It has long been speculated that reaching the front page is an arduous task that only the most seasoned, adventurous Imgurians can complete. I’m here to tell you that these rumors are false. With a bit of preparation and understanding, anyone can make a successful post and reap the sweet, sweet upvotes.

The first thing to ask yourself is, “Is this something I would be interested in seeing on Imgur if someone else posted it?” If your answer is no, you should sign off right now. Your post should provide value to the Imgur community. Content which opens up a discussion, shares something new and unique, or has a deeper story to tell beyond the image itself is content that generally brings value. Henceforth we’ll refer to “provide value” as the golden rule.

Let’s take a look at the following post, which is currently among the top 10 highest scoring posts of all time on Imgur.


Actual poor student cookbook

You may question, “But these are just generic images of food? I can see those anywhere.” You’re right, but the value is in the total post package, which includes a good title, good descriptions and relevant images.

Here’s what OP (original poster) did right:

    • Shared something new and useful: Everyone eats and everyone wants to know how to eat cheaper.
    • Provided all the info within the post: The recipes, costs and food descriptions are all right there in the post. There’s no trickery and no need to go any further than the post for any additional information.
    • Stayed authentic: OP used his own, unique voice in this post and directed it right to Imgurians. It’s approachable, funny and clearly not written by a robot. Imgurians want to hear from real people. No one here is more special than anyone else. Be yourself.
    • Provided sources: OP was transparent in the fact that he didn’t come up with these recipes himself. Imgurians expect that the OP will be explicit about if and how they are connected to the content they are posting. Trying to hide that relationship, or not explaining it well to others, is a common feature of bad sharing.
  • Dang, OP. You done good.

    Our lesson doesn’t end there. On the road to the front page, much must be learned. Let’s take a look at another post that brings us to the next topic: standing out.

    You may think, “I have a dog! I’ll post an image of my dog and be showered in upvotes.” Cats, dogs and selfies are ubiquitous on the Internet. They’re all cute and amazing in their own ways, but it’s going to take something a little extra to truly stand out.


    View post on imgur.com

    This is a dog with pizza in its mouth. Unlike the post above, it doesn’t have a great title. It doesn’t have a great description. Nonetheless, it’s a happy dog with pizza and a dazed expression–there’s nothing NOT to love about it. It makes us laugh, it’s something we don’t see every day. This post is gold. When in doubt, go back to the golden rule: does it provide value? Just another normal cat photo may not. Go with something unique. Humor never hurts, either.

    Now we’ll learn about original content, also known as OC. Imgurians do not want to see the same thing over and over again; they want new, original content.

    Take this post, for example:


    View post on imgur.com

    It’s cool, it’s interesting, the title is authentic and transparent, and most importantly, OP took it himself! It’s just plain bad form to steal someone else’s content and pass it off as your own.

    The class is almost over, and you’re doing so well. Hang in there. The last lesson is about storytelling.

    The best part of Imgur is that it shows us the breadth of the human experience. With every click of the next button, you’ll experience a wide range of emotions. You might laugh at something funny, tear up at something sad, then be angered over a human rights story–all in the span of five minutes. All of these posts come from millions of different people with different experiences and different motivation, and we get to experience all of those together. On Imgur, you’re never alone (not in a super creepy stalker way, of course).

    Let’s take a look at this great story of the OP who noticed a problem and worked slowly, but surely every single day until the problem was solved. It’s one of the highest scoring posts of 2015 so far.


    I did a thing.

    Using what we’ve learned thus far, I’ll break down why OP nailed it.

    • Transparency: OP told us the origin of the thing he did, what the thing was, why he did it, the process it took, and then what happened in conclusion. There’s no open ended questions about why OP shared this post.
    • Value: OP is just a normal guy like you and me. He did something really cool and told us about it, thereby inspiring thousands of people to do something cool as well. It’s relatable and anyone can do it.
    • Originality: Everything you see here was created by the OP. He shot his own photos and told his own story.
    • Respect: It is customary to include animal tax at the end of the story. No one knows why this unwritten rule originated, but it mustn’t be overlooked. OP included a lovely coot tax that was relevant to his story, thereby acknowledging to the Imgur community that this story was posted for them.

    Perhaps the absolute most important thing to know when creating your post is the following:

    There is no surefire way to make the front page!

    Despite all of our learnings, some things that deserve recognition will never get it, some things that don’t deserve it will, and all rules are meant to be broken. It’s the beauty of the Internet–you never know what the next big thing will be. Don’t take it personally and don’t give up hope. You can always try again later.

    Now, go forth unto Imgur and use your knowledge for good! I foresee many upvotes coming your way.

    And, of course, my cat tax:
http://imgur.com/blog/page/5/
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