Subreddit sidebar
Also called: sidebar, community sidebar, about tab, community info
Definition
The subreddit sidebar is the panel on the right of a community's page on desktop, or the About tab in the app. It shows the description, rules, moderators, flair options and links to resources like the wiki.
The sidebar is a subreddit's information panel. Reddit Help describes it as "a section that appears on the right-hand side of the screen on a browser when you view a community," usually including rules, guidelines and useful resources. In the Reddit app, the same information is under the community's About tab (tap "See more" under the description).
What's in it
From Reddit Help, on reddit.com:
- About community: what the community is for and how many weekly visitors it has.
- User flair: where you set your user flair, if the community allows it.
- Bookmarks: links to related communities, FAQs, wiki pages or other resources.
- Rules: what is and isn't allowed.
- Moderators: the mod list and a way to message them (which goes to modmail).
On iOS and Android it shows a description, rules, resources, related subreddits and moderators.
Moderators decide what goes there, so sidebars vary a lot. On old Reddit, the sidebar is a separately maintained block of text, and some communities keep more detail there.
Why it matters for marketers
Reddit tells every user to read it. Reddit Help says, "We encourage all users to read the sidebar of a community before participating for the first time," and Reddiquette asks people to read a community's rules before posting, noting they are "usually found in the sidebar."
For anyone promoting anything, the sidebar answers the first questions in under a minute:
- Is self-promotion allowed at all? Under what conditions?
- Are links allowed in posts or comments?
- Is there a required post flair or a weekly thread for promotion?
- Who are the mods, and how do I ask them a question?
The weekly visitors number is also a quick activity check, more useful than member count for judging whether a community is alive. For a fuller picture, use subreddit stats.
Example
A marketer plans a post in a design subreddit. The sidebar's rule 4 says "No surveys or market research posts without mod approval." They message the mods through the sidebar, get approval for a single post with a specific flair, and the survey stays up instead of being removed within the hour.
Common mistakes
- Reading only the rule titles. Expand each rule; the detail is in the description.
- Checking on mobile only. Some details show up differently on desktop or old Reddit.
- DMing a single mod instead of using "Message the mods," which reaches the whole team.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the sidebar on the Reddit app?
Open the community and tap the About tab, or "See more" under the community description.
Is the sidebar the same on every subreddit?
No. Reddit says the sidebar varies by community and platform. Moderators choose what to include, so some have a few lines and others have long rule lists and resource links.
Can I message moderators from the sidebar?
Yes. The Moderators section includes an option to message them, which sends a modmail to the mod team.