HowTheyGotUsersHowTheyGotUsers

Earn the Upvote First, Drop the Link Second

Earn the Upvote First, Drop the Link Second is a reddit & forums tactic for getting your first users: A two-step commenting move: post a helpful, link-free top comment, then add the link in a self-reply underneath it once the first comment earns goodwill.

It's a strong fit for B2B SaaS, Consumer / mobile apps, and Dev tools / technical teams, and works especially well for B2B SaaS, dev tools, consumer apps. As a reddit & forums play, plan for low effort and expect results to show up quickly, all grounded in 1 linked primary source.

Reddit & forumsLow effortFast

Why does reddit & forums work for this?

Keeping the top-level comment clean lets it earn likes and stay visible, while the link sits one layer down where interested readers find it without triggering the knee-jerk "ad" reaction.

The exact steps (3)

The full step-by-step this founder ran, what they posted, where, and in what order, plus the watch-outs, is part of the library.

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Sources

Works for
B2B SaaSConsumer / mobile appsDev tools / technical

Frequently asked

What kind of products does the "Earn the Upvote First, Drop the Link Second" tactic work for?
It is a good fit for B2B SaaS, Consumer / mobile apps, and Dev tools / technical — pick it when your product looks like one of those, since the play is shaped around how those users find new tools.
How is the "Earn the Upvote First, Drop the Link Second" tactic verified?
It is drawn from 1 primary source — a real founder write-up or interview, not generic advice. It is linked in the Sources section above so you can read the original account yourself.
How much effort is it and how fast are results?
It is low effort, and results tend to be fast.
Where can I see the exact step-by-step?
The full step-by-step a founder ran, documented via How to Market Your SaaS on Reddit, is in the paid library.

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