Life & fun · February 17, 2025
I built a tool for viral Reddit posts after analyzing 562 subreddits
It took me six months to analyze 562 subreddits. I systematically parsed titles, post bodies, and user interactions to identify statistically significant patterns and evaluate if it was possible to create a model that could predict the likelihood of a post going viral based on specific features. The key findings were unexpected: while the title of a post has a direct correlation with engagement, there is another highly influential factor I initially overlooked, timing. The optimal time to post on Reddit, in terms of engagement, can significantly vary based on geographic distribution. The…
What it does
In the maker’s words, at launch
It took me six months to analyze 562 subreddits. I systematically parsed titles, post bodies, and user interactions to identify statistically significant patterns and evaluate if it was possible to create a model that could predict the likelihood of a post going viral based on specific features. The key findings were unexpected: while the title of a post has a direct correlation with engagement, there is another highly influential factor I initially overlooked, timing. The optimal time to post on Reddit, in terms of engagement, can significantly vary based on geographic distribution. The majority of Reddit users are based in the US, whereas I, residing in Italy, am part of a smaller user base. Consequently, peak engagement times often correspond to late-night hours in Europe. To validate this hypothesis, I conducted multiple experiments, posting at different late-night intervals. Here are the results of my tests: • 11 PM (CET) —> Views: 182K, Upvotes: 495, Comments: 273, Shares: 370 • 01 AM (CET) —> Views: 174K, Upvotes: 283, Comments: 152, Shares: 287 • 10 PM (CET) —> Views: 129K, Upvotes: 168, Comments: 213, Shares: 88 • 03 AM (CET) —> Views: 169K, Upvotes: 154, Comments: 28, Shares: 167 However, consistently manually posting at these optimal times wasn’t scalable. To automate this process, I developed an algorithm that aggregates real-time data such as the number of active users, comment velocity, post frequency, and overall interaction rates. The algorithm processes this data to determine the statistically optimal time and day to post, maximizing the likelihood of high engagement. I then integrated this algorithm into a web platform that not only displays the calculated best times but also allows users to schedule posts in advance, ensuring they post at the optimal time without having to monitor the platform manually. The platform is still in the testing phase, and I’d appreciate any feedback or testing you’d like to contribute. You can explore it here: www.postonreddit.com
Does the same job
all alternatives →
- SFSubreddit Finder - Trained on 4M Reddit Posts from 4K Subreddits2020 · valohai.com · ▲152
VB Engage 032 - Alexis Ohanian, Reddit's influence, and predicting the future2016 · ▲76The one with Reddit, The_Donald, and a crystal ball
- MAMapping and Analysing Subreddits2017 · lmcinnes.github.io · ▲21
- IAI analyzed 297k HN posts – your fate is sealed in 2 hoursDec 2025 · papers.ssrn.com · ▲5
I built an archiver that tracked every HN item for 27 days (Dec 3-30, 2025) and captured 72k temporal snapshots to see how posts gain and lose attention. Key findings: - Early velocity (points/hour in first 2 hours) predicts final score with ρ=0.82. A simple classifier achieves 98.4% precision for viral prediction. - No Matthew effect: high-scoring posts don't get more upvotes per hour than low-scoring ones (ρ=-0.04). HN's gravity penalty actually works. - Yet extreme inequality persists: Gini=0.89, meaning bottom 80% of posts get <10% of total upvotes. Inequality without cumulative…
- AAAfter a couple of months playing with the Reddit API, I built this...2012 · flipmeme.com · ▲38
More life & fun this month
the category →- TL
Life & fun · 10d ago · louisabraham.github.io
Photosynthesis fires two of your iPhone
Life & fun · 28d ago · photosynthesis.camera
SoloUno▲310Take control of hair pulling, nail biting & skin picking
Life & fun · 28d ago · solouno.io
Scroll through all 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 reachable Rubik's Cube permutations.
Life & fun · 26d ago · everycube.alen.is
Hi HN, I built Eigendrum, a web tool that solves the 2D wave equation for arbitrary shapes so you can hear what they sound like as drums. How it works: * Solves -∇²u = λu using finite element analysis (Kφ = λMφ) on a triangle mesh. * Validated to <0.1% error against closed-form solutions for circles (Bessel zeros) and rectangles. * Sound model factors in strike location, Rayleigh damping, and mallet width. * Includes Kac drums I & II to demonstrate identical sound spectra from different geometries. * No frameworks, build steps, or dependencies. Repo and tests:…
Life & fun · 26d ago · baselashraf81.github.io
Launched alongside, February 2025
the whole month →
Screen Studio 3.0▲1,833Beautiful screen recordings with instant shareable links
Growth · 2025 · screen.studio
- IG
I was at FB/Meta from late 2013 to early 2023, mostly working in the compiler/runtime spaces. I got hit in the spring 2023 layoff wave. I immediately started making games in my newfound free time (a lifelong interest, and I even worked in AA(A?) back ca. ~2000), and in October 2023 I stumbled upon the idea of a roguelike pachinko/plinko game inspired by Luck Be A Landlord. Things snowballed quickly, I started talking to publishers, then worked like crazy through all of 2024, almost the hardest I've ever worked in my career, and launched the game in December 2024. It's sold…
Work · 2025
- IB
i wanted to change the habit of reaching for my phone in the morning and doomscrolling away an hour so i built an app to help me. now i have to literally touch grass before accessing my most distracting apps the app is built in swiftui, uses the screen time apis provided by apple and google vision to recognise grass or not i'd love to get your thoughts on the concept.
Life & fun · 2025 · touchgrass.now