reddit how to cross post: A Practical Guide
Crossposting on Reddit is the platform's built-in way to share a post from one community to another. It's the official method, and for good reason—it creates a direct link back to the original, making sure the creator gets the credit and karma they deserve. Think of it as giving a great post a second life in front of a new, highly relevant audience.
What Is Reddit Crossposting and Why Use It
At its heart, crossposting is a smart form of content repurposing. Instead of the frowned-upon copy-and-paste, a crosspost embeds the original. This keeps everything intact: the original poster's (OP) username, the subreddit it came from, and all the karma and comments it's already earned.
Practical Example: You share an amazing data visualization in r/dataisbeautiful. Seeing its success, you decide it would also be valuable for a different audience. You can then crosspost it to a related community like r/statistics or r/infographics. Members of those subreddits see your work, but all the upvotes and discussion still funnel back to your original post, consolidating its success.
Crossposting vs. Reposting: What's the Difference?
It's easy to get these two mixed up, but they function very differently on the platform. Here’s a quick breakdown to clear things up.
| Feature | Crossposting | Reposting |
|---|---|---|
| Original Credit | Automatically gives credit to the original poster and community. | No automatic credit; can be seen as content theft if not cited. |
| Engagement | All karma and comments are linked to the original post. | Creates a new, separate post with its own karma and comments. |
| Community Perception | Generally accepted and encouraged by Reddit. | Often viewed as "karma farming" or unoriginal. |
| Functionality | A native "Share" feature built into Reddit's interface. | Manually saving and re-uploading content. |
In short, crossposting is a tool for community-building, while reposting can often feel like you're just taking someone else's work.
The Strategic Advantages of Crossposting
Knowing how to crosspost is more than just a technical skill; it's about smart content distribution. When you share a post across a few well-chosen communities, you’re tapping into niche audiences that would have otherwise missed it.
This strategy pays off in several ways:
- Massive Visibility Boost: Your post gets a fresh start in front of thousands of new users who are already passionate about the topic. Finding the right communities is crucial; check out relevant subreddits at https://redditagency.com/subreddits to identify your best targets.
- Centralized Engagement: All the karma and discussion flows back to the original post. This keeps the conversation in one place and makes it way easier to track engagement without having to jump between multiple threads.
- Respects Reddit Etiquette: Crossposting is the polite way to share. It shows you respect the original creator and helps you avoid getting called out for stealing content.
When you crosspost, you're not just duplicating content—you're building a bridge between two interested communities. It's one of the best ways to build credibility and spark a much bigger conversation.
And the data backs this up. Well-placed crossposts often see up to a 25% increase in combined upvotes and comments compared to identical content posted separately in different communities.
How to Cross Post on Reddit From Your Desktop
When you're on a computer, sharing a post from one community to another on Reddit is about as easy as it gets. The desktop interface lays everything out clearly, so you won't have to hunt for hidden menus.
Actionable Steps:
- Find Your Post: Locate the post you wish to share.
- Click 'Share': Beneath the post's content, find the row of options (Comments, Share, Save). Click on Share.
- Select 'Crosspost': A dropdown menu will appear. Choose the Crosspost option, which is usually accompanied by the Reddit alien logo.
Crafting Your New Post
Selecting Crosspost brings up the post editor, but it looks a bit different. The original post is already embedded, and your job is to get it ready for its new audience. At the top, a search bar will ask you to "Choose a community."
Start typing the name of the subreddit you're targeting, like r/marketing or r/SaaS, and Reddit will auto-suggest communities that match.
Now for the most critical part: the title. While the original title is pulled in automatically, you should always rewrite it. A good title is tailored to the new subreddit's vibe, rules, and inside jokes.
Practical Example: A clever, pun-filled title that works wonders in r/ProgrammerHumor might need a more direct and professional tone for a community like r/SoftwareEngineering.
- Original Title in
r/ProgrammerHumor: "My code finally running without errors." (Paired with a funny GIF) - Crosspost Title for
r/SoftwareEngineering: "A valuable lesson in debugging asynchronous functions."
A tailored title is the difference between a welcome contribution and an ignored post. It shows you understand the new community's context and aren't just spamming content across the platform.
Once you’ve picked the subreddit and written a fresh, relevant title, all that's left is to hit the Post button. Your crosspost will appear in the new community, complete with a block that links back to the original, giving proper credit and keeping the conversation connected.
How to Cross Post Using the Reddit Mobile App
Sharing a great find from your phone is just as simple as on a desktop. The process for cross-posting on the Reddit app is designed to be quick and intuitive, whether you're on iOS or Android.
Actionable Steps:
- Locate the Post: Find the content you want to share.
- Tap the Share Icon: Tap either the three-dot menu (...) at the top right of the post or the Share button below the content.
- Choose Crosspost: From the menu that appears, select Crosspost to a community. It usually has a little Reddit logo next to it.
Finalizing Your Mobile Crosspost
After you hit the crosspost button, the app guides you to pick the destination subreddit. A search bar pops up, so you can just start typing the name of the community where you want to share the post.
Next, and this is crucial, you must write a new title. This isn't just a suggestion; it's proper Reddit etiquette. You need to frame the content for its new home.
Practical Example: A photo in r/pics with a simple title like "Sunset over the Grand Canyon" might need a more specific, question-based title to spark engagement in a niche sub like r/AskPhotography.
- New Title for
r/AskPhotography: "How could I have better captured the color gradient in this Grand Canyon sunset photo? Looking for feedback on composition."
On mobile, your title is everything. It's what stops someone from scrolling past your post. A good title shows you're a thoughtful community member, not just a spammer.
Once you’ve selected your subreddit and written a killer new title, all that's left is to tap the Post button in the top right corner. That’s it! Your crosspost is now live, bringing the original content to a whole new audience, all done from your phone.
Smart Crossposting: A Few Best Practices to Keep in Mind
Knowing how to crosspost is one thing; knowing when and why is what separates a great post from spam. You're aiming to be a contributor who adds real value, not just another user making noise.
Actionable Insight: Before sharing, spend 5 minutes reading the target subreddit's rules. Look for phrases like "No crossposts" or "Original Content only." You’ll typically find these rules in the sidebar (on desktop) or under the "About" tab (on mobile). Ignoring them is the quickest ticket to getting your post deleted.
Always Customize Your Title for the New Audience
This is probably the single most important tip I can give you: always customize the title. The clever, punny title that killed it in r/memes will almost certainly land with a thud in a more serious community like r/philosophy.
Put yourself in the shoes of the new audience. What do they care about? What’s the vibe of their community? Your new title needs to reframe the content so it clicks with them.
Practical Example: Imagine you have a cool data visualization.
- Original post in
r/dataisbeautiful: "Population Density Changes in North America, 2000-2020" - Crosspost to
r/InternetIsBeautiful: "This Interactive Map Beautifully Shows How Cities Have Grown Over 20 Years"
See the difference? It’s a small change, but it shows you understand the new community and respect their focus. This simple tweak drastically improves your chances of getting upvotes and sparking a good conversation.
Don't Just Post and Ghost—Engage
Once your crosspost is up, your job isn't done. Make a point to hang around and engage with comments on both the original post and the new one. Answering questions and joining the discussion proves you're a real person who's genuinely interested, not just a bot farming for karma.
Actionable Insight: Set a reminder to check back on your crosspost an hour after posting and again later in the day. Reply to the top 2-3 comments to kickstart the conversation. This shows active participation and encourages more engagement.
A great crosspost feels like a recommendation from a friend, not an advertisement. Your engagement is what creates that feeling, turning a simple share into a meaningful conversation starter.
By focusing on relevance and being an active participant, you build a positive reputation that pays off in the long run. If you're looking to grow your presence, mastering the fine art of subreddit promotion is crucial. Remember, sharing to just a few highly relevant communities is always, always better than blasting your content everywhere.
Running Into Crossposting Roadblocks? Here’s What to Do
Ever find the perfect post to share, only to see that the crosspost button is greyed out or just… gone? It’s a super common problem, but it’s rarely a bug. Usually, it's a specific setting preventing the action.
Actionable First Step: Your immediate action should be to check the rules of the subreddit you want to post to. Use Ctrl+F (or your browser's find function) and search for "crosspost" in the rules page. If the community has disabled crossposting, this is the fastest way to confirm.
Why You Can’t Crosspost That Post
If the target community's rules allow crossposts, the issue might lie with the original post itself. Not everything on Reddit is designed to be shared everywhere.
Here’s a quick checklist of common reasons:
- Private or Quarantined Subreddits: You can't share posts from private (invite-only) or quarantined communities.
- Certain Post Types: Some formats, like polls, are often locked to their original subreddit by design.
- NSFW Content: Reddit won’t let you crosspost anything marked NSFW (Not Safe for Work) into a SFW (Safe for Work) subreddit.
- Your Account is Too New (or Low on Karma): Many subreddits use automoderators to filter posts from new or low-karma accounts to prevent spam. Check our guide on Reddit karma requirements for more details.
Pro Tip: The most common culprit for a disabled crosspost button is a simple subreddit setting. Always check the community’s rules first. It’ll save you a lot of head-scratching.
Answering Your Top Crossposting Questions
Even when you've got the basics down, a few tricky questions about crossposting always seem to pop up. Let's clear up that lingering confusion so you can share content with confidence.
Who Gets the Karma From a Crosspost?
This is probably the number one question I hear. It's simple: only the original post gets the karma.
When your crosspost gets upvoted in a new community, all that karma flows directly back to the original post and its creator. You, the crossposter, will receive comment karma for any upvoted comments you make within the crosspost thread, but the post karma goes to the original poster.
Should I Crosspost Immediately or Wait?
There's no single perfect answer here, but here's an actionable guideline: wait until the original post has at least 10-20 upvotes and a few comments.
A post that already has some initial traction looks more credible. It signals to the new community that the content is already vetted and worth their time, which can make a huge difference in how it's received. Crossposting too early can sometimes feel like you're desperate for attention.
Can I Crosspost My Own Stuff?
Absolutely, and you definitely should! Crossposting your own original content is one of its most powerful uses. It's the perfect way to get your work—an article, a piece of art, a detailed analysis—in front of multiple relevant audiences without coming across as spammy.
Practical Example: You write a detailed guide on your blog and post it to r/yourniche. You can then crosspost it to a broader but still relevant community like r/entrepreneur with a new title: "I wrote a guide on [topic] that might help fellow entrepreneurs here."
What's the Limit on How Many Times I Can Crosspost?
While Reddit doesn't have a technical hard limit, the community definitely does. If you crosspost the same thing to more than two or three highly relevant subreddits, you're going to start looking like a spammer. Fast.
Actionable Rule of Thumb: Ask yourself, "Is this community at least 80% relevant to this post?" If the answer is no, don't crosspost it there. Choosing two perfectly-matched subreddits will always yield better results than spamming five loosely-related ones.
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