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Reddit is full of students, parents and tutors asking for help every day. It also bans self-promoters fast. This playbook shows how to launch a tutoring platform there by being useful first and posting only where it is allowed.

All guidesFor founders of a tutoring platform

1. Days 14-10: Pick subreddits and read the rules

List 8-10 subreddits where your users already ask for help, like r/HomeworkHelp, r/learnmath, r/APStudents, r/SAT, r/Mcat, r/GCSE, r/Parenting and r/Teachers. If you also need tutors on supply, add r/OnlineTutoring and r/TeachingAbroad. Open each sidebar and write down the self-promotion rules and the karma or account-age limits. Search "site:reddit.com tutoring platform" to see which launch posts survived and which were removed.

2. Days 10-4: Answer questions with no links

Spend 20 minutes a day answering real questions in your subject. Solve the calculus problem, explain the essay structure, tell the parent how to tell if a tutor is any good. Do not mention your platform. Aim for 15-20 genuinely helpful comments so your profile shows a real person, not a launch account.

3. Days 7-3: Message mods before you post

Modmail 3-4 subreddits that allow occasional promotion and ask first. Example: "Hi, I built a tutoring platform for [subject/exam] and I've been answering questions here for a week. Would a single post offering free trial sessions to members be OK, or is there a weekly thread I should use?" A yes from a mod is the best ban protection you can get. A no tells you where not to post.

4. Day 1-2: Write a post that gives before it asks

Lead with something useful on its own, then mention the platform once. Example title for r/APStudents: "I tutored AP Calc for 3 years. Here are the 5 mistakes I see most on FRQs (plus free sessions if you want help)". Put the full tips in the body. Add one line at the end: "I'm building [Name], a tutoring site for AP students. First 20 people who comment get a free 30-min session."

5. Launch day: Post in 2-3 places, spaced hours apart

Post only in subreddits that approved you or that allow it in their rules. Leave at least 3-4 hours between posts and change each one to fit the community. A parent-facing post in r/Parenting should talk about finding a trustworthy tutor, not exam tricks. Never crosspost the same text everywhere, because spam filters catch it.

6. Launch day: Stay in the comments for 3 hours

Reply to every comment within minutes, especially the skeptical ones. If someone asks "how is this different from Wyzant?", answer plainly with pricing, vetting and subjects. Book free sessions by DM only when people ask. Write down every objection, because they are your next week's product work.

7. Days 2-7: Deliver, then follow up

Run every free session you promised and do it well. Afterward, ask: "Was this useful? Would you book again at $X?" Go back to the thread and post an honest update in the comments, like what you learned or what you changed. Keep answering questions in those subreddits with no links so you are not a one-post account.

8. Days 7-30: Use recurring threads and repeat

Many subreddits have weekly self-promotion or resource threads. Drop a short, useful mention there each week. Every month, write one new value post from what students actually struggled with, and run it past mods again. Hulby, an AI cofounder, can find these threads and draft replies for you every day so this keeps going while you tutor.

Mistakes to skip

  • Posting from a brand-new account with no karma or history.
  • Dropping links in comments on homework questions instead of just answering them.
  • Pasting the same launch post into ten subreddits on the same day.
  • Skipping the sidebar rules and modmail, then arguing with mods after a removal.

Want this done for your tutoring platform, every day?

Hulby finds the people asking for what you built, writes every reply and email, and keeps you on it until they pay. Free to start.

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Questions

How much karma do I need before launching?

It varies by subreddit. Check the rules, but a week or two of real answers and a few hundred karma clears most filters.

Can I post my link directly?

Only where the rules or a mod allow it. Otherwise, offer help in the post and share the link when someone asks.

Should I target students or parents?

Pick the one who pays. High schoolers usually need parents to pay, so try r/Parenting. College and grad exam students often pay themselves, so try r/Mcat or r/GRE.

What if my post gets removed?

Don't repost. Message the mods politely, ask what to change, and follow their answer exactly.