# Predicting the Popularity of Reddit Posts with AI

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2106.07380 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2106.07380/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 0 of its 9 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 8 Jun 2021.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [PoPreRo: A New Dataset for Popularity Prediction of Romanian Reddit Posts](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.04541/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Social media creates crucial mass changes, as popular posts and opinions cast a significant influence on users' decisions and thought processes. For example, the recent Reddit uprising inspired by r/wallstreetbets which had remarkable economic impact was started with a series of posts on the thread. The prediction of posts that may have a notable impact will allow for the preparation of possible following trends. This study aims to develop a machine learning model capable of accurately predicting the popularity of a Reddit post. Specifically, the model is predicting the number of upvotes a post will receive based on its textual content. I experimented with three different models: a baseline linear regression model, a random forest regression model, and a neural network. I collected Reddit post data from an online data set and analyzed the model's performance when trained on a single subreddit and a collection of subreddits. The results showed that the neural network model performed the best when the loss of the models were compared. With the use of a machine learning model to predict social trends through the reaction users have to post, a better picture of the near future can be envisioned.