Reddit Case Study: How Upvotes Drive Comment Growth
On Reddit, the comment section is often where the real conversation happens. It’s where debates unfold, jokes take off, and insights sometimes outshine the original post. But with so many users posting and commenting, getting noticed isn’t easy.
In this case study, we test how applying targeted Reddit comment upvotes affects their ranking and performance. We ran two separate experiments: one to evaluate whether upvotes will consistently help comments rank higher, and another to determine if the timing of upvotes, gradual versus immediate, affects their growth.
By breaking down the outcomes of both methods, we aim to reveal how Reddit’s ranking system reacts to different upvoting strategies and whether small, strategic boosts can meaningfully change a comment’s reach and impact.
Reddit Case Study #1: How Reddit Upvotes Affect Ranking
In this scenario, we challenged Reddit’s algorithm by applying identical Reddit comment upvotes to low-engagement comments across different subreddits to determine whether consistent ranking improvements and organic growth could be achieved regardless of post type or community culture.
Objectives
- Figure out how small amounts of engagement improves ranking.
- How comment upvotes promote natural growth.
Definitions
- ROI (Return on Investment): Measures the growth gained from upvotes compared to the effort invested.
The Process
- We selected 4 rising Reddit posts from different popular subreddits.
- We chose 2 low-engagement comments from each post.
- We sent 20 upvotes to each of the selected comments.
- We monitored their behavior and changes in position for the next few hours.
- We checked in after 24 to confirm the stability of the improvements.
Results
Post #1 (r/memes)
Post #2 (r/MadeMeSmile)
Post #3 (r/AskReddit)
Reddit Case Study Key Observations
Reddit Upvotes Improve the Position of Comments
- All 8 comments improved their position, with an average jump of 29 spots (89.3% improvement).
- Deep-buried comments saw the most noticeable gains:
- The comment starting at #78 leaped 74 positions (96.1% improvement) to reach #4.
- The comment at #58 rose 55 spots (96.5% improvement) to #3.
- Even in ultra-competitive threads (e.g., Post #4 with 1000+ upvotes on the top comment), comments gained 30–34 positions (78.9–85% improvement) comfortably making it into the top 10.
Sustained Visibility in High-Engagement Threads
- Even in posts with over 10,000 upvotes and high engagement (3 out of 4 posts), our chosen comments remained in the top 10.
- Once a comment secured a strong ranking, it held steady despite new competition continuing to grow during the next 24 hours.
The Algorithm Favored Momentum
- All comments that reached top 5 positions (Posts #1-3) did so within 2 hours of receiving 20 upvotes.
- In ultra-competitive environments like Post #4, they comfortably secured top 10 positions within the same timeframe.
- Our boost triggered Reddit’s “new hotness” algorithm, propelling comments to top 10 visibility through momentum rather than raw upvote counts.
Organic Growth Reveals Strategic Opportunities
The data shows our 20-upvote boost consistently unlocked meaningful engagement across all post types:
- Best performer gained 89 organic upvotes (445% growth) – proving even modest boosts can trigger viral effects
- Average 22 upvotes per comment (110% ROI ) – demonstrating reliable value amplification
- All comments achieved positive growth – with even the lowest performer gaining 3 organic upvotes (15%)
This confirms our method works as an engagement catalyst regardless of post size – with particularly strong results when strategically targeting overlooked comments in active threads.
Conclusion
This study reveals that strategic Reddit comment upvotes create consistent, measurable advantages across different subreddits.
- Even deep-buried comments achieved dramatic ranking improvement, with some leaping 96% up the rankings
- The algorithm strongly favors-fast rising comments, helping them get extra visibility by placing them higher up.
- Boosted comments maintained top 10 positions even in highly competitive threads
- All test cases showed positive organic growth, ranging from 15% to 445% additional engagement
- Effects were platform-wide, working across different subreddit cultures and post sizes
The results demonstrate that quality timing beats quantity – properly targeted boosts early in a comment’s lifespan deliver disproportionate visibility gains regardless of thread competition level. This creates predictable opportunities for maximizing comment visibility through strategic engagement.
Graphs
Average Comment Growth
Average Comment Rank Improvement
Key Takeaways
Reddit Case Study #2: Drip Feeding vs. Batch Reddit Upvotes
In this scenario, we compare how Reddit comment upvotes delivery timing affects comment performance by comparing single batch boosts against well-timed drip feeds. Using identical upvote quantities on paired comments in active threads, we isolated timing as the sole variable to assess ranking and organic growth differences.
Objectives
- Does the gradual delivery of Reddit comment upvotes over time improve its performance?
Definitions
- Batch Comment: The comments that received all the upvotes at once.
- Drip-Feed Comment: The comments that received upvotes in separate batches.
The Process
- We selected 2 rising Reddit posts from different popular subreddits.
- We chose 2 low-engagement comments from each post.
- We sent 20 upvotes to each of the selected comments in different batches:
- 10 Reddit upvotes per hour
- 20 Reddit upvotes in a single batch
- We monitored their performance and position changes over the next few hours, and recorded the final results after 24 hours.
Results
Post #1 (r/MadeMeSmile)
Drip-Feed
- Achieved #10 ranking (top 5%) from initial position #56
- Ended at 83 total upvotes, with 400% organic growth after the second boost
- Maintained consistent visibility for 24 hours in a fast-moving thread
Single-Batch
- Delivered strong #11 ranking within the first hour (25 upvotes)
- Settled at #25 after 24 hours (34 upvotes), demonstrating lasting impact despite heavy competition
- Showed 70% organic upvote growth from initial boost
Post #2 (r/comics)
Drip-Feed
- Reached #2 final ranking (159 upvotes) from position #23
- Surpassed established high-upvote comments (over 1300 upvotes)
- Generated 7x (~695%) organic growth after second engagement wave
Single-Batch
- Peaked at #3 ranking within 2 hours (73 upvotes)
- Stabilized at #4 after 24 hours (121 upvotes)
- Achieved 5x (~500%) natural upvote growth
Reddit Upvotes Performance Analysis
Comment Performance
Both approaches showed strong starts, but with interesting differences. In Post #1, the Single-Batch Comment improved its position by 80% (from #54 to #11) with 25 upvotes, a solid 25% organic growth from the 20 upvotes sent. Meanwhile, the Drip-Feed Comment achieved a 84% ranking improvement (from #56 to #9) with just 10 initial upvotes, showing 180% organic growth from that partial boost. Post #2 showed similar patterns – the Single-Batch Comment jumped from #20 to #3 (85% improvement) with 150% organic growth, while the Drip-Feed Comment moved from #23 to #6 (74% improvement) with 60% organic growth from its first 10 upvotes.
The Second Wave
The real transformation came after drip-feed comments received their second batch. In Post #1, the Drip-Feed Comment gained an additional 5 upvotes (53% growth) in the next hour, improving its position another 11% (from #9 to #8). Meanwhile, the Single-Batch Comment gained 7 more upvotes (28% growth) and dropped 42% in rank (from #11 to #19). Post #2 showed even stronger effects – the Drip-Feed Comment gained 17 new upvotes (170% growth) and improved its position by 50% (from #6 to #3), while the Single-Batch Comment added 23 upvotes (46% growth) but slipped in rank (from #3 to #4).
The Final Outcome
The long-term results revealed the full advantage of drip-feeding. In Post #1, the Drip-Feed Comment maintained a #10 ranking (top 5%) with 315% total organic growth, while the Single-Batch Comment settled at #25 with 70% organic growth. Post #2 showed even more dramatic results – the Drip-Feed Comment finished at #2 (passing a 1,300 upvote comment) with 695% organic growth, compared to the Single-Batch Comment’s #4 position and 505% growth. Most impressively, between hours 2-24, drip comments gained 2.4x more organic upvotes than single batch comments in average.
Conclusion
Core Discoveries
Drip-fed comments outperformed batch delivery in three key ways:
- 162% higher average hourly engagement after second boosts
- 83% better average ranking improvement long-term
- 505% average organic growth versus single batch’s 288%.
Both methods worked, but drip-feeding adapted better to different
Strategic Implications
The data demonstrates that Reddit’s algorithm interprets engagement timing as a quality signal. Drip-feeding’s 2.4-4.5x organic upvote multipliers and consistent top rankings confirm that spaced boosts mimic authentic discussion patterns more effectively.
For optimal results, the second engagement wave should deploy within 1-2 hours in an actively engaged thread. These effects held across thread sizes, with particular efficacy in moderately high active discussions, where drip-fed comments consistently surpassed established high-upvote competitors.
Graphs
Post #1 - Rank Improvement
Post #2 - Rank Improvement
Organic Upvote Growth Comparison
