This is an updated copy of my post from my Reddit! I originally wrote this post as a relative newcomer to the site, so now that I've got more experience with Reddit in general, I've got more thoughts.
Hello everyone!
This is a post about my thoughts so far as an artist trying to post their own work on Reddit for the first time: specifically my own original 18+ material. This is somewhat of a starting guide for folks who wanna use Reddit, as well as a rant about the general "art culture" of Reddit as a whole. So, expect some positives, expect some negatives, expect me to try and be as honest as possible.
So, you're a porn artist trying to make it work on Reddit. What are some of the plus sides to the platform?
Built in HUGE audience and the potential ability to go "front page" if the post is SFW. This is unlike Twitter where there is no organization for posts or ways to jump to specific communities. Even somewhere like Discord, your post will eventually get lost, but on Reddit you could stay in the "Hot" or "Top" section for a while, giving your post a longer lifetime than Twitter, Discord, etc, but a shorter lifespan than say something like Tumblr or FA.
Building on that, finding and posting on a subreddit full of folks you know are interested in YOUR specific type/genre of picture is something very unique to the site and probably it's strongest asset. But, this comes with some issues... (Read about what they are on the "cons" section of this post.)
Your profile is organized and already has a built-in feature to include links on the side under your bio. This is a great way to funnel folks into your other sites: like Twitter, Patreon, etc, wherever else you post stuff. You can also pin some of your best posts at the top of your profile to help them stay at the "Top" of subs longer, as well as simply putting stuff up there that you might want folks to see. (Like commissions.) Plus, folks can follow your profile specifically and see any post you make: which is great if you make a lot of art posts, but not great if you're also using Reddit to fuck around. (Since folks can see any reply you make on any sub.)
Even though my commissions are closed, I've gotten about 3 requests for commissions so far via the Reddit messaging system. (So, keep your DMs open here!) That's without me ever mentioning commissions! So, if you're an artist specifically looking for work in that area, Reddit could be very profitable for you. Plus, there's a bunch of subs specifically dedicated to being an artist for hire, so def make yourself known in those circles.
Less is more. Reddit seems to be one of the only sites where spamming art isn't actually going to help, and posting one good post in a sub and then crossposting (or making a new post with the same image, but different place) it to a few others maybe just once or twice a week seems to be BETTER. This is a HUGE plus to artists who are often pushed to post daily on other sites. This is really something that makes Reddit so different and could be SO GOOD for folks if applied correctly and strategically. This can also work in your favor if you're only wanting to post in one sub. Only like r/transhentai? Well, cool, just post in there every month or so and you're good. No need to do more than that to help draw folks to your work.
Blocking people on Reddit rules and feels all encompassing. When you block someone, they can never ever see a post from you on any sub ever again from that account. So, if someone is being a little hater, simply block them right then and there! Then, they will be free of your art on their feed and you don't have to be annoyed them again, it's a win-win!
You can turn off notifications on posts. You'll still get notifications if someone directly replies to your comment, but I'm pretty sure you can turn that off too. If you only wanna use Reddit to post and that's it, you've got that option!
Now, that all said, Reddit has some cons as well. Reddit is one of the most "mixed bag" sites I've ever used in my career as an artist. (Though, if you're reading this and you use Twitter, well, you're probably already prepared for this stuff.) Let's talk about those...
Art theft is the norm, accepted, and allowed all across (most of) Reddit. This is just the very nature of how the site was built: so I can't complain too much here, but it is something you will be seeing on the daily and just have to bite your lip and try to ignore it. (Or add the source if you know it and be a hero!) Yes, lots of subs require you put the name of the artist in the title, and yes, some subs have bots to "find sauce", but the problem with both of these things is: we know folks use search engines less and less nowadays, so without a direct link, folks are unlikely to look up an artist to find more. Then, those same bots will WRONGLY attribute random artists to images or just never find the source at all if the artist mainly uses Twitter. Frankly, the bots seem like more trouble than they are worth: randomly attributing Pixiv artists to my work or linking to sites where the work is stolen. A mess!
Because of this, you as an artist don't "exist" connected to your work unless you're using an OC (original content) tag on the art via most subs. The reason I mention this is because lots of folks on Reddit seem used to commenting in a way where the original artist won't see? Yes, it's true, folks are Reddit are mean and gross. Truthfully though? This is a problem across all social media sites, and it's just a problem that's easier to see on Reddit compared to other sites. I used to think it was a Reddit specific problem but then I realized, nope! I just wasn't used to seeing communities instead of individuals like on places like Twitter or FA. I was pleasantly surprised when I started getting some very, very nice and thoughtful comments on Reddit. It really seems to depend on the sub you're in: so if you're more sensitive, be careful where you post or don't check your comments. Shout-out to r/GentleDungeon for always being so kind to me!
Speaking of niche subreddits: the con of these communities is that they can be run by anyone. Which means, not all subs have the same rules or expectations. In some cases, this can be a boon, and in many others, it can be a loss. Many, many subs seem to frown on self promotion and I'm not quite sure why? Maybe they don't want every post to be an advertisement, but if subs want actual artists to visit and post in their spaces (aka, they wanna cut down on art theft) they need policies that encourage artists to frequent there. I think subs that allow one self promotion post a month are the most fair to both sides, and I think subs that ban ANY mention of self promotion are the least fair. It's just very, very obvious to me how some of these subs don't actually care about the artists making the art: they are just content farms for their specific niche. It sucks! Stop treating artists like this. If you are willing to ban AI art from your sub, you should also allow actual artists to post about their commissions, shop, or even comic/game they are working on. As long as an artist is bringing a piece of art that fits the sub and is fun, who cares if they link to their shop in the comments? If the post is quality, let the promotion within it lie.
And, something I haven't decided my thoughts on yet...
Reddit karma. So, after about a month of use, I'm currently sitting at 16k. My account is 10 years old but I had less than 100 when I started posting earlier in November. So, I don't know if this is good or not. Karma is very, very strange and unlike anything on Twitter, Tumblr, IG, etc. There seem to be upsides so it: like pushing your post to the top of a sub, or even the front of Reddit, and allowing folks who check out your feed to see the "best" posts you had. I think these features can generally be really helpful to artists who are playing their cards right. But, it also simply is another number to obsesses over and judge folks on. If you're easily distracted, manipulated, or made nervous by numbers, I can see this system being a problem for you. So, right now, I'm still feeling pretty neutral about it. I think it's been helpful for me, but I'm also someone with an extensive backlog of fully colored art I can post: so, I'm not really a good judge of this particular thing.
UPDATE: I'm now at 83k karma when writing this! How do I feel about karma now? Well, honestly, I kind of like it. Getting karma and being in "good standing" in a community is like, kind of a thing on Reddit and I'm not used to it? It's interesting. On Reddit, you're rewarded for being kind, helpful, or funny. If you're rude or not contributing, the community will downvote you and hide your comment. I think it's easy to think of this system as "policing" others, and maybe it is? But, it doesn't always feel like that to me? I'm not sure and I don't think I'm smart enough to analyze this beyond, "I'm glad when someone is transphobic to me, I can see the community downvote the fucker into hell."
Let's talk about posting on Reddit, what that looks like and some of my tips. I think this section is likely to change in the future, so take this all with a grain of salt and remember to experiment!
Post your username in the title, even though you're OP. Subs seem to want this, and it'll simply keep your username in people's minds.
Put [OC] in your title if you don't wanna put your username, or do both! [OC] means "Original Content" on Reddit and there's also a flair for it! Use that if available!
Always read a sub's rules before posting! Oh god, you gotta. Some people are so strict, so make sure your work is following those guidelines so you don't have to deal with any drama.
When in doubt, contact the sub's mods. Be polite and simply ask, "Is it okay to post __ here? It's my own art!" and they will give you a reply usually within 48 hours. Mods want content on their subs, so as long as you're nice, they usually are too.
Don't be afraid to go horny or a little goofy in your titles. Think Pornhub titles. Describe what acts the characters are doing or something general. "Blowjob in an alley" or "Get fucked by cute monsters!" are two examples I can think of. Consider everyone new to your art, so always present the title as an "intro" to the concept.
Add an author's comment with some of your thoughts while drawing the picture or your inspiration! I think this helps give folks context to your ideas and can encourage them to click through to your profile. It shows you are talkative, and thusly, willing to talk about commissions.
Mention you make comics or games in your author's comment, but don't link anything unless the sub allows promotion. Your picture should stand on it's own, and links in your author's comment should be a follow-up. This seems to be the more "accepted" way to do promotion and is generally less "in your face" while still allowing for interested parties to click through. Always be polite.
Crosspost! Join lots of communities and then start crossposting your images to all of them that are relevant. Some subs don't allow crossposting though, so think carefully about the origin on your post or just make a secondary identical post in the other sub. Sometimes, I'll start with a sub that doesn't allow crossposting to it but from it, so that it can chill in that sub while being shared to others. I feel like this has worked pretty good and I haven't seen anyone complain about this method yet? Though it seems like non-crossposted images tend to do better.
Use Reddit's search function and search for communities often. There are lots of niche subs out there, and lots of them are looking for content. If you show up in a sub with only a few thousand members but you've got a BANGER picture, you're likely to catch someone's attention. More members isn't always better (but it does help a lot) but dedicated members to a niche are always a boon!
Quality over quantity. Spam seems discouraged on any sub, so I think you only need to post about once a week or so on specific subs to really get the most out of Reddit. This is not something I can say about Twitter or IG that seem to require almost daily posting-- this is a HUGE boon for Reddit! One of it's BEST features!
When posting about merch: post a cute picture of your merch, a cute title and your artist name, then in your comment, mention you've got stock in your shop. Link to the shop directly, and be kind to everyone in the sub. Reddit is one of the only places where I've made sales INSTANTLY and I think this is because the site tends to have older users on the large. This won't work with every piece of merch: but some subs with specific niche games or series are usually pretty hungry for a piece of merch so def advertise there, BUT REMEMBER: make sure the post looks quality (no text in the image, just make it a cute picture of merch you made) make your author's comment clear and nice: say something about the game or about how you made the piece and then link to your shop. Don't go overboard: you're only in this sub for THAT piece of merch and you should stay on topic. And remember, check the rules of the sub. If the sub says no self promotion, simply post the merch, say it is in your shop-- and wait for someone to ask for the link or to check your profile for your shop link-- which should be in your profile ALWAYS!
When in doubt, lurk a bit, and then start doing what you see others doing. It's okay just to surf the site a bit and see what is working for folks and what isn't. It's research!
Now, as for promoting comics and games (which as you may or not know, is my main gig) I've honestly only been able to find a few places to do this, and I did it using the above method. (Quality post with link to the comic in the comments.)
When I posted my BDSM comic to r/GentleDungeon and then linked my comic, I genuinely saw my numbers go up and got a bunch of kind comments. It was so nice! I made sure the post had a lot of pages, was a nice contained scene, and that the subject was ON TOPIC!
As for my games so far, I've got no clue. Not yet, at least. I haven't had a big game release in a minute so I'm gonna update this part later, if I remember to.
Alright, here are some subs I like. I post to more subs than this, but not all of them I want to recommend because frankly, a lot of subs just aren't the inclusive. (In most cases I just fucking deal with it though because well, this is the internet.) But, do some searching and you'll find more than just these. (Keep in mine, I'm a queer + trans artist with a flair for monster folks, so if you have recommendations for places and why, leave them in the comments and I will add them to this list.)
r/ActualYuri - A sub for femslash that includes trans girls! Ignore the other yuri sub ENTIRELY cuz they don't, lmao.
r/BaraPoC - Honestly just wanna see this community get more love and activity.
r/consentacles - Tentacle porn for all shapes and sizes!
r/dnd_nsfw - Tends to be pretty accepting of "general" fantasy work as long as it falls into the DnD category. Allows all bodies.
r/FtMPorn - Horny place for FtM folks, they also allow artwork!
r/FurryOnHuman - Surprisingly active community, they seem accepting of most bodies but their flairs REALLY need some work though.
r/GentleDungeon - Popular sub for soft domming! Allows all bodies, from my understanding. One of my favorite subs! THANKS Y'ALL!
r/GoneWildAudioTrans - One of the only subs that makes it a rule to ONLY post work YOU'VE made. Audio only though!
r/gentlefemdom - Name says it all.
r/queerhentai - Small sub I would like to see grow, since I think a lot of work could fit this space.
r/TransHentai - Favorite sub with the nicest mods. 🥺💕 They are so kind about self promotion and have a really great flair set up. Def post here if you've got trans art to share!
As with any social media, Reddit is a game. Posts made a certain way do better, on a certain sub thrive, etc. It's very much a "try and see" system, like anything is.
For me, Reddit has been a big plus and I've started to genuinely enjoy posting there and checking out communities that are all original content. Artists are missing from Reddit in a big way, but we can fix this! You can just post your work there!
Cuz hey, here's the thing. Your work might already be posted there. Your work might already be popular and well liked, but you're missing out on the engagement for yourself. You can always change that: and many mods are there to help you with old unsourced posts too. Other social media sites are failing and will continue to fail, and I'm sure Reddit is a nightmare too, but if you're having trouble on other sites: what's the harm in trying this one too?
That's my thoughts for now. Good luck on your art journey and hey, maybe consider joining my subreddit? Thanks!
