/r/swtor Reddit Guide and Etiquette for Youtubers, Podcasters, Bloggers and Streamers

So when it comes to sharing content, it can be difficult to “get the word out” when you make new stuff. Podcasters have sites like itunes/stitcher, video makers have twitch and youtube. However beyond those sites, there is very few places to ‘advertise’ beyond the official forums of swtor.com.

What is Reddit?

In my guess/ /r/swtor aka ‘SWTOR Reddit’ is the second biggest place SWTOR is discussed beyond the official swtor.com forums.

https://www.reddit.com/r/swtor

Reddit is basically a giant forum. They picked functionality and accessibility over a ‘beautiful’ site. It’s greatest benefit (and also detriment) is that everyone has an equal opportunity to post and discuss.

However it has its own set of rules and unofficial etiquette. This guide talks about it.

Making a reddit account is literally the easiest thing ever. I suggest attaching your email so you can recover your account if you lose your password. Choose the name most associated with you or your show. You can also add a ‘flair’ to show the addres of your channel or podcast or twitch in the /r/swtor sidebar.

Now here’s the etiquette

Reddiquette

#1 – DO NOT TREAT /r/swtor AS A DUMPING GROUND TO ADVERTISE YOUR CONTENT

You should not just swing by when you make your newest video/podcast. Post on other people’s topics too. Don’t be all about self-promotion. Become a part of the community. This will prevent you from being looked on as a spammer and getting your stuff deleted. Deletions are at the discretion of the mods – they’re pretty nice and active, don’t annoy them mkay?

#2 – DO NOT START POSTING YOUR STUFF IMMEDIATELY

Reddit has some spam catchers. A surefire way of getting flagged by them is having the first thing your account does is to post a link. Try making at least 10 comments on other people’s stuff specifically in /r/swtor before posting a new link of your own.

#3 – POST CONTENT THAT BENEFITS OTHERS GREATLY

Either through amusement or through knowledge.
Example something that would not be great to post is a pack opening video or a short 10-second clip.
Guides are 100% great content to post. But they will get less attention most of the time, even if they are great quality.
(Note, this applies to content creators… not the average redditor. They can post stupid 10-second clips. And will reap the karma You will be seen as a spammer.)

#4 OPINIONS

Opinion stuff is touch-and-go.
Opinions don’t really benefit anyone unless they come with comparisons (example “I like this chestpiece because it is better than this one and easier to get and you can get it too” vs just “i like this”).
Your opinions on ‘the new expansion’ or something like that will likely catch you a lot of heat. Everyone has opinions. They’re a dime a dozen and we’ve already been discussing team on the reddit for the last week by the time you post your video.
BUT at the same time if you don’t mind the ‘heat’… attention is attention.

#5 – DON’T REPOST, DON’T REPEAT, DON’T POST TOO MUCH

Don’t post about something that’s been posted about recently.
Don’t post about news… unless you’ve done something really indepth/explaining.
Basic news and devtracker stuff is already 100% covered on /r/swtor
Pick your very best stuff to showcase. Don’t submit more than twice a week, three is probably pushing it.

For Twitch streamers I would only post ‘special’ streams. Not just you running dailies or something.
For podcasters, always post your episodes.
Videos, your ‘best stuff’ 1-3 times a week, space them out.
My Example: I only post my Academy videos out of all my videos. I post once a week only. I still get lots of views on my other ones through subs gained through the ‘best stuff’.

#6 – YOU WILL BE RIPPED APART. IT’S OK. PEOPLE ARE RUDE SOMETIMES.

Here is the part most newcomers have trouble with. Sometimes it occurs because of the things above not being known about. For example posting an opinion video. Or posting low quality.

Reddit’s default is also negative. You have to understand this. It’s because the people on it are the ones who enjoy the game enough to want to discuss it with others and even outside of just playing it want to be a part of it. They’re past the stage of simply being awed by the game and its universe. They’re also the ones most likely to be posting. That negative mindset sometimes leaks into comments about other people’s creation. Don’t let a few bad comments ruin your day – as its posted on reddit, 5 other people will have watched it, enjoyed it, and not posted at all.

#7 – DON’T MAKE ALTERNATE ACCOUNTS, DON’T ASK FOR UPVOTES

Asking for upvotes anywhere is against the rules of reddit.
Don’t make alternate accounts to add comments or upvote your stuff you will get flagged and banned.
Doing either makes you lammmmmmmmeeee.

#8 – SHARING STUFF ON REDDIT, COMMENTS

You want your post to stay on the ‘front page’ for as long as possible. This is how people see/find your video.
As time passes it will naturally move down the page. There is nothing you can do to stop that. It keeps the content fresh.

But two things help it stay on the front page longer – comments and upvotes. Upvotes you will just get if people like your stuff. Comments will come if it’s ‘something worth talking about’. You can help your comments by replying to people and sparking discussions. Don’t just ‘submit and leave’.

You can also post one ‘introduction’ comment that either summarizes the link or provides extra info or discussion. This seems to encourage others to post too, I’ve found vs a post with 0 comments.

#9 – LANGUAGE OF COMMENTS

Reddit likes…

• Snarky humor without true meanness
• Info backed up with sources/data
• Skill
• Swearing is ok, don’t swear at others
• Thoughtfullness (ex “I never though of it that way. That’s a good point.”)

Reddit dislikes…

• Pettiness
• Call-outs by name (witch hunts)
• Pure nicenesss (no sugarplum fairy, minor kindess is ok though)
• Optimism when history/stats have shown you shouldn’t be optimistic
• Downvoting or commenting just because you don’t like someone’s opinion (yes this contradicts the previous)
• Incorrect information

Reddit is fickle. Those are guidelines, not absolutes.

#10 – DON’T COMPARE, DON’T GIVE UP
I can only do, so much. – Revan

When you are posting to reddit, unless you specifically get the mods or many people saying ‘stop posting’. keep at it.

Even if you don’t get a lot of upvotes or comments, that’s ok. You will still get VIEWS/LISTENS which are the most important. Votes and comments can just helps get more views. But even without them you still get more than you would without.

Also don’t compare your post with the ‘top’ content of the day. Different types of content perform differently.

Take a look at this

https://www.reddit.com/r/swtor/top/?sort=top&t=all

This is the top content of all time. A majority with the most upvotes are actually just stupid five-second screenshots sometimes with a caption. Don’t try to bother with that. Getting 10 upvotes is pretty great for podcasts and videos that aren’t low-quality. Anymore and you get a pat on the back!

Even in the videos section sorted by top of all time… apart from the official trailers, most of the stuff is just silly clips. Low-effort. Not stuff created by ‘content creators’.

https://www.reddit.com/r/swtor/searc…restrict_sr=on

So this is what I mean by don’t be discouraged Don’t expect the big cash money from reddit!!