Hello r/ifyoulikeblank!
This is your friendly neighborhood moderator, here with some information on how to correctly use this sub and our title tags, and to address some recent frequent misuse of the [META] tag in the sub.
If you are new here, please read this post before posting. If you have been around a while, please take a moment to refresh yourself with some of our rules. :)
There are two - and only two - kinds of posts allowed in this sub.
Our sub is NOT a self-promotion vehicle for new artists or creators, and it is NOT a general discussion or song/movie/actor/music/genre identification sub. We are a media recommendation sub, and we have very specific guidelines for posts to be allowed here.
There are two ways to format your post titles here, depending on if you would like to ask for recommendations or to give others recommendations with your OP.
If you want people to recommend things to you:
The “IIL” acronym stands for "If I like..." - to be used in a way that states "If I like (this song) because of (reasons,) what else will I like?"
This is the most common type of post here, and most OPs should be using THIS format for their posts! Your title must use the [IIL] tag - It will be reported by our frequent long-time members here if it does not, and it will be removed if you use the [IYL] or [META] tags instead of the [IIL] tag.
The title should look like the following example:
[IIL] The song (name a song you like here) because (give a specific trait about it you want suggestions to include), [WEWIL?]
The "WEWIL" acronym stands for "What else will I like?”
Your example should include something specific about the song that you want to hear more of in the music recommended to you. (Without details, no one can give you appropriate responses and you won't get suggestions that you will actually LIKE.)
If you want to recommend media to others that you think they'll like based on some other piece of media that is similar:
The “IYL” acronym stands for "If YOU like..." - to be used in a way that states "If you enjoy (this song) because of (reasons,) you might also like this song."
This tag is not for self promotion. This SUB is not for self promotion. If you post your own material here, you WILL get banned, without warning. No exceptions, no appeals.
The title should look like the following example:
[IYL] The movie (some movie similar to your suggestion) because (your reason you think it is similar to your recommendation), [YMAL] (this suggested movie).
The "YMAL" acronym stands for "You may also like..."
This is a VERY uncommon post type in this sub, unless people are attempting to subvert rule 2. We ALWAYS look at these posts, but if we miss one, our long-term members sure won’t - and they WILL report you for a rule 2 violation and you WILL be banned.
If you are suspected of passing off your own media as an "I found this new media and you might like it!" post, that will earn you an immediate permanent ban from the sub for trying to subvert rule two.
Please note that moderators look at your posting history across Reddit, and if you are spamming your own stuff elsewhere, you are going get a ban here. Period.
How to use (and how NOT to use) the [META] tag:
The [META] tag is NOT so you may post off-topic posts or general media discussion posts or music identification posts, or anything that is not an IIL or an IYL.
The [META] tag is only to be used if you have questions or comments about this subreddit itself, and how it operates on Reddit.
Examples include suggestions for new rules here, asking for clarification about a rule here, suggesting a new theme, stickied post, etc in the sub, or asking the moderation team any other question about this sub - not asking the members here about media.
Thank you all for reading, and for your help in ensuring these rules are adhered to. We are a million-member (and counting) sub with a VERY small moderation team, so your help in following these rules and reporting rule-breaking posts to us is greatly appreciated!
Have a wonderful day :)