Reddit CQS Checker & How to Improve It

In recent years, Reddit has introduced the Contributor Quality Score (CQS), a new metric designed to evaluate users and classify them based on the quality of their contributions.

This system is especially crucial for marketers, including those promoting OnlyFans and other subscription-based platforms, as well as regular users looking to maintain good standing on Reddit.

Whether you’re a marketer trying to promote your content or a regular user, understanding how CQS works and how to improve your score can help you avoid content filters and increase visibility on Reddit.

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about CQS, along with practical steps you can take to improve your score.

What Is the Contributor Quality Score (CQS)?

The Contributor Quality Score is a classification system that Reddit uses to determine the quality of a user’s contributions. It goes beyond the traditional metrics like karma and account age, which were the main factors in the past for determining whether users could post in certain subreddits.

CQS places users into five tiers based on a variety of factors, including:

• Lowest
• Low
• Moderate
• High
• Highest

This score is regularly updated and can fluctuate based on your activity, behavior, and interactions with other users.

Why Did Reddit Introduce CQS?

CQS was introduced to filter out spammy and low-quality users who negatively impact the community.

In the past, users could “farm karma” by posting to less regulated subreddits and letting their accounts age naturally.

Once they built enough karma and age, they would start posting in larger, more valuable subreddits to promote products or services.

However, Reddit has recognized that karma farming and aging accounts were being exploited by marketers, spammers, and bots.

To combat this, Reddit implemented CQS to add another layer of scrutiny. Now, even if a user has a good amount of karma or an older account, a low CQS could block them from posting or commenting in many subreddits.

How Does Reddit Calculate CQS?

Reddit has not fully disclosed the exact algorithm or criteria used to determine your CQS, but several factors seem to influence the score:

1. Account Security: Verifying your email and phone number and enabling two-factor authentication may positively impact your CQS.
2. Karma: Although karma still matters, CQS places more emphasis on the quality of your contributions.
3. Behavior: Spammy behavior such as frequent self-promotion, low-effort posts, or mass posting across multiple subreddits can lower your score.
4. Engagement: Meaningful interactions, such as commenting and responding to other users, seem to boost your CQS more than just posting or upvoting.

How to Check Your CQS

Unlike karma, Reddit does not give users a direct way to view their Contributor Quality Score (CQS) within the platform. However, there is a workaround that allows you to check your CQS using specific subreddits, like r/whatismyCQS.

1. Visit r/whatismyCQS.
2. Click on the “Create Post” button, which should be visible at the top of the subreddit page.
3. In the post title, you can write something simple like “Test” or “Checking my CQS.”
4. You don’t need to write anything detailed in the post body; a brief message like “Checking my CQS” or even just “Test” will suffice.
5. Submit the post by clicking the “Post” button.
6. After you submit your post, an automated bot will respond, usually within a few minutes. The bot will analyze your account’s CQS and leave a comment on your post with your current CQS score.

The response will typically include one of the following ratings for your account: Lowest, Low, Moderate, High, or Highest.

In addition to the rating, the bot might provide some general information about what the score means.

• Lowest: Your account is very new. Most of the time, you just need to verify your email address in the Settings to increase your CQS to Low.
• Low: Your account may still be restricted in some subreddits, but you can work on improving your score by engaging more positively.
• Moderate: Your account is in good standing, though there may still be room for improvement.
• High: Your account is seen as a quality contributor and should face minimal restrictions.
• Highest: Your account is performing at the highest level, with no major restrictions on your contributions.

Proven Strategies to Improve Your CQS

Improving your Contributor Quality Score requires a shift in how you engage with Reddit. Below are some actionable steps to boost your CQS and avoid being flagged by automated filters.

1. Prioritize Commenting Over Posting

From various experiments, it appears that commenting is one of the most effective ways to improve your CQS. Every time you comment on a post or respond to someone else’s comment, Reddit seems to reward your account with a higher score.

Tip: Engage in genuine conversations within subreddits. Avoid leaving one-word or spammy comments, as these are unlikely to improve your score.

2. Avoid Excessive Posting or Upvoting

Posting too frequently or upvoting too many posts can negatively affect your CQS. This is especially true if you’re using multiple accounts or bots to artificially upvote your content.

Tip: Limit the number of posts and upvotes, especially within a short time frame. Focus on adding value through thoughtful comments and discussions.

3. Keep Your Account Secure

Although linking Google or Apple accounts and enabling two-factor authentication doesn’t appear to have a major immediate impact on CQS, keeping your account secure is still recommended. Secure accounts are less likely to be flagged by Reddit’s spam filters.

Tip: Ensure your email is verified, and enable two-factor authentication to protect your account from being compromised, which could lower your CQS.

4. Consistent Activity Over Time

CQS takes into account long-term behavior, not just short-term activity spikes. Regular, positive contributions over weeks and months will do more to raise your score than a sudden burst of posts or comments.

Tip: If you’re planning to use Reddit for marketing, start building your account early. Engage consistently with the platform, even if you’re not yet promoting your content.

Marketing on Reddit with CQS: Best Practices

For marketers, especially those promoting subscription-based platforms like OnlyFans, CQS has become a significant hurdle. However, by understanding the system, you can work around it and maintain visibility in key subreddits.

1. Farm Karma Without Spamming

In the past, marketers would create accounts and farm karma by posting to easy subreddits, then use those accounts to promote products or services. With CQS in place, farming karma without engaging meaningfully is no longer enough.

Tip: Focus on authentic karma farming by posting helpful, engaging content and responding to comments in popular subreddits. Avoid posting the same content across multiple subreddits, as this can lower your CQS.

2. Avoid Mass Promotion

Mass promoting your content across several subreddits at once will likely trigger Reddit’s filters, especially if your CQS is low. This type of behavior is now more easily flagged due to the introduction of CQS.

Tip: Be selective about where and when you promote your content. Choose subreddits where your content is relevant and contribute regularly to build trust with the community.

3. Balance Post and Comment Activity

To maintain a positive CQS, you need to strike a balance between posting and commenting. Based on user tests, it seems that posts and upvotes are weighted more negatively than comments. Therefore, over-posting without balancing with comments can lower your CQS.

Tip: For every post you make, leave thoughtful comments on multiple other threads. This helps balance your activity and shows Reddit that you’re engaging with the community, not just self-promoting.

4. Monitor Your CQS Regularly

If you’re using Reddit for marketing, it’s important to check your CQS regularly. If you notice that your score is dropping, adjust your activity to focus more on comments and reducing the number of posts and upvotes.

Tip: Post in subreddits like r/whatismyCQS to check your score periodically. Make adjustments to your activity based on your results.

FAQs

What is the Contributor Quality Score (CQS)?
CQS is a system Reddit uses to classify users based on the quality of their contributions. It goes beyond karma and account age.

Why did Reddit introduce CQS?
To prevent spam and low-quality content from marketers and bots.

How is CQS calculated?
It’s based on account security, karma quality, behavior, and engagement.

How can I check my CQS?
Use subreddits like r/WhatismyCQS to check.

How can I improve my CQS?
Comment more, avoid excessive posting, secure your account, and engage consistently.

Conclusion

The Contributor Quality Score is a crucial element for both marketers and regular users on Reddit. Understanding how CQS works, how it’s calculated, and how to improve your score can make the difference between a successful Reddit strategy and being blocked by filters.

Whether you’re promoting content or just engaging with communities, the key takeaway is that quality matters. Focus on genuine contributions, avoid spammy behavior, and monitor your CQS regularly to stay in good standing on Reddit.

By implementing the strategies outlined in this guide, you’ll be well on your way to boosting your CQS and getting the most out of Reddit’s vast user base.