How a Chrome AI Tool Got 10,000+ Targeted Views on Reddit by Solving a Simple Problem
Launching a SaaS tool is tough. Especially when you’re not VC-funded and need your first 100 users without blowing your ad budget.
This case study shows how we helped a Chrome AI tool (built for summarizing articles and webpages) gain real traction on Reddit – 10,000+ views, 400+ comments, and a sharp spike in installs – all without spending on ads or getting banned.
Get Real Users Without Feeling Like a Promo
This tool solves a universal pain point: "I don't have time to read full articles. I just want the key points fast."
But Reddit doesn't care about your product-unless it's genuinely useful and presented natively.
So the goal was clear:
No cold links. No self-promotion. No fake engagement. Just smart, strategic posting using aged accounts and a helpful tone.
The Setup
We avoided tech megasubs like r/technology or r/ProductHunt and focused on:
- r/SideProject - users love testing new tools
- r/ChromeExtensions - low competition, high intent
- r/techsupport, r/FIRE, r/college - where summarization actually solves a pain point
- r/TrueAskReddit - great for “what tools do you use?” style posts
- r/Notion, r/StudyTips - student and productivity angles
We used 2 high-karma Reddit accounts with:
- 3-6 years of history
- Activity in productivity, tech, and SaaS threads
- Comments made before posting, to warm them up in each subreddit
Post types:
- "Looking for tools" style:
"Anyone using an AI Chrome extension to summarize stuff you read online?" - Personal win story:
"Been using this little tool to TL;DR long blogs when I'm tired. It's been saving me hours." - Tip thread:
"If you’re in research mode all day, here are 3 tools that save me serious time."
The actual product was soft-mentioned in the comments or later in the thread-never the main focus.ted.
Upvotes to Get on Top – Not Look Suspicious
We used GETUpvotes.com to get the posts seen without getting them removed.
Here's how we did it:
– Manual upvotes from accounts with karma in relevant subs
– 75-200 upvotes per post
– Drip-fed over 4-6 hours, after getting 2-3 natural upvotes
– Timed to match the sub's most active window
Best Post Times (UTC):
| Subreddit | Best Time to Post | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| r/SideProject | 14:00-16:00 | Mid-day builders + early US traffic |
| r/ChromeExtensions | 16:00-18:00 | Evening tech users, less mod friction |
| r/StudyTips | 03:00-06:00 | Asia/EU student wave |
Pro Tip: Don't post back-to-back in the same sub. Let accounts rest.
The Results: 10,000+ Views, 400+ Comments, 1,100 Extension Installs
Here’s what happened over 3 weeks.
One post in r/SideProject sparked a discussion that continued for 3 days. Another in r/StudyTips got shared to Discord groups organically.
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Posts made | 7 (across 5 subreddits) |
| Avg. upvotes per post | 130-220 |
| Total estimated views | 10,000+ |
| Comments (real users) | 400+ |
| Chrome extension installs | 1,100+ |
| New Reddit followers | 150+ |
| Tool mentions by other users | 9 (organic!) |
| Bans or mod removals | 0 |
TL;DR: People Don't Want a Tool. They Want Time Back
This campaign worked because it focused on helping, not pitching.