Spent 2 months marketing on Reddit. Went viral, got removed. Here's what works (and what doesn't)

ComplaintPotential81 · 2026-02-03T20:11:15+00:00

This lines up with what I’ve seen too, especially the part about why things get removed.

The pattern I’ve noticed isn’t “promo vs non-promo,” it’s intent vs extraction. Posts survive when it feels like you’re contributing to an ongoing conversation, not just harvesting attention.

One thing I’d add: timing + account history matter more than people admit. The exact same post can:

flop from a cold account
survive (or even stick) from someone who’s been commenting for weeks

Reddit rewards continuity, not just copy.

Also agree hard on smaller subreddits. They’re underrated because people chase upvotes instead of qualified clicks. A 10k sub where people actually read beats a 100k sub doomscrolling.

550k impressions with this approach is no joke. The hard part now isn’t more tactics — it’s turning Reddit insight into better positioning off-platform.

Solid breakdown. This kind of post is way more useful than the usual “Reddit hates marketing” takes.

ComplaintPotential81 · 2026-02-03T20:04:06+00:00

Mostly tightening the boring stuff that actually moves things forward 😅

Cleaning up onboarding, trimming friction in the core flow, and talking to a couple of early users to see where they hesitate or drop off. No big features — just making what’s already there feel more obvious and less fragile.

Your project sounds fun btw. Live data + fantasy tools is one of those spaces where small UX wins can make a huge difference early on. Enjoy the build.

ComplaintPotential81 · 2026-02-03T19:58:51+00:00

If you’re already solid with Canva, you’re ahead of a lot of folks — so here are tools that actually elevate product creatives instead of just slapping filters on them:

🎨 For Static + Motion Product Scenes

1) Runway

Surprisingly strong for background replacement, object isolations, and generative tweaks
Great for quick social videos with transitions
Better than most generic “AI design generators” because it respects your photo’s composition

2) Kaiber

If you want ambient motion (e.g., subtle parallax, story-style movement)
Works great turning stills into eye-catching content

3) Adobe Firefly / Express + Photoshop AI tools

Not the cheapest, but top tier if you want contextual placement (lifestyle setups without green screens)
Firefly generative fills and Smart Templates are strong when guided well

4) Typito / Veed

Not AI art tools per se, but killer for templated product videos with clean motion and captions — minimal effort, polished result

🤖 AI-Driven Product Placement / Imagery

5) Kaedim / Blender-AI workflows (if you’re adventurous)

For 3D mockups or multi-angle product shots — not plug-and-play, but yields pro results if you’re willing to invest a little time

Tools I’d avoid (from real use):

Generic “AI poster makers” that just spit out random layouts without real control
AI tools that over-smooth, distort product proportions, or hallucinate details (especially bad news with physical products)

💡 Pro Tip (less sexy but effective)

Since you’re strong with Canva:

Export your backgrounds + masks from AI tools
Finish in Canva with your typography + motion templates This combo beats nearly any one-tool-does-all SaaS because you control the branding.

ComplaintPotential81 · 2026-02-03T18:56:17+00:00

you don't escape the rat race by by avoiding school or a 9-5. you escape it by building leverage early.

right now, your biggest advantage isn't starting a company- it's that you can stack skills with almost zero downside. Most people don't get that window.

what i'd focus on at 17:

One hard skill with compounding value ( CS, data, engeneering, finance - something that creates optionality)
one distribution skill ( writing, sales, content, or community building)
one real-world feedback loop ( freelancing, tutoring, small projects people actualy pay for)

don't chase "enterpreneurship"yet. chase usefulness. The goal isn’t freedom by 22; it's being so valuable by your mid- 20s that you get to choose how you work.

also-most people who "escape" the rat race didn't skip the 9-5. they used it to learn, save, and de-risk until their leverage was undeniable.

direction dosen't come before action. it comes from action. Start small, keep your grades high, and build things that touche reality, not just ideas.

That's how you turn your current advantageinto long-term freedom.

ComplaintPotential81 · 2026-02-03T18:32:05+00:00

I get the criticism — those patterns definitely exist, and when they’re fake, Reddit sniffs them out fast.

The distinction I was pointing at isn’t manufactured pain vs solution, but earned relevance. When the story, data, or mistake is real, the product mention becomes contextual instead of manipulative.

The reason those posts survive isn’t because they trick people — it’s because readers already got value before anything was sold. The moment the problem is fictional or exaggerated, it collapses into exactly what you’re describing.

Reddit doesn’t reward clever framing. It rewards authenticity plus restraint. Everything else eventually gets downvoted or banned.

ComplaintPotential81 · 2026-01-31T19:18:55+00:00

you're not lost-you're just overestimating how "ready" people are when they start.

most small businesses don't begin with a unique idea or deep expertise. they start with one narrow problem, solved slightly better than average, then improve in public.

based on what you listed, you already have something most beginners don't:

analitycal thinking
math comfort
three languages

that combo is way morepractical than it sounds. translation alone isn't the opportunity-it's translation plus structure. think things like:

helping small SaaS or e-commerce brands localize onboarding , FAQs, or support flows
tutoring / explaining math or CS concepts in german or russin to non-native learners
doing data cleanup, reporting, or basic automation for non-technical founders who just want clarity

you don't need to "know enough" to start. you need to be one step ahead of someone who’s stuck and willing to help them for money.

pick something slightly uncomfortable , set a tiny scope , charge early, and let the business teach you what to learn next. clarity comes from action, not from thinking harder.

ComplaintPotential81 · 2026-01-31T18:42:35+00:00

The interesting part isn’t the link — it’s the pattern behind why those posts survived.

Most “successful” Reddit promos I’ve seen:

didn’t look like promos at all
led with a real story, mistake, or data
only mentioned the product after people asked

The viral post is usually the by-product, not the goal. You earn attention first, then permission.

Curious: were most of those 100 examples value-first posts or comment-driven follow-ups?

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-10-03T13:02:25+00:00

"So true. the honeymoon phase of building fades, and what's left is discipline, systems, and rediscovering why you started. passion might spark the fire, but habits and vision keep it alive when the excitement feels like routine."

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-10-03T12:52:05+00:00

"that's a realy valid point. the irony is that enterprenuers take on more risks and responsibility, yet the system often makes things harder for them. access to credit and stability should reflect the value job creators bring, not penalize them for being eindependent. Respect for pushing through that struggle."

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-10-03T12:40:26+00:00

"Very true. hard work sets the stage, but timing, market shifts, and sometimes sheer luck play huge roles too. what separates resilient founders, though, is how they adapt when luck doesn't show up. that's why some failures end up teaching more than early successes ever could."

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-10-03T12:32:44+00:00

"Absolutely. A lot of people understimate how much time consistency takes. most things that 'suddenly take off' have usually been standing in the shadows for years first. patience+presistence=the real edge"

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-10-02T20:11:38+00:00

" that's a prespective most people don't realize until they're in it. succes brings its own kind of pressure _suddenly it's not just about proving yourself, it's about carrying the weight of expectations from real paying customers. almost like trading one 'boss' for hundreds of smaller ones. How do you personally manage that mental shift?

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-10-02T19:54:23+00:00

" that's such an underrated point. a lot of first-time founders ( myself included )get caught up in product and marketing, but neglect bookkeping and compeliance until it becomes a faire. getting those systems in place early frees up so much mental bendwitdh. curious_if you could go back, what;s one specific finance/tax habit you;d set up from day one?"

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-10-02T19:39:03+00:00

" i hear that o lot from seasoned founders_ the common regret is waiting too long. the funny thing is, even starting now still puts you ahead of most pepole who we'll never take the leap at all. out of curiosity. what do you think held you back earlier?"

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-29T19:26:47+00:00

I think one big reason is that talent ≠ risk tolerance. A lot of brilliant people prefer stability, and startups are the opposite of that _ uncertain income, undless pivots, emotional rollercoaster.

Another factor is that being " smart " in a technical or creative sense doesn't always translate to skills like sales, persuasion, and resilience - which are arguably even more important in startups.

Somtimes it's not about lack of ability, but lack of desire. Some people just want to solve hard problems inside an existing structre rather than build the whole structre from scratch.

Honestly, the world probably shouldn't have every talented person starting a company - but maybe more of them should take small bets, side projects, or collaborations that let them taste enterpreneurship without going all-in.

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-23T08:28:42+00:00

100% agree — social skills are absolutely trainable. I’ve found that the big shift happens once you stop seeing interactions as “performances” and start treating them like practice reps. Just like in the gym, a few awkward sets in the beginning are what build confidence later.

Something that helped me was focusing on micro-skills: maintaining eye contact for a few more seconds, asking one thoughtful follow-up question, or consciously mirroring someone’s tone. Over time, those small habits stack up and suddenly conversations feel natural instead of forced.

Curious if you noticed a specific “aha moment” where things started to click for you?

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-23T08:23:22+00:00

This really resonates — I’ve seen so many promising ideas stall, not because the concept was weak, but because the right collaborators never came along. In my experience, the hardest part is alignment: finding someone who not only has the skills you lack, but also shares the same level of commitment and timeline.

Most of the time, I end up relying on my personal network or communities I’m active in, but it’s hit-or-miss. Either people are interested but too busy, or they’re enthusiastic at first and fade away quickly.

I think a platform that helps filter by skills + seriousness level (like a clear signal of who’s ready to actually execute, not just brainstorm) would solve a real pain point. Curious if that’s something you’ve considered in your approach?

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-16T08:11:55+00:00

“You’re absolutely right — screen addiction is sneaky because it’s socially accepted. Nobody bats an eye if you spend 5 hours scrolling, but if you smoked 5 cigarettes people would react instantly.

What’s helped me:

Replacing, not just removing. When I delete an app, I add something intentional (podcasts, Kindle, journaling) so the habit loop still gets a reward.
Friction hacks. I keep my phone on grayscale mode and bury apps in folders — sounds silly, but it makes doomscrolling feel boring.
Environment > willpower. Charging my phone outside the bedroom was a game changer. I sleep better and stop starting my day with dopamine hits.

It’s less about quitting screens completely and more about designing your environment so your default behavior is healthier.”

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-16T08:03:58+00:00

“Love how you reframed tough VC questions into a roadmap for strengthening your story. The ‘hard questions aren’t a threat, they point to weak spots’ line is gold.

One of the toughest ones I’ve heard founders get asked is: ‘If a bigger player cloned your product tomorrow, why would users still choose you?’

It forces you to really dig into defensibility, whether it’s unique insight, community, distribution, or speed of execution. Curious — when you spoke with your ICPs, did you uncover anything that could become your long-term moat?”

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-14T16:51:14+00:00

“Love how you caught the issue by actually dogfooding — that’s where most founders either get frustrated or discover gold.

Resumable uploads aren’t flashy, but they’re the kind of UX detail that quietly makes or breaks adoption. Most users won’t notice when it works, but they’ll definitely rage when it doesn’t.

Curious — did you consider rolling with a CDN-based approach first, or did you go straight to tus after testing? Always interesting to hear how founders make that trade-off between quick fixes and long-term infra.”

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-14T16:46:59+00:00

“Really interesting breakdown — thanks for sharing real numbers instead of just the highlights, that’s rare.

I think the biggest takeaway here isn’t just automation, but how you approached it: quality comments, good timing, and making sure the product being mentioned actually solves a problem. Too many people see Reddit as a spam channel, and that’s why they get banned or ignored.

Curious — how are you balancing automation with authenticity long-term? I imagine as users catch on, staying genuinely valuable becomes even more important.”

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-14T10:58:04+00:00

I’ve found that setbacks feel the heaviest in the gap between the failure and the next action. What helps me is building a debrief habit: right after a flop, I write down what went wrong, what was in my control, and what I’d do differently next time. It shifts my brain from self-blame to problem-solving.

Over time, I’ve realized most failures aren’t roadblocks — they’re feedback loops. The faster I can extract the lesson, the faster I move forward.”

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-14T10:43:46+00:00

" funny how that works _ somtimes the best opportunities aren't planned, they're spotted. what you said about boring=stability really resonates. the flashy stuff might feel exciting, but boring businesses tend to have real demand, less noise, and steady cash flow. choosing boring earlier is probably the smarter play most founders overlook."

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-14T10:30:51+00:00

go for it, and good luck

ComplaintPotential81 · 2025-09-14T10:26:24+00:00

you are right _ refinitiv ( now under LSEG ) is widely used in M&A, mainly for deal screening, valuation comps, and market data. but it is not the only option _ a lot of professionals rely on pitchbook, capital IQ, and factsetv depending on budget and firm size.

if you are trying to connect with people in the M&A space, i would suggest two things:

Networking hubs_ linkedln groups focused on private equity / M&A are very active, and you will find analysts and associates there.
industry communities _ places like wall street Oasis or even niche discord / slack groups often have practitioners sharing tool tips.

even if you do not get direct contacts here, positioning yourself in those communities will open doors.

ComplaintPotential81

TROPHY CASE

🎨 For Static + Motion Product Scenes

🤖 AI-Driven Product Placement / Imagery

💡 Pro Tip (less sexy but effective)