# Reddit Lead Gen Scraper (`deepmine/reddit-lead-gen-scraper`) Actor

Find Reddit leads by keyword — scrape posts & comments mentioning your product, niche, or pain points. Filter by subreddit, score & time. Export structured data for outreach, sales prospecting & competitor research.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/deepmine/reddit-lead-gen-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [DeepMine](https://apify.com/deepmine) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, Social media, Other
- **Stats:** 5 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$25.00/month + usage

To use this Actor, you pay a monthly rental fee to the developer. The rent is subtracted from your prepaid usage every month after the free trial period. You also pay for the Apify platform usage, which gets cheaper the higher Apify subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#rental-actors

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Reddit Lead Generation Scraper — Find Buyers Asking for Recommendations on Reddit

**Reddit is full of people publicly asking for product recommendations, announcing they're switching tools, and looking for exactly what you sell. This actor finds them.**

Search Reddit for buying intent phrases across all subreddits or specific communities. Every result is a real person who has expressed active interest in finding a solution — ranked by buzz score so the hottest, most-engaged threads surface first.

***

### What Is Reddit Lead Generation Scraper?

Reddit Lead Generation Scraper searches Reddit for threads and comments containing high-intent phrases — the language people use when they're in active buying mode. Phrases like "recommend a CRM", "switching from Salesforce", "anyone use X for Y", or "looking for a tool that does Z".

Unlike generic Reddit scrapers that return raw posts, this actor is built for sales and marketing workflows. Defaults are tuned for lead generation: comments are searched alongside posts (most buying intent lives in comment threads), results are sorted newest-first to surface fresh leads before competitors, and the minimum score is set to zero so brand-new posts with no upvotes yet are captured.

Every result is ranked by **buzz score** — a composite metric that weights engagement relative to post age. A thread posted an hour ago with 10 upvotes scores higher than a month-old thread with 500, because the fresh one is the lead you can actually act on.

***

### Key Features

- **Intent phrase search** — search for the exact language buyers use: recommendations, comparisons, switching signals, pain point descriptions
- **Comments + posts** — buying intent is often buried in comment threads, not just top-level posts. Both are searched by default
- **Newest-first by default** — find leads before competitors. Sort by new to catch fresh threads as they're posted
- **Buzz score ranking** — results ranked by engagement velocity, not raw upvotes. Fresh high-engagement threads always surface first
- **Subreddit targeting** — restrict to specific communities (r/entrepreneur, r/sales, r/smallbusiness) for vertical-specific lead gen
- **Zero minimum score** — catches brand-new posts that haven't accumulated votes yet. The freshest leads are often unscored
- **Multi-phrase search** — run dozens of intent phrases in one pass. Each is tracked independently with its own summary row
- **Per-phrase summary** — every phrase gets a summary row: total results, top subreddits, top post, buzz breakdown
- **Monitor mode** — schedule recurring runs and track which intent threads are still gaining traction between sessions

***

### Who Uses This?

#### B2B SaaS Sales Teams & SDRs

Reddit surfaces buyers in active evaluation mode that no CRM or intent tool catches. Search for phrases like "switching from \[competitor]", "recommend a \[category]", or "best \[tool] for \[use case]" and find people who are literally asking for your product right now. Export results and add them to your outreach sequence.

#### Growth Hackers & Demand Gen Marketers

Reddit buying intent discussions are warm leads hiding in plain sight. Someone asking "what's the best email marketing tool for e-commerce" in r/shopify is a qualified prospect. Find them, engage authentically, and convert before anyone else does.

#### Recruiting & Staffing Agencies

Search for phrases like "looking for a developer", "hiring a freelancer", "need a designer for" to find companies actively looking to hire. Reddit is full of founders and small business owners posting hiring needs in communities like r/entrepreneur, r/startups, and r/forhire.

#### Digital Marketing Agencies & Consultants

Find businesses publicly struggling with the exact problems you solve. Search for pain point phrases ("Facebook ads not converting", "need help with SEO", "struggling with email open rates") in relevant subreddits to identify prospects who are pre-sold on the need — they just need to find you.

#### E-commerce & DTC Brands

Monitor product category subreddits for people asking for recommendations in your niche. Someone posting "looking for a good quality X under $Y" in r/BuyItForLife or a product-specific community is a buyer with their wallet open.

#### Investor & Market Researchers

Track which product categories people are actively seeking solutions for. Consistent volume of recommendation requests in a niche signals unsatisfied demand and real market opportunity.

#### Competitor Intelligence Teams

Search for your competitor's name combined with switching signals — "leaving \[competitor]", "switching from \[competitor]", "alternatives to \[competitor]" — to find dissatisfied customers actively looking for something better.

***

### Output — What You Get

#### Mention rows

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `rank` | Position in results (1 = highest buzz score) |
| `buzzScore` | Composite engagement velocity score |
| `scoreDelta` | Upvote change since last run (monitor mode only) |
| `type` | `post` or `comment` |
| `matchedKeywords` | Which intent phrase(s) triggered this result |
| `title` | Post title |
| `body` | Comment text (for comment results) |
| `subreddit` | Which subreddit this came from |
| `score` | Raw upvote count |
| `numComments` | Total replies on the post |
| `postAgeHours` | How old the post is in hours |
| `postUrl` | Link to the original post |
| `commentUrl` | Direct link to the comment (for comment results) |

#### Summary rows (one per phrase)

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `keyword` | The intent phrase |
| `mentionsDelta` | Change in total results vs. last run |
| `avgBuzzDelta` | Change in average buzz score vs. last run |
| `totalMentions` | Total results found for this phrase |
| `postCount` / `commentCount` | Breakdown by type |
| `topSubreddits` | Top 5 communities where this phrase appears |
| `topPostTitle` | Highest buzz result for this phrase |
| `topPostUrl` | Link to the top result |

***

### Getting Started

1. **Add your intent phrases** — Enter the buying language your target customers use. What would someone type on Reddit when they're looking for your product? Add one phrase per line.

2. **Set your time window** — "Past week" catches recent intent without missing slower-moving buying cycles. If running daily, use "Past 24 hours".

3. **Choose your subreddits** — Leave empty to search all of Reddit, or restrict to specific communities for targeted results.

4. **Run** — Results appear in the Mentions tab ranked by buzz score. The top results are the freshest, most-engaged buying discussions.

***

### Input Parameters

| Parameter | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `keywords` | — | Buying intent phrases to search (required) |
| `sortBy` | `new` | Sort order: new, relevance, top, hot, comments |
| `timeFilter` | `week` | Time window: hour, day, week, month, year, all |
| `searchPosts` | `true` | Search top-level posts |
| `searchComments` | `true` | Search comments (recommended) |
| `subredditFilter` | `[]` | Restrict to specific subreddits (optional) |
| `maxResultsPerKeyword` | `50` | Max results per phrase |
| `minScore` | `0` | Minimum upvote score (0 = catch brand-new posts) |
| `trackChanges` | `false` | Enable monitor mode for delta tracking |
| `proxyConfiguration` | Residential | Proxy settings |

***

### Intent Phrase Examples by Use Case

**B2B SaaS / CRM**
`recommend a CRM`, `switching from Salesforce`, `HubSpot alternatives`, `best CRM for small business`, `looking for a sales tool`

**Marketing tools**
`best email marketing software`, `recommend an email tool`, `switching from Mailchimp`, `looking for a marketing automation tool`

**Development / Tech**
`recommend a hosting provider`, `best VPS for`, `switching from AWS`, `looking for a developer tool`

**E-commerce**
`best Shopify app for`, `recommend a shipping solution`, `looking for a print on demand`, `switching from Etsy`

**Agencies / Services**
`looking for an agency`, `need help with Facebook ads`, `recommend a freelancer`, `hiring a developer`

**Competitive displacement**
`[competitor name] alternative`, `leaving [competitor name]`, `frustrated with [competitor name]`

***

### Monitor Mode — Track Fresh Intent Over Time

Enable **Track Changes Between Runs** and schedule the actor weekly or daily. Each run records a snapshot. The next run adds a `scoreDelta` field showing how many upvotes each thread gained since last check — rising upvotes on an intent thread means the conversation is still active.

**Practical workflow:** Run on a Monday schedule targeting the past week. Export results to Google Sheets or a CRM via Apify integrations. Each week's run shows net-new threads (`mentionsDelta`) alongside still-active older ones.

***

### Frequently Asked Questions

**How is this different from a generic Reddit scraper?**
Defaults are tuned for lead generation: comments searched alongside posts, sorted newest-first, minimum score at zero, buzz scoring surfaces the freshest high-engagement threads. A generic scraper dumps raw results. This one is set up for your sales workflow out of the box.

**Can I search multiple phrases at once?**
Yes — add as many as you want. Each is searched independently and gets its own summary row. All results are combined and ranked together by buzz score.

**What subreddits work best for lead gen?**
Depends on your market. B2B: r/entrepreneur, r/startups, r/smallbusiness, r/sales, r/marketing. E-commerce: r/shopify, r/Etsy, r/dropshipping. Tech: r/webdev, r/sysadmin, r/devops. Leave the filter empty to cast the widest net.

**How do I act on the leads?**
Reddit is a community — hard pitching gets downvoted. The best approach is authentic engagement: answer the question helpfully, mention your product as one option, and be transparent about your affiliation. Alternatively, use the threads for prospect research and reach out off-platform.

**Can I connect this to my CRM?**
Yes — Apify integrates natively with Zapier, Make, Google Sheets, and hundreds of other tools. Set up a Zap that imports new results into your CRM after each run.

**Can I schedule it to run automatically?**
Yes. Use Apify's built-in scheduler. Combined with monitor mode, you get a continuous stream of fresh buying intent delivered on schedule.

***

*Built for sales teams, SDRs, growth marketers, and agencies who know Reddit is full of warm leads — and want a systematic way to find them.*

# Actor input Schema

## `keywords` (type: `array`):

Phrases people use when they're actively looking to buy, switch, or get a recommendation. Each phrase is searched independently across all of Reddit.

Examples of high-intent phrases:
• "recommend a CRM"
• "switching from Salesforce"
• "looking for project management tool"
• "best email marketing software"
• "anyone use X for Y"

Tip: include your competitor's name to catch people looking to switch away from them.

## `sortBy` (type: `string`):

How Reddit ranks the results returned for each phrase.

• New — most recent posts first. Best for finding fresh leads before competitors see them.
• Relevance — Reddit's own relevance ranking.
• Top — highest-scored posts. Good for finding high-visibility buying discussions.
• Hot — currently active threads.

## `timeFilter` (type: `string`):

Only return posts and comments from within this time window. 'Past week' catches fresh intent signals without missing recent discussions. Use 'Past month' for broader coverage of slower-moving buying cycles.

## `searchPosts` (type: `boolean`):

Search Reddit posts (threads, discussions, links) for buying intent phrases. Most high-intent ask posts are top-level posts.

## `searchComments` (type: `boolean`):

Also search individual comments for buying intent phrases. Recommended — many of the best leads are comments like 'anyone know a good X?' buried inside existing threads.

## `subredditFilter` (type: `array`):

Limit results to specific subreddits for more targeted lead gen. Leave empty to search all of Reddit. Examples for B2B SaaS: entrepreneur, startups, smallbusiness, sales. Accepts any format: sales, r/sales, or full URL.

## `maxResultsPerKeyword` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of results to collect per intent phrase. 50 is a good starting point — enough to find real leads without overwhelming your workflow.

## `minScore` (type: `integer`):

Ignore results with fewer upvotes than this. Keep at 0 to catch brand-new posts before anyone else — the freshest leads have no votes yet.

## `trackChanges` (type: `boolean`):

Saves a snapshot after each run. On the next run, adds a scoreDelta field showing how much traction each thread has gained. Useful when running weekly — rising upvotes on an intent thread means the conversation is still active and worth engaging.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Proxy settings for routing requests. Residential proxies are strongly recommended for reliable results.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "keywords": [
    "recommend a CRM",
    "switching from Salesforce",
    "looking for project management tool",
    "best email marketing software"
  ],
  "sortBy": "new",
  "timeFilter": "week",
  "searchPosts": true,
  "searchComments": true,
  "subredditFilter": [],
  "maxResultsPerKeyword": 50,
  "minScore": 0,
  "trackChanges": false,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "RESIDENTIAL"
    ]
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `trendingPosts` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "keywords": [
        "recommend a CRM",
        "switching from Salesforce",
        "looking for project management tool",
        "best email marketing software"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("deepmine/reddit-lead-gen-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "keywords": [
        "recommend a CRM",
        "switching from Salesforce",
        "looking for project management tool",
        "best email marketing software",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("deepmine/reddit-lead-gen-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "keywords": [
    "recommend a CRM",
    "switching from Salesforce",
    "looking for project management tool",
    "best email marketing software"
  ]
}' |
apify call deepmine/reddit-lead-gen-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,deepmine/reddit-lead-gen-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/c7HOmqeDKC0JV1nfY/builds/3d2e8yDU00lLUfV3A/openapi.json