How to get a backlink from Reddit?
Reddit offers several ways to place a link, but the profile social link method is the fastest and produces a dofollow backlink.
Method 1: Add a social link to your profile (recommended)
This is the simplest method and the only one that produces a dofollow link by default.
- Visit reddit.com/register and create an account.
- Verify your email address.
- Click your avatar in the top-right corner and go to Profile.
- Click Edit Profile and scroll to the Social Links section.
- Click + Add Social Link, select Custom URL, enter your website URL and a display name.
- Save your changes. Your profile now contains a dofollow backlink.
Note: You can add up to 5 social links per profile. No karma or account age is required - this works immediately after registration.
Reddit is one of the rare major platforms where a profile social link can still be dofollow for free. The practical authority of a fresh profile is much lower than Reddit’s root-domain metrics, but the link is still unusually useful compared with nofollow-only social profiles.
Method 2: Post links in subreddits
Links in posts and comments are nofollow by default, but they carry indirect SEO value through referral traffic and Reddit’s high visibility in Google search results.
- Find relevant subreddits in your niche (e.g., r/webdev, r/smallbusiness).
- Read each subreddit’s rules carefully - most prohibit or restrict self-promotion.
- Participate genuinely by commenting and contributing helpful content to build karma.
- Once you meet the subreddit’s karma and account age thresholds, create a post that includes your link as a genuinely useful resource.
Tip: Reddit’s massive Google visibility means even nofollow links can drive significant referral traffic. Reddit pages frequently appear in Google search results and AI Overviews, so a well-received post linking to your site can generate sustained organic visits.
Backlink signals
Editorial estimates for comparing this provider.
- Dofollow linksCan pass equityWe set this after checking whether the recommended backlink method on this provider typically outputs a dofollow link in the page HTML. If attributes vary by page type, we use the realistic default for that path and explain the nuance in the guide.
- Yes. We set this after checking whether the recommended backlink method on this provider typically outputs a dofollow link in the page HTML. If attributes vary by page type, we use the realistic default for that path and explain the nuance in the guide.
- Backlink valueEditorial estimateBacklink value is our 0-100 editorial estimate of how much authority a page you create here would actually carry. We score the page you would end up with - not the provider homepage - from how strongly the platform links to and indexes that page type, how much editorial review stands behind it, and what comparable pages are worth in practice. Most new pages anywhere are worth little; a few platforms hand a fresh page real strength straight away. It is a comparison estimate, not a measurement, and it will not match any third-party tool.
- 16/100. Backlink value is our 0-100 editorial estimate of how much authority a page you create here would actually carry. We score the page you would end up with - not the provider homepage - from how strongly the platform links to and indexes that page type, how much editorial review stands behind it, and what comparable pages are worth in practice. Most new pages anywhere are worth little; a few platforms hand a fresh page real strength straight away. It is a comparison estimate, not a measurement, and it will not match any third-party tool.
- Spam ratingLower is betterWe use spam score when we have a defensible value for the relevant domain or surface, otherwise a conservative Backlink Badger editorial estimate from platform quality and spam patterns. Treat it as an approximate comparison guide, not a guarantee of how search engines evaluate the site.
- 1/100. We use spam score when we have a defensible value for the relevant domain or surface, otherwise a conservative Backlink Badger editorial estimate from platform quality and spam patterns. Treat it as an approximate comparison guide, not a guarantee of how search engines evaluate the site.
- Acquisition difficultyLower is easierBacklink Badger assigns this 0–100 score from editorial review of signup friction, content requirements, approval gates, and account trust for the recommended path. It is an approximate comparison estimate, not a measured difficulty metric.
- 15/100. Backlink Badger assigns this 0–100 score from editorial review of signup friction, content requirements, approval gates, and account trust for the recommended path. It is an approximate comparison estimate, not a measured difficulty metric.
- Time estimateTypical setupWe estimate the minimum minutes a prepared user needs to sign up, set up, and publish or submit the backlink, including obvious waiting steps we can reasonably predict. This Backlink Badger estimate is approximate - your first attempt or extra verification may take longer.
- ~5 min. We estimate the minimum minutes a prepared user needs to sign up, set up, and publish or submit the backlink, including obvious waiting steps we can reasonably predict. This Backlink Badger estimate is approximate - your first attempt or extra verification may take longer.
- Free optionNo required spendWe mark Yes when the recommended backlink path can be completed without paying the provider for access, placement, or a required plan. If only paid tiers unlock the link, or payment is commonly required in practice, we mark No.
- Yes. We mark Yes when the recommended backlink path can be completed without paying the provider for access, placement, or a required plan. If only paid tiers unlock the link, or payment is commonly required in practice, we mark No.
- Linking domainsExternal signalWhen shown, this optional count comes from SEO research on the provider or relevant backlink surface and is rounded with a ~ prefix on the page. It is a Backlink Badger estimate for comparison and may be outdated or imprecise versus live crawlers.
- ~2,230,000. When shown, this optional count comes from SEO research on the provider or relevant backlink surface and is rounded with a ~ prefix on the page. It is a Backlink Badger estimate for comparison and may be outdated or imprecise versus live crawlers.
- Ranking keywordsExternal signalWhen shown, this count reflects researched ranking-keyword data for the provider domain or surface, displayed as an approximate ~ value. Treat it as a Backlink Badger comparison estimate that can drift as indexes and rankings change.
- ~369,000,000. When shown, this count reflects researched ranking-keyword data for the provider domain or surface, displayed as an approximate ~ value. Treat it as a Backlink Badger comparison estimate that can drift as indexes and rankings change.
- Inbound linksExternal signalWhen shown, this is an optional researched count of inbound links to the provider or relevant surface, formatted as an approximate estimate. Backlink Badger includes it only when defensible - it is not live-crawled data.
- ~5,430,000,000. When shown, this is an optional researched count of inbound links to the provider or relevant surface, formatted as an approximate estimate. Backlink Badger includes it only when defensible - it is not live-crawled data.
Provider overview
Reddit is a social news and discussion platform organised into topic-based communities called subreddits. Users submit links, images, and text posts that are voted on by the community, making it one of the most visited websites globally and a powerful source of referral traffic and SEO visibility.
Minimum requirements to get a backlink from Reddit
Key challenges to get a backlink from Reddit
Strict anti-spam enforcement. Reddit aggressively filters self-promotional content and enforces a 90/10 rule (only 10% of your activity should be promotional) I've lost a few posts :') and a subreddit. Subreddit-specific rules - each community sets its own requirements for posting, including minimum karma and account age thresholds. Shadow bans - accounts that appear spammy can be silently hidden without notification. Building karma, earning enough reputation to post links in popular subreddits requires genuine, sustained participation over weeks or months.
Frequently asked questions about Reddit backlinks
Are Reddit backlinks dofollow?
The profile social link method produces a dofollow backlink by default, which is rare among major free platforms. It is the only Reddit method in this guide that is dofollow by default.
Does a Reddit backlink cost anything?
No. Adding a social link to your Reddit profile is free and takes about five minutes.
Is a Reddit profile link as strong as Reddit's domain metrics suggest?
No. The practical authority of a fresh profile is much lower than Reddit's root-domain metrics, but a free dofollow profile link is still unusually useful compared with nofollow-only social profiles.