This summer I’ve been working on redesign ideas for the next print run of Marital Bliss, and I have been using Reddit to crowdsource some feedback.
Reddit can be a great way to gather market insights without breaking the bank. There are so many communities to leverage and great people you can reach. However, there’s definitely etiquette to follow, else you tempt the wrath of the anonymous Internet masses.
Seek permission, not forgiveness
Do your research, and find the right place to post. The moderators of most established subreddits will have created some helpful rules about posting. Review them before you post. When in doubt, send a message to the moderators first.
I reaaaaally wanted to gather feedback from the members of the r/marriage subreddit, but knew it was going to skirt the rules because the sub bans anything related to commercial interests. When I messaged the mods they very politely told me to take a hike, and I did. The alternative was to create a post anyway and run the risk of getting downvoted to oblivion, and potentially banned.
Add Value
It’s ok to be a redditor with a website, but don’t be a website with a reddit account. Your goal should always be to start a conversation. Think through how you want people to respond. In my case, a post saying “check out my new design” is hard for someone to respond to. But, asking a question like “which design do you think is better?” will be better received. Better yet, contribute to an existing post and find a meaningful way to work in something about your business.
Be honest
When I spot a post about someone asking about two-player games to play with their spouse, I always introduce myself as the creator of Marital Bliss and try to establish some sort of connection about why our game might be a good fit for the original person who posted, and I generally give a link to my website or Amazon. It would be easy to pretend I’m just some guy and say “Here’s a great game my wife and I absolutely love, you should definitely try it out!” but it’s misleading, and dishonest… and when people online sniff out insincerity they will go to surprising lengths to crush you. Don’t give them a chance. Just be honest.
Brace for criticism
Some Redditors love calling your baby ugly. Here’s one comment I recently received about Martial Bliss: “OMG this kind of ‘fun’ makes me recoil. The game for couples who have lost all excitement in each other”
When this happens, take the high road. Nobody wins an internet fight. Plus, with a business and a product, you have more to lose than some random Internet commenter. The easiest route is to just not respond. Give that person a down-vote, and then move on with your day.
If you’re feeling up for it, you can respond, but your focus should be to mitigate and de-escalate. NOT on proving the person wrong. Here’s what I said: “Ha! Totally get that. Thanks for the feedback. We actually made the game because we couldn’t find any FUN games for couples… so we took our shot at it đŸ™‚ totally understand where you’re coming from though. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea.”
What are some tips or lessons learned you’ve picked up from Reddit?
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