04 · Finding the threads worth answering¶
Goal: 2–3 threads a day, under 5 minutes to find them. Keep a thread tracker.
Five ways to find them¶
| Way | How | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Subreddit "new" | Open your 3–5 subreddits sorted by new, scan titles for questions you can answer | Free, 2 min |
| Reddit search | Search your problem words, sort by new: "is there an app" mac duplicate files, alternative to <competitor>. Restrict to one community with subreddit:macapps |
Free |
| Keyword alerts | F5Bot emails you when a keyword appears on Reddit or Hacker News: your product name, competitors, the problem phrase | Free |
site:reddit.com "alternative to <competitor>" or site:reddit.com <problem words>. These are the threads that keep getting read |
Free | |
| Reddit Pro Trends | Reddit's free business tools include Trends: keyword volume over time, the communities talking about it, and a feed of those conversations (reference) | Free, needs a business sign-up |
Which threads to answer¶
Answer when all three are true: 1. Someone asks something you know first-hand (you built for it, tested it, or fixed it). 2. The thread is fresh (still getting views), or old but ranks in Google for that question. 3. The subreddit allows the kind of answer you'd give (read its rules page or wiki page).
Skip threads that are rants with no question, homework, politics, or already have a complete top answer you'd only repeat.
Words to search (fill for your product)¶
Problem words: {{the annoyance in users' words, e.g. "Downloads folder full", "duplicate photos"}}
Ask phrases: "is there an app" · "any app that" · "how do I" · "what do you use for" · "alternative to"
Competitors: {{3–5 names}} + "alternative" · "vs" · "worth it" · "subscription"
Platform words: {{mac · macOS · iPhone · Chrome extension · Windows}}
Save the 5 best searches as bookmarks, and put the same words into F5Bot. Your research notes already have users' own words; reuse them.