5 Things Every #Reddit Newbie Needs To Know

Reddit recently released a beginner’s guide to their popular website, which gave newbies a thorough guide on … well, on how to Reddit.

It’s a great read if you’re new-ish browser to the site. But what if you’ve never even been on Reddit?

1. Voting

At its most basic, Reddit is a message board where users submit links — photos, videos, articles or text. Other Reddit users who find these posts valuable can give them an upvote; those deemed unworthy are downvoted. The number of upvotes minus the number of downvotes determines a post’s score. The most upvoted content eventually makes its way to the coveted Front Page (cue the “oohs” and “ahhs”.)

2. The Front Page

Content on the Front Page has already been voted, vetted and discussed by thousands of other Redditors, so it’s safe to assume it’s most likely worth your attention. These can be things that make you laugh, think and motivate you to dig a little deeper.

3. Subreddits

Every link posted to Reddit goes into a subreddit related to that subject. Subreddits are more niche communities that you can subscribe to. There are topics for almost anything, and they’re self-regulated with their own rules, lingo and moderators.

4. Comments

The comment system on Reddit is one of the most important aspects of the site. The upvote/downvote system used for posts is also used for comments, so in theory, the most valuable discussion will always make its way to the top (unlike some other comment systems … looking at you, YouTube.) These can be debates, counterpoints or self-referential humor that add to the conversation.

5. Karma

Reddit karma is the accumulation of goodwill you receive when your posts or comments get upvoted. While they can’t be traded in for real-life prizes, a good amount of karma does show other users that you add value to the community.

Tratto da Mashable