How do I track the new users from Reddit?

Direct answer: Use UTM parameters on Reddit links and track them in your analytics to identify first-time visitors from Reddit, then segment by source to count new users.

How to track new users from Reddit effectively

1) Prepare tracking parameters

• Create unique UTM parameters for Reddit traffic, e.g. utm_source=reddit, utm_medium=social, utm_campaign=reddit_campaign_name.
• Attach the parameters to every link you post on Reddit that leads to your site or a landing page.
• Consider per-subreddit variations if you want to compare performance by community.

2) Implement analytics correctly

• Use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) or your preferred analytics tool.
• Verify that UTMs are captured in your referrer or campaign data.
• Enable enhanced measurement for page views and events if available.

3) Define “new user” in your analytics

• In GA4, a “new user” is someone whose first_visit is recorded during the session.
• Set up a custom audience or segment: source/medium = reddit and is_new_user = true.
• For precision, track first-time users within a date range to avoid double counting.

4) Create reports and dashboards

• Reports: Traffic Acquisition by source/medium with Reddit as the source.
• Segments: First-time users from Reddit only.
• Funnels: Reddit referral → landing page view → conversion (if applicable).

5) Validate and test

• Click your own Reddit posts from different accounts and confirm the sessions show utm_source=reddit and is_new_user behavior.
• Use real-time reports to verify fresh visits are attributed correctly.
• Check for cross-domain tracking issues if you run multiple domains.

6) Consider Reddit Ads (optional)

• When using Reddit Ads, append UTM parameters to destination URLs to separate paid Reddit traffic from organic.
• Compare new-user metrics between organic Reddit posts and paid Reddit traffic.

Best practices for accuracy

Use consistent naming

• Standardize utm_source=reddit and utm_medium=social across posts.
• Include a campaign tag for each content piece or subreddit if you need granular analysis.

Protect user privacy

• Avoid collecting personally identifiable information in your analytics.
• Comply with privacy policies and platform terms when sharing data externally.

Maintain clean data

• Exclude internal traffic with filters (IP or account-based filters if available).
• Regularly audit UTMs for typos or duplication.

Common pitfalls to avoid

• Relying on referrer data alone can misattribute when users copy URLs or use bookmarks.
• UTM parameters can be stripped by some browsers or redirects if not configured correctly.
• Cross-domain tracking gaps lead to undercounting new users who navigate across domains.

Practical examples

Example 1: Organic Reddit post

• Link: yourdomain.com/landing?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fall_preesent
• Goal: count as a new user arriving from Reddit for the first time.

Example 2: Subreddit comparison

• Use utm_campaign values like “subreddit_r9k” and “subreddit/announcements” to compare performance by community.

Troubleshooting quick checks

• UTMs missing from a click? Ensure URL encodes parameters properly.
• New users not showing? Confirm the visitor is indeed a first-time visitor in your analytics.
• Traffic from Reddit not appearing as source/medium? Review channel groupings and attribution settings in GA4.

FAQ (pure JSON block at the end)

SEE ALSO:

• What are the best ways to use reddit for cultural research
• What are the best ways to use reddit for brand sentiment analysis
• How do i track the user journey of reddit visitors
• How do i automate the process of finding reddit threads to comment on