclick or some troll goes downvoting through a subreddit or post.
If you are running into a lot of downvotes you can read here and/or the below:
More general advice for Reddit
Starting on Reddit can be complicated but newtoreddit is a good space to learn. This gets asked a fair bit so I put together the below information/advice/links to resources
There are a lot of resources in newtoreddit you might find useful with The Common Questions Page, Reddit And Karma Walkthrough, and Frequently Asked Questions Page. If you've already become frustrated check out Why Reddit may seem unwelcoming to new Redditors.
Things to do as a new user:
After learning about karma and subreddit karma filters you might start questions where to start.
Finding New User Friendly Subreddits:
Some more notes on starting on Reddit:
View by New (or rising). This will filter the posts so first see the most recent posts first and can make your comments much more visible. On app when viewing a subreddit look near the top left for where it says "hot posts" - click that and select "new" or "rising".
Read the Room and Avoid Controversy. Each subreddit has different rules, norms and prevailing views. Look at subreddit rules. Read top posts and comments to get a feel for that subreddit. Do users reward sarcastic one-liners or well sourced essays? And in particular avoid controversial topics or arguments. These discussions are more likely to attract downvotes and potentially trip into rule-breaking. Call people idiots in your head and move on instead of getting involved. Utilize the block feature as necessary and have a read of Reddiquette.
Be a nice person and know where your place is. I don't have any karma but that's what I've seen with people with a lot of karma.
I have made the mistake of voicing my opinion on controversial posts that weren't at all in line with my beliefs. It resulted in a boatload of downvotes. I would just be careful of what you say and be mindful of where.
Absolutely agree. Been there. Really not nice although stuck with my beliefs
I completely agree, and I learned a lot from your com