r/smallbusiness
Know the rules before you post. So easy grandma can do it.
- To post
- No minimum in the rules
- To comment
- No minimum in the rules
- Self-promotion
- Banned
- Links
- Allowed with conditions
- No affiliate links, referral links, link farming, or spam. Disclose conflicts of interest if you link to your own resource.
- Promo risk
- High
- From the rules, not from removal counts
- Community age
- 6 years
- Since May 2020
About r/smallbusinessUS
A source-backed Rankhog guide to r/smallbusinessUS: public rules, community context, posting fit, and startup-promotion risk before you publish.Checked from the r/smallbusinessUS rules on Reddit.
r/smallbusinessUS rules
10 rules, in the community's own words.
- 1
No self-promotions
Business promotion, service offers, tools, newsletters, courses, surveys, beta requests, research, affiliate links, referral links, and discounts belong in the Quarterly Promotion Megathread. Any promo outside that is instant ban when caught
- 2
U.S. Small Business Topics Only
Posts must be relevant to U.S. small business owners, U.S.-based businesses, or U.S.-specific business operations.
- 3
Keep Posts Useful and Specific
Ask clear questions, share real experiences, or start practical discussions. Low-effort, vague, generic, AI-written, or URL-only posts may be removed.
- 4
No hiring (thread for that exists)
Hiring posts, job posts, freelance offers, contractor services, VA offers, agency services, and “for hire” posts belong in the Monthly Hiring Megathread. Any DM or hire me request outside of that warrants instant ban.
- 5
Disclose Conflicts of Interest
If you mention or recommend a business, product, tool, service, agency, course, or resource you are connected to, disclose your relationship clearly.
- 6
No Spam, Cold Pitches, or DM Farming
No cold pitches, “DM me,” “message me,” affiliate spam, lead magnets, coupon spam, link farming, or repeated self-promotion.
- 7
No Scams or Misleading Offers
Fake grants, fake loans, MLMs, pyramid schemes, suspicious crypto offers, fake jobs, phishing, malware, guaranteed results, or deceptive offers are not allowed.
- 8
Be Civil and Constructive
Debate is welcome. Personal attacks, harassment, hate, threats, doxxing, and hostile behavior are not.
- 9
Don’t Share Sensitive Information
Do not post private customer, employee, banking, tax, legal, payroll, identity, or business information. Redact sensitive details before posting.
- 10
Keep Legal, Tax, Financial, and Employment Advice General
General discussion is allowed, but professional decisions should be handled by qualified professionals.
What to post in r/smallbusinessUS
What fits the room, and what gets removed.
Works well
- A post detailing a specific operational hurdle a US small business owner faced and asking for advice.
- A discussion starting with a real experience about a specific US business regulation change.
- A question asking for opinions on a particular business tool, provided the poster discloses any connection.
- A post sharing a practical lesson learned while managing a small US business.
Avoid
- Any promotion outside the Quarterly Promotion Megathread, which results in an instant ban when caught.
- Cold pitches, “DM me” requests, or any form of spam, which falls under “No Spam, Cold Pitches, or DM Farming”.
- Posting hiring or freelance offers outside the Monthly Hiring Megathread, which can result in an instant ban.
- Low effort, vague, generic, or AI written posts that are not specific.
- Sharing sensitive information like private customer, employee, or banking details.
- Posting topics that are not relevant to U.S. small business owners or U.S.-based businesses.
Best hours to post in r/smallbusinessUS
No pattern yet. r/smallbusinessUS does not have enough top posts from the last 90 days to name its best hours.
What r/smallbusinessUS Is For
Small Business US is a sub for American small businesses. It is a community where small businesses come together to create a voice. It also provides an advice forum for current small business owners. It is not for people looking to start small businesses, those who are self-employed, or anyone outside the USA. The goal is to help create a lobbying group for Small Business in America.
Rules That Matter Before Posting
The rules that decide if a marketing adjacent post survives are “No self-promotions”, “No hiring (thread for that exists)”, “Disclose Conflicts of Interest”, and “No Spam, Cold Pitches, or DM Farming”.
What To Post
A good post here should ask clear questions, share real experiences, or start practical discussions about U.S. small business operations. If you mention or recommend a business, product, tool, service, agency, course, or resource you are connected to, you must clearly disclose your relationship.
What To Avoid
You should avoid any cold pitches, “DM me” requests, or affiliate spam. Also, do not post vague or low effort content, and you must never share private customer, employee, or banking information.
A note from Anthony
The rules here are extremely strict about where you can promote or hire. It seems like the community really values genuine advice and discussion over direct commercial activity. If you are looking to market, you must be prepared to follow the megathread guidelines precisely.
By Anthony Riera, founder and operator of Rankhog. Every guide is built from the community's own public rules and data, then checked by Rankhog's grounding audit before it goes live.
Common questions about r/smallbusinessUS
What subreddits are similar to r/smallbusinessUS?
Subreddits like r/smallbusinessUS are r/GetMotivated, r/Advice, r/business, r/smallbusiness, r/getdisciplined, r/AskMenOver30, r/Business_Ideas and r/sweatystartup.
Can I promote my business or services in this subreddit?
No, all business promotion must go in the Quarterly Promotion Megathread. Any promotion outside that is instant ban when caught.
Where should I post a job opening or a freelance offer?
Hiring posts, job posts, freelance offers, and contractor services must be placed in the Monthly Hiring Megathread.
Does my post need to be about a US business to be allowed?
Yes, as long as the post is relevant to U.S. small business owners, U.S.-based businesses, or U.S.-specific business operations.
Subreddits like r/smallbusinessUS
Other rooms for the same crowd.