What I learned trying to get my first SaaS signups from Reddit

Last week, I tried to get my first waitlist signups for my SaaS using Reddit. I focused on creating valuable posts and comments to help others instead of spamming.

It kind of worked. I got one signup.

Then Reddit suspended my new account without any clear reason. I suspect it was because the account was new, and I sent a few cold DMs. One thing I learned is that Reddit does not allow you to change your username later, which is why I created a new account in the first place.

Looking back, I should have used my years-old Reddit account, even though it has a random username, because trust matters more than the perfect handle.

Here are a few other things I learned:

• It is better to genuinely engage in niche subreddits first before asking anything

• New accounts are heavily monitored, so it helps to warm them up over a few weeks

• Soft call-to-actions like “happy to DM you more details if interested” feel less pushy

• Sharing personal experiences gets more trust than generic value posts

For now, I am switching back to my old Reddit account and also diversifying to Discord and X to reach potential customers. I am also submitting to SaaS directories to drive some early traffic.

Right now, I am doing things that do not scale because I want to deeply understand my customers and see if my idea truly solves a pain.

Have you tried getting your first users from Reddit or other free channels? What actually worked for you?

I would love to learn from your experiences.

(For context, I am building a small tool to help founders understand why visitors leave without signing up.)