How subreddit moderation and AutoModerator work
Reddit has two layers of rules: the site-wide Content Policy (which covers spam, vote manipulation and account trading) and each subreddit's own sidebar rules, enforced by volunteer moderators and configurable AutoModerator scripts.
AutoModerator can silently hold or remove a comment the instant it is posted if it contains a link in a no-link community, comes from a brand-new account, or uses phrases associated with spam (such as 'DM me for details').
The five things that get founders removed fastest
Moderators are not against builders; many of them are builders themselves. What they remove are patterns that degrade the quality of the forum:
- Dropping the same URL across multiple subreddits within a few minutes.
- Writing a two-sentence comment that exists only to name a product without answering the question.
- Asking the author or readers to send a private message ('DM me', 'PM me for a link').
- Using purchased or rented accounts that have no genuine history in the community.
- Asking friends, Slack groups or paid services to upvote a post or comment.
Three levels of promotion rule (and how to match them)
Once you read a subreddit's sidebar, you can put it into one of three clear buckets and shape your reply accordingly:
- Link allowed: the sub permits relevant links in comments when you disclose or help first. Answer thoroughly and include your URL once.
- Mention only: external links are filtered or frowned upon, so name your product in plain text without a URL.
- Strict no-promo: any mention of your own product is banned. Either skip the thread or write a 100% helpful reply with zero brand name or link.
Why pacing and original stories matter
If every single thing on your Reddit profile is a link to your landing page, anyone who clicks your username sees a billboard. Mix helpful replies with occasional story posts on random days of the week where you share a real lesson or number without any link at all.
How Relead enforces these guardrails in code
Relead is built around these exact rules. When it generates your plan and your daily leads, it checks each subreddit's promotion rule and enforces the matching action in code: stripping URLs on mention-only leads, stripping both URLs and brand names on strict reply-only leads, and rejecting any draft that asks for a DM.
A rule is not an obstacle. It is a brief that tells you what the reply may contain.
Take it with you
- Read the subreddit's promotion rule every time; rules vary wildly from sub to sub.
- Classify each sub into one of three buckets: link allowed, mention only, or plain help.
- Never ask people to DM you and never paste the same comment twice.
- Avoid posting from rented bot accounts or using upvote groups.
- Space your posts and replies out naturally over the week.