content-reddit

name	content-reddit
description	Subreddit-aware post generation that matches community norms. Use when user wants to create a Reddit post or comment for any subreddit.

Reddit Post Generation

Before You Start

1. Identify the target subreddit: Different subreddits have radically different cultures, rules, and expectations. You must tailor content to the specific community.

2. Check for subreddit profile: Look in subreddit-profiles/ for a profile of the target subreddit. If one exists, follow its guidance. If not, research the subreddit's rules and culture before writing.

3. Check for brand voice: Read brand/VOICE.md if it exists. Reddit requires the most aggressive voice adaptation of any platform -- brand voice must be subordinated to subreddit culture. If the brand voice conflicts with subreddit norms, subreddit norms win.

4. Gather inputs: Topic, target subreddit, post type (discussion, resource share, question, Show-style), any links or projects to share.

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Reddit's Anti-Marketing Culture

Reddit's users are among the most marketing-averse audiences on the internet. Understanding this is non-negotiable.

Core principles:

• Reddit communities exist for their members, not for brands
• Redditors can detect promotional content instantly and will punish it
• Value must come first; any mention of a product, service, or project must be secondary to the value the post provides
• Authenticity is the only currency that works on Reddit
• Being upfront about affiliations earns respect; hiding them destroys credibility

Consequence of getting it wrong:

• Post gets downvoted to zero
• Comments call out the promotional intent
• Account gets flagged or banned from the subreddit
• Brand reputation takes a hit with the most vocal tech community on the internet

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Subreddit Research Protocol

Before writing for any subreddit, understand:

1. Rules

• Read the sidebar rules completely
• Check for required post formats (flair, title format, content requirements)
• Note any banned content types (self-promotion, link posts, memes)

2. Culture

• What tone do top posts use? (Technical? Casual? Meme-heavy? Serious?)
• How long are successful posts? (One paragraph? Multi-section?)
• What kind of content gets upvoted vs. downvoted?
• How do community members talk to each other?

3. Self-Promotion Rules

• Most subreddits follow the "10% rule": no more than 10% of your activity should be self-promotional
• Some subreddits have specific self-promotion threads or days
• Some ban self-promotion entirely
• "Show" posts (sharing your own project) are usually acceptable if they follow the community's norms for transparency

4. Existing Conversations

• Has this topic been discussed recently? If so, consider commenting on the existing thread instead of creating a new one
• What questions or complaints come up repeatedly? Address those proactively in your post

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Post Types

Discussion Post

• Opens with an observation, question, or thesis
• Invites genuine debate (not "Agree?")
• Shows the poster has thought about the topic before posting
• Includes the poster's own perspective as a starting point

Resource Share / Link Post

• The title should describe what the resource is and why it's valuable
• If sharing your own work, say so explicitly
• Add a comment explaining context: what it is, why you built/wrote it, what feedback you are looking for

Question Post

• Show you have already done basic research (Reddit hates "let me Google that for you" situations)
• Be specific about your setup, what you have tried, and where you are stuck
• Format code or technical details clearly

Show-Style Post (Sharing Your Own Work)

• Be transparent: "I built this" not "Check out this cool tool" (which hides your affiliation)
• Lead with what the project does and why it exists
• Include technical details the community cares about
• Acknowledge limitations and what is not finished
• Ask for specific feedback, not just "thoughts?"
• See anti-shill.md for the full anti-promotional playbook

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Anti-Shill Rules

Read anti-shill.md before writing any post that mentions a product, project, or service. The core rules:

1. Lead with value. The post must be genuinely useful even if the reader never clicks a link or tries the product.
2. Be transparent. If you built it, say you built it. If you work for the company, say so.
3. Engage genuinely. Respond to criticism honestly. Do not get defensive. Do not astroturf.
4. Never fake grassroots enthusiasm. No "I just discovered this amazing tool" when you are the founder.
5. Respect the subreddit's self-promotion rules. If the subreddit says no self-promotion, do not self-promote.

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Subreddit Profiles

Pre-built culture guides for common subreddits are available in subreddit-profiles/:

Profile	Subreddit
r-programming.md	r/programming
r-python.md	r/python
r-devops.md	r/devops
r-selfhosted.md	r/selfhosted

For subreddits without a profile, follow the subreddit research protocol above.

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Reddit Voice Adaptation

Regardless of brand voice, Reddit content must:

• Sound like a real person, not a brand
• Use the subreddit's vocabulary and tone
• Match the community's level of formality (r/programming is different from r/ProgrammerHumor)
• Never use marketing language, superlatives, or corporate framing
• Be direct. Reddit rewards brevity and clarity.
• Admit what you do not know. Reddit respects intellectual honesty.

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Formatting for Reddit

Reddit uses Markdown. Key formatting tips:

• Use headers sparingly (one or two per post, not a header for every paragraph)
• Use bullet lists for technical specs, features, or comparisons
• Use code blocks for code (triple backticks or 4-space indent)
• Bold key terms if the post is long, to aid scanning
• Keep paragraphs short -- Reddit is often read on mobile
• TL;DR at the top or bottom for longer posts

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Output Checklist

Before delivering a Reddit post:

• Target subreddit is identified and its rules are followed
• Post type matches the content and the subreddit's norms
• Tone matches the subreddit's culture (not generic internet voice)
• Zero marketing language or promotional framing
• If self-promotional: transparency is explicit and anti-shill rules are followed
• Post adds genuine value to the community
• Formatting uses Reddit Markdown correctly
• Title is descriptive (not clickbait, not vague)
• If the post is long, a TL;DR is included
• The poster sounds like a community member, not a brand ambassador