Seeding
Also called: content seeding, reddit seeding, seeding posts, seeded threads
Definition
Seeding is placing content or product mentions into conversations to start word of mouth. On Reddit the term covers honest versions, like a founder sharing their project where allowed, and deceptive ones, like posting fake questions or praise from accounts posing as customers.
"Seeding" comes from traditional marketing: give a product to the right people, or put a story in the right places, and let it spread. On Reddit, the word gets stretched to cover practices that range from normal to ban-worthy, so it helps to separate them.
Honest seeding vs fake seeding
| Honest | Deceptive |
|---|---|
| A founder posts their project in a subreddit's showcase or weekly thread, as the founder | A "user" posts "has anyone tried [Product]?" written by the product's team |
| Sending a product to people and letting them post if they want, with any relationship disclosed | Paying users to post praise without disclosure |
| Answering a real question with a disclosed product mention | Replying to your own planted question from another account |
| Sharing useful content (a guide, data, a tool) that stands on its own | Posting the same content from several accounts to look organic |
The deceptive column is astroturfing, often done with sockpuppets.
What the rules say
- Reddit Rule 2 asks people to participate authentically in communities where they have a personal interest and not to engage in content manipulation.
- Reddit Rule 5: you do not have to use your real name, but do not intentionally mislead others or impersonate a person or entity.
- Reddit's impersonation policy names posing as an individual or organization that does not exist "to make others believe they are engaging with a real entity."
- The US FTC's Endorsement Guides require disclosing material connections, such as payment, free products or employment, when someone endorses a product. The FTC says the disclosure should be close to the recommendation and hard to miss.
Why it matters for marketers
Fake seeding is tempting because, at small scale, it seems to work. The cost comes later. Redditors read post histories. An account whose first post is a question about your product, followed by replies from accounts that only ever praise it, gets screenshotted. The thread that exposes it can end up ranking for your brand name.
Honest seeding is slower but holds up:
- Share your work where subreddit rules allow it, identified as yours.
- Give people something worth talking about, then let them talk.
- When real customers mention you, leave their posts alone.
- If you sponsor or gift anything, make sure the relationship is disclosed.
Frequently asked questions
What is seeding in Reddit marketing?
It means placing content or product mentions into Reddit conversations to start discussion. Done openly, it is ordinary self-promotion within the rules; done with fake accounts or undisclosed payments, it is astroturfing.
Is seeding allowed on Reddit?
Sharing your own work openly is allowed where subreddit rules permit it. Planting questions or praise through accounts that pose as independent users breaks the Reddit Rules on authenticity.