Reddit is a Goldmine – Prompt Stack to Find Profitable Business Ideas on Reddit

by Marcus Johnson

You’re scrolling through Reddit, laughing at memes or falling into rabbit-hole discussions, when it hits you—this place is a goldmine for business ideas.

But here’s the thing: most people don’t realize how powerful Reddit is for market research. While others are guessing what customers want, you can literally read their unfiltered frustrations, wishes, and unmet needs in real time.

The best part? You don’t need fancy tools—just the right prompts to extract profitable insights. Below, we’ll break down a step-by-step prompt stack to turn Reddit threads into your next business idea.

1. Identify High-Traffic Subreddits for Market Research

Before diving into solutions, you need to find where your ideal customers hang out. Not all subreddits are equal—some are packed with engagement, while others are ghost towns.

Your Prompt:
“Analyze the most active subreddits where people discuss problems, frustrations, or unmet needs related to [your niche, e.g., ‘side hustles,’ ‘digital nomads,’ ‘small business’]. Prioritize subreddits with high engagement (comments, upvotes) and recent activity. Summarize key themes and pain points mentioned in these communities.”

Example Output:

  • Subreddit: r/Entrepreneur
  • Common Pain Points: “Finding time-efficient marketing strategies,” “scaling on a budget”
  • Recent High-Engagement Threads: [List 3–5 threads with links]

Your Action Step:

  • Search for niche-related subreddits using tools like Subreddit Stats.
  • Sort by “Active” or “Growing” to find engaged communities.

2. Extract Recurring Problems & Frustrations

Now that you’ve found the right subreddits, it’s time to dig into the real gold—repeated complaints and “I wish” statements.

Your Prompt:
“Scrape the top 10 posts from [Subreddit Name] from the past 3 months. Identify:

  • The most frequently mentioned problems or complaints.
  • Phrases like ‘I wish there was…’ or ‘Why doesn’t X exist?’
  • Gaps in existing solutions (e.g., ‘All tools for X are too expensive/complicated’).
    Present findings in a table with problem, frequency, and potential opportunity.”*

Example Output:

ProblemFrequencyOpportunity
“No affordable SEO tool for solopreneurs”25+ mentionsLow-cost, simplified SEO SaaS
“Hard to find vetted freelancers”18+ mentionsCurated freelance marketplace

Your Action Step:

  • Use Reddit’s search bar with keywords like “frustrating,” “annoying,” “problem with.”
  • Look for threads with high engagement—these signal urgent pain points.

3. Validate Demand Using Reddit’s Search & Comments

Just because people complain doesn’t mean they’ll pay. So, how do you confirm real demand?

Your Prompt:
“Search r/[Subreddit] for keywords like ‘best tool for…’, ‘recommend a…’, or ‘alternatives to…’. Extract:

  • Products/services people are actively seeking.
  • Complaints about current solutions (e.g., ‘Tool Y is great but lacks Z feature’).
  • Willingness to pay (e.g., ‘I’d pay $X for this’).
    Summarize the most promising opportunities with evidence from threads.”*

Example Output:
“Users in r/SaaS frequently request a ‘Stripe-like API for emerging markets’ (32+ comments).”*

Your Action Step:

  • Search for “best [solution] for [problem]”—these threads reveal buying intent.
  • Note if users mention budgets (e.g., *”I’d pay $50/month for this”*).

4. Brainstorm Monetizable Solutions

Now, turn those pain points into real business ideas.

Your Prompt:
“Based on the pain points from Reddit, generate 5 business ideas that:

  • Solve a recurring problem.
  • Have clear monetization (subscription, one-time fee, upsells).
  • Are feasible for a solopreneur (low upfront cost, quick MVP).
    For each idea, include: Idea Name, Target Audience, MVP Version, Revenue Model.”*

Example Output:

  • Idea: No-Code SEO Sidekick
  • Audience: Solopreneurs who hate technical SEO.
  • MVP: Google Sheets + GPT-4 automation for keyword tracking.
  • Revenue: $20/month subscription.

Your Action Step:

  • Pick the top 3 problems with the most demand.
  • Brainstorm the simplest solution you can build fast.

5. Competitive Analysis Using Reddit Feedback

Before building, check what people hate about existing solutions.

Your Prompt:
“Analyze Reddit threads criticizing competitors in [niche]. List:

  • Top 3 complaints about existing solutions.
  • Features users beg for but aren’t getting.
  • Under-served customer segments (e.g., ‘All tools target enterprises, not indie hackers’).
    Suggest how a new entrant could differentiate.”*

Example Output:
“Users complain that Canva lacks advanced typography controls for designers. Opportunity: A Figma-lite tool for non-designers.”

Your Action Step:

  • Search “[Competitor Name] sucks” or “[Tool] alternatives” for unfiltered feedback.

6. Rapid Validation Test (Post Your Own Thread)

Instead of guessing, ask your market directly.

Your Prompt:
“Draft a Reddit post to validate demand for [Your Idea]. Structure it as:

  • Problem statement (e.g., ‘Do others struggle with X?’).
  • Hypothetical solution (e.g., ‘Would a tool that does Y help?’).
  • Call-to-action (e.g., ‘Upvote if you’d use this; comment your wishlist features’).
    Keep it neutral to avoid bias. Provide 3 versions for A/B testing.”*

Example Post:
“Freelancers: How do you currently track unpaid invoices? Would a free, automated tracker help? Upvote if you’d try it!”

Your Action Step:

  • Post in relevant subreddits (but follow their rules—no spam!).
  • Measure engagement (upvotes, comments, DMs).

Final Thought: Stop Guessing, Start Building

Reddit is one of the few places where people openly share their struggles. Your next business idea is hiding in plain sight—you just need to ask the right questions.

So, pick a niche, run these prompts, and let Reddit tell you what to build.

Now go dig for gold. 🚀