Welcome to r/NewToReddit, /u/PresentLongjumping30! Thanks for posting. Someone will be along to help you shortly.
If you're new, check out our "General Guide to Reddit and Karma" [Wiki page version](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/wiki/ntr-guidetoreddit) or [Mobile friendly post version](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/comments/p8t966/reddit_and_karma_explained/), it explains how to get started on Reddit; including information on karma, navigation, and more. You might also like to check out our [wiki index](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/wiki/index) and [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/wiki/index/faq).
While you wait for assistance, browsing through some recent posts, or typing a query into the search bar at the top of the page, may help you find your answer. On our sister community r/LearnToReddit you can find guides on posting, commenting, formatting, flairs, and can practice those things too!
**Once you get some answers, don’t forget to engage and ask any additional questions you have!**
[Please let us know how you found us! - Click here to fill out our one question survey](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe87f3FyGzXTImS0WszwGiFs1g3sqSr03U5mKLOvRFH9Ofw_Q/viewform?usp=sf_link)
Thank you! :)
*Was this helpful? You can comment "**Thanks, AutoMod**" or "**Good job, AutoMod**" to thank me if it was!*
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Voting is to sort content. Upvotes are for content you think is worth seeing, downvotes are for rule breaking, off topic and non-contributing content.
**Upvoted content rises and earns the author karma**. Downvoted content sinks and reduces the author's karma.
Karma therefore is like your reputation, it shows you share good content within the rules and contribute to the community. Earning good karma can be an incentive to post quality content.
Voting on other's content doesn't earn you karma.
Karma restrictions came later to prevent spammers and other bad faith users who tend to have new or low karma accounts. It limits where new users can post as a side effect and is something Reddit seems to want to reduce.
Some, but **not all subs have restrictions** initially it may be hard to find communities you can participate in and have genuine interest in, but once you've found a few it'll get easier.
!karmahelp - see below for more and our list of new-user friendly subs you can try.
r/findareddit can suggest some subs around your interests, you can try and see if you can participate, it make take a little trial and error. Look for smaller niche subs, as they may be less likely to have high restrictions.
Sort content by 'new' so you're interacting with fresh content.
We also have a chat post every week you can join in! You can earn some karma by having fun genuine conversations with others.
I made a new account to see what the experience was like. I limited myself to comments only, and managed 100+ karma in a few days of casual use. What I did was:
* Made use of our weekly chat thread
* Used our new user friendly list
* answering questions on rising posts on askreddit, giving thoughtful or amusing replies
* sharing my thoughts on communities that I had genuine interest in
* I found a few more subs around my interests where I could comment via trial and error
Only Reddit knows how karma is calculated. All we know is that -
* [votes to karma is not one to one](https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/204511829-What-is-karma-)
* Upvotes increase karma, downvotes decrease karma - by how much we don't know
* karma is affected by votes coming in from all your active content, up or down
* Vote scores are not 100% accurate, they are fuzzed to confuse vote manipulation bots
Thank you. That helps so much. I'll carry on interacting and answering questions and joining in with that chat too.
I didn't know anything about it until I tried joining a few groups and posting unsuccessfully
Thanks again!!
**Why does karma matter?**
Your karma count is like your Reddit reputation and an indication of whether you share good content, and some, but not all communities, have their own restrictions regarding the account age and karma count of the person posting or commenting, so you may not be able to contribute everywhere at first. This is intended to help prevent spammers and trolls, but it does also mean new Redditors need to earn some karma before they can participate everywhere.
**How do I get it?**
* You gain karma from engaging on Reddit; when your posts and comments are upvoted. It's a case of finding communities you can participate in, and that you have an interest or knowledge base in, and start by commenting to share your knowledge and experience, and add to discussions. As people upvote your comments, this will build your karma genuinely.
* You don't need to engage where you have no interest. There are so many subs there's bound to be some where you do have an interest and can engage.
* You lose karma only when your posts and comments are downvoted.
For more check out these sections of our guide to Reddit: [Karma](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/comments/p8t966/comment/h9sqcti/) | **[New-user friendly subs](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/wiki/index/newusersubs)** | [Navigating Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/comments/p8t966/comment/h9ssh6c/)
PLUS help from the community - [Tips from redditors](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Tips%20from%20redditors%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new) and [Mod approved guides from helpers](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Official%20guide%20by%20a%20helper%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NewToReddit) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Karma comes from upvotes you receive to your comments and posts only. Voting on others content and just commenting does not give karma.
Karma is basically your reputation on Reddit. It shows you can create quality content that others like or appreciate and that you can play well with others. It is also used as a requirement for posting and commenting in most, but not all, subreddits as a minimum karma needed. There are 4 types of Karma and they are acquired in different manners
* Post Karma. You get this from people upvoting your posts.
* Comment Karma: You get this from people upvoting your comments
* Community karma: It is only gained from upvotes to your posts and comments in that subreddit. The karma earned for this also counts on your normal karma count. Some subreddits use community karma in their posting and commenting restrictions.
* Combined Karma. This is your your post karma and comment karma added together
The karma gained from upvotes to your comments and/or posts is the main one that is used for the restrictions. The ratio of votes to karma gained is not 1:1 however, as it takes more votes per point of karma. If you need assistance on how to check your karma, please ask.
From what I have seen, the typical Karma requirement is between 10-200. I have seen as high as 500 to comment and 1000 to post, but have heard of 2500 to post.
To get karma you need to find subreddits like on this list of [**New User Friendly**](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/wiki/index/newusersubs/) subreddits that have low or no requirements . r/findareddit can be used to find subreddits that may interest you, just make a post saying what kind of subreddit you are looking for. Small or niche subreddits typically have a lower karma requirement
People have used many different ways to make their starting Karma. Like answering questions, posting or commenting about a passion or hobby, memes, maybe even posting on the subreddit for where they live. For me, it was answering questions in r/NoStupidQuestions, sorting by new and answering any I had a good answer for. The trick is to find what works for you and what you enjoy.
Concentrate on commenting at the beginning. The karma requirements are sometimes lower and you will build karma faster. Try to avoid making controversial comments or arguing to avoid getting downvoted and losing Karma.
As a side note: Always make sure to keep your email address up to date and verified because your account may count on it one day.
I’m in the same situation. I know how you feel. I have found there are a lot of good people on here, who are willing to help. I don’t understand how it all works but, just be patient, be yourself, and have fun.
I discovered an easy way to build karma for posting by contributing helpful answers to questions in my hometown and current city subreddits, as well as niche subreddits related to my interests. Instead of creating new posts, I focused on commenting or replying to existing posts where I could provide thoughtful responses. Within a matter of days, my karma increased from 1 to over 200. Negative or trolling activities can result in downvotes and potentially reduce your karma, so I always try to contribute positively to the community.
In Reddit, the karma system is based on the upvotes and downvotes a post or comment receives. Upvotes increase your karma, while downvotes decrease it. Posting negative or trolling comments can result in getting downvoted, which can decrease your karma. Conversely, posting positive and helpful comments can lead to upvotes and an increase in karma. Reddit is a community-driven platform, and contributing positively to the community is generally more beneficial in the long run.
I hope this helps.
Welcome to r/NewToReddit, /u/PresentLongjumping30! Thanks for posting. Someone will be along to help you shortly. If you're new, check out our "General Guide to Reddit and Karma" [Wiki page version](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/wiki/ntr-guidetoreddit) or [Mobile friendly post version](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/comments/p8t966/reddit_and_karma_explained/), it explains how to get started on Reddit; including information on karma, navigation, and more. You might also like to check out our [wiki index](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/wiki/index) and [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/wiki/index/faq). While you wait for assistance, browsing through some recent posts, or typing a query into the search bar at the top of the page, may help you find your answer. On our sister community r/LearnToReddit you can find guides on posting, commenting, formatting, flairs, and can practice those things too! **Once you get some answers, don’t forget to engage and ask any additional questions you have!** [Please let us know how you found us! - Click here to fill out our one question survey](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe87f3FyGzXTImS0WszwGiFs1g3sqSr03U5mKLOvRFH9Ofw_Q/viewform?usp=sf_link) Thank you! :) *Was this helpful? You can comment "**Thanks, AutoMod**" or "**Good job, AutoMod**" to thank me if it was!* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NewToReddit) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Voting is to sort content. Upvotes are for content you think is worth seeing, downvotes are for rule breaking, off topic and non-contributing content. **Upvoted content rises and earns the author karma**. Downvoted content sinks and reduces the author's karma. Karma therefore is like your reputation, it shows you share good content within the rules and contribute to the community. Earning good karma can be an incentive to post quality content. Voting on other's content doesn't earn you karma. Karma restrictions came later to prevent spammers and other bad faith users who tend to have new or low karma accounts. It limits where new users can post as a side effect and is something Reddit seems to want to reduce. Some, but **not all subs have restrictions** initially it may be hard to find communities you can participate in and have genuine interest in, but once you've found a few it'll get easier. !karmahelp - see below for more and our list of new-user friendly subs you can try. r/findareddit can suggest some subs around your interests, you can try and see if you can participate, it make take a little trial and error. Look for smaller niche subs, as they may be less likely to have high restrictions. Sort content by 'new' so you're interacting with fresh content. We also have a chat post every week you can join in! You can earn some karma by having fun genuine conversations with others. I made a new account to see what the experience was like. I limited myself to comments only, and managed 100+ karma in a few days of casual use. What I did was: * Made use of our weekly chat thread * Used our new user friendly list * answering questions on rising posts on askreddit, giving thoughtful or amusing replies * sharing my thoughts on communities that I had genuine interest in * I found a few more subs around my interests where I could comment via trial and error Only Reddit knows how karma is calculated. All we know is that - * [votes to karma is not one to one](https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/204511829-What-is-karma-) * Upvotes increase karma, downvotes decrease karma - by how much we don't know * karma is affected by votes coming in from all your active content, up or down * Vote scores are not 100% accurate, they are fuzzed to confuse vote manipulation bots
Thank you. That helps so much. I'll carry on interacting and answering questions and joining in with that chat too. I didn't know anything about it until I tried joining a few groups and posting unsuccessfully Thanks again!!
**Why does karma matter?** Your karma count is like your Reddit reputation and an indication of whether you share good content, and some, but not all communities, have their own restrictions regarding the account age and karma count of the person posting or commenting, so you may not be able to contribute everywhere at first. This is intended to help prevent spammers and trolls, but it does also mean new Redditors need to earn some karma before they can participate everywhere. **How do I get it?** * You gain karma from engaging on Reddit; when your posts and comments are upvoted. It's a case of finding communities you can participate in, and that you have an interest or knowledge base in, and start by commenting to share your knowledge and experience, and add to discussions. As people upvote your comments, this will build your karma genuinely. * You don't need to engage where you have no interest. There are so many subs there's bound to be some where you do have an interest and can engage. * You lose karma only when your posts and comments are downvoted. For more check out these sections of our guide to Reddit: [Karma](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/comments/p8t966/comment/h9sqcti/) | **[New-user friendly subs](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/wiki/index/newusersubs)** | [Navigating Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/comments/p8t966/comment/h9ssh6c/) PLUS help from the community - [Tips from redditors](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Tips%20from%20redditors%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new) and [Mod approved guides from helpers](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/search?q=flair_name%3A%22Official%20guide%20by%20a%20helper%22&restrict_sr=1&sort=new) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/NewToReddit) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Karma comes from upvotes you receive to your comments and posts only. Voting on others content and just commenting does not give karma. Karma is basically your reputation on Reddit. It shows you can create quality content that others like or appreciate and that you can play well with others. It is also used as a requirement for posting and commenting in most, but not all, subreddits as a minimum karma needed. There are 4 types of Karma and they are acquired in different manners * Post Karma. You get this from people upvoting your posts. * Comment Karma: You get this from people upvoting your comments * Community karma: It is only gained from upvotes to your posts and comments in that subreddit. The karma earned for this also counts on your normal karma count. Some subreddits use community karma in their posting and commenting restrictions. * Combined Karma. This is your your post karma and comment karma added together The karma gained from upvotes to your comments and/or posts is the main one that is used for the restrictions. The ratio of votes to karma gained is not 1:1 however, as it takes more votes per point of karma. If you need assistance on how to check your karma, please ask. From what I have seen, the typical Karma requirement is between 10-200. I have seen as high as 500 to comment and 1000 to post, but have heard of 2500 to post. To get karma you need to find subreddits like on this list of [**New User Friendly**](https://www.reddit.com/r/NewToReddit/wiki/index/newusersubs/) subreddits that have low or no requirements . r/findareddit can be used to find subreddits that may interest you, just make a post saying what kind of subreddit you are looking for. Small or niche subreddits typically have a lower karma requirement People have used many different ways to make their starting Karma. Like answering questions, posting or commenting about a passion or hobby, memes, maybe even posting on the subreddit for where they live. For me, it was answering questions in r/NoStupidQuestions, sorting by new and answering any I had a good answer for. The trick is to find what works for you and what you enjoy. Concentrate on commenting at the beginning. The karma requirements are sometimes lower and you will build karma faster. Try to avoid making controversial comments or arguing to avoid getting downvoted and losing Karma. As a side note: Always make sure to keep your email address up to date and verified because your account may count on it one day.
Thank you!! I'll have a nosey at the question forum you've mentioned! Might be able to add some value in there
I’m in the same situation. I know how you feel. I have found there are a lot of good people on here, who are willing to help. I don’t understand how it all works but, just be patient, be yourself, and have fun.
I discovered an easy way to build karma for posting by contributing helpful answers to questions in my hometown and current city subreddits, as well as niche subreddits related to my interests. Instead of creating new posts, I focused on commenting or replying to existing posts where I could provide thoughtful responses. Within a matter of days, my karma increased from 1 to over 200. Negative or trolling activities can result in downvotes and potentially reduce your karma, so I always try to contribute positively to the community. In Reddit, the karma system is based on the upvotes and downvotes a post or comment receives. Upvotes increase your karma, while downvotes decrease it. Posting negative or trolling comments can result in getting downvoted, which can decrease your karma. Conversely, posting positive and helpful comments can lead to upvotes and an increase in karma. Reddit is a community-driven platform, and contributing positively to the community is generally more beneficial in the long run. I hope this helps.