Despite not being as big as other social media platforms, Reddit is a goldmine for smart entrepreneurs looking to grow their brands.
And the best part? It’s easier than you might think!
Here are five simple steps to use Reddit effectively and unlock its power to promote your brand.
1. Understand How Reddit Works
Understanding how a platform works might seem boring at first glance, but it’s actually the foundation for achieving success within it.
With an estimated 1.2 billion unique visitors per month, Reddit has often earned the well-deserved title “front page of the internet”. And we understand why.
What sets Reddit apart from other social media platforms is the structure of subreddits, which are mini-forums/communities structured to match different interests, from important global news to niche hobbies like traveling.
They are named with the prefix “r/” followed by the topic or theme of the subreddit. For example, if the subreddit is about cats, you might find it as “r/cats.”
Example of Subreddits’ names
Each subreddit functions as an individual forums dedicated to specific topics, interests, or themes, allowing users to engage in discussions, share content, and connect with like-minded individuals.
Within each subreddit, users can post text, links, images, videos, and other forms of content relevant to the community’s focus.
Instead of liking and disliking posts, users can upvote or downvote posts and comments based on their quality and relevance. (Like in the example below.)
Example of upvoting and downvoting on Reddit
This system determines the visibility of content, with highly upvoted posts rising to the top of the subreddit and gaining more exposure, while low-quality or irrelevant content remains buried.
Volunteers from within the community, called moderators, dedicate their time to curating and managing discussions within their respective subreddits. They also:
- maintain the integrity of each subreddit by implementing rules
- remove spam or inappropriate content
- encourage a positive community atmosphere
Reddit’s front page displays a curated selection of popular posts from across various subreddits, so users can get a snapshot of trending topics and discussions within the platform.
2. Ask the Right Questions
One of the most important rules of Reddit engagement is to avoid treating it just as a traffic source. We already know how annoying overpromoting is for the audience, and it is super important to leave a good impression on those who will read your content/get to know your brand.
If you’re a beginner who wants to embrace the Reddit community properly, we suggest you ask genuine, newbie questions. Reddit users appreciate authenticity and are more likely to engage with individuals who demonstrate a willingness to learn and contribute meaningfully to discussions. Seek advice if necessary, and familiarize yourself with subreddit rules to avoid running afoul of moderators.
Remember, Reddit is not just a platform for self-promotion, it’s a community-driven space that succeeds in mutual respect and reciprocity.
3. Prepare to Market Yourself
Before diving headfirst into promotion, take the time to map out your niche on Reddit.
Identify relevant subreddits where your target audience focuses and use tools like Delay to discover valuable communities aligned with your brand, and Reddify to transform sceptical Reddit users into genuine brand believers.
Transparency is key when marketing on Reddit. Avoid impersonal promotions and instead, strive to build genuine connections with the community.
Respect subreddit rules and moderators’ guidelines to build trust and credibility among other Redditors.
4. Engage in Your Niche
Now comes the exciting part, creating and sharing content within your niche. Whether it’s informative guides, engaging discussions, or insightful contributions, remember you must add value to the community.
Let’s take SEMrush’s Reddit community as an example.
Ranked in the top 11%, and with a community of 3.7K members, SEMrush is killing the game on Reddit. They are engaging the audience by sharing industry-leading tips, news, reviews, case studies, and more on SEO, PPC, Social Media, and Content Marketing.
Another thing that sets them apart is the interactive team, always prepared to engage in meaningful discussions and address inquiries.
This leads us to a very important tip: Take a close look at what other brands are doing on Reddit, whether they’re just starting out or have been around for a while. You can learn a lot from their strategies and apply them to your own brand’s approach.
Experiment with the “skyscraper method” by building upon existing popular posts and offering fresh perspectives to captivate your audience.
Balance self-promotion with genuine contributions to maintain authenticity and credibility.
Remember, Reddit users are discerning and can easily spot blatant marketing tactics.
Just like with other social media platforms, focus on providing value to drive organic engagement and traffic to your brand.
5. Gain Traction
When it comes to gaining traction on Reddit, subtlety is key. Avoid overtly promotional tactics and instead, integrate links to your business or products that align with relevant discussions.
Explore subreddit-specific promotion opportunities, such as shameless plug threads or dedicated coupon communities, to expand your reach and drive targeted traffic to your brand.
In case you’ve never heard of them before, shameless plug threads on Reddit are designated discussion threads within specific subreddits where users are encouraged to shamelessly promote their own content, projects, or businesses.
These threads often have specific rules or guidelines that ensure the promotion remains relevant and respectful within the community.
And dedicated coupon communities are specialized subreddits where users share and discuss various deals, discounts, and coupons from different retailers and brands.
Would You Use Reddit For Your Marketing Goals?
Reddit offers exceptional opportunities for brand growth, assisting you to approach it with the right strategy and mindset. But in order to succeed, it’s important you first understand how the platform works, engage with the community following its rules, and provide valuable content that users look up to.
Remember to ask yourself: What is it that people out there are looking for and how you can help them?
Focusing on building a brand through an online community, rather than just selling, will guide you to success faster than you might think.
