If you’re part of the internet generation, chances are you’ve heard of Reddit. But what about marketing on Reddit? 

Since its inception, the internet has seen several web giants come and go (RIP Tumblr and MySpace). But through the fast-changing tides of internet trends, none has stood the test of time as stoically as Reddit. Why? Because Reddit is an entirely user-influenced platform. 

Users on the site embrace discussion and focus on community engagement. This is a stark contrast to branding-focused platforms like Instagram. Although Reddit has introduced several advertising options in recent years, it remains a relatively untrodden path for content marketing. 

That’s why Reddit is the perfect untapped resource for your brand. 

The platform isn’t the front page of the internet for no reason. Reddit’s strong community means advice about brands and products are contested continuously and thus trusted. In fact, 82% of Gen-Z users say they trust Reddit when it comes to learning more about products.

Along with the 430 million average monthly active users and a growing Gen Z and millennial audience, this platform might just be an engagement goldmine. 

Here are five other upcoming social media content marketing platforms to keep an eye on.

How to get started with Reddit marketing

To use Reddit for content marketing, you must first get the hang of how the platform works. 

One reason why the site gains so much traffic from users—affectionately known as Redditors—is because of its wealth of information. 

Reddit is split into thousands of pages called subreddits. These micro-communities range from brand threads to advice-based threads. Those subscribed to these subreddits can join discussions by leaving comments or links on previous posts. 

The authenticity of the platform is another reason why Reddit is such a hit. Redditors are anonymous users, and this makes it easy for the community to engage in genuine conversation and form bonds.

Screenshot of the front page of Reddit, which is a prime estate for content marketing
Posts with the most upvotes are the ones you see on the front page.

Another reason why people love Reddit is because of its engaging user interface. For example, Redditors can upvote or downvote posts, giving ‘karma points’ to the poster. Accumulating karma points is a way to show how involved in the community you are.  

Awards are also given out to the most relevant or most liked posts.

The power of community is what makes Reddit so alluring as a platform for content marketing. It’s a highly functioning word-of-mouth network—digitalised. 

4 tips on using Reddit for content marketing 

Now that you have more of an idea of how the world of Reddit works, here’s how to create content marketing strategies for Reddit. 

1. Identify the subreddit topics that your target audience goes to

Look for subreddits that are related to your business and products or services. The best way to tap into Reddit is by doing your research on these threads.  

The trick is to find the best subreddit that your target audience frequents. For instance, a skincare company might want to look at smaller sub-communities such as Korean skincare subreddits. 

Screenshot of Korean Beauty subreddit, ideal for Reddit marketing for skincare and beauty products
Targeting specific niche on subreddits can be an effective Reddit marketing strategy.

Smaller subreddit communities might focus on more targeted topics that you might not find in a larger subreddit. Browse the ‘Top’ posts to see what each community is about. 

Finding a niche subreddit that’s linked to your business might also mean higher engagement rates. 

The best way to come up with new strategies is knowing what your audience is looking for. 

After you’ve found the right subreddits, spend some time getting to know what your audience is talking about. Identify pain points they might have with certain products or things they would like to know. 

Researching into specific subreddits can help you to discover the type of content that people are on the hunt for. 

This can help you to tweak your strategies, and make them more effective. 

2. Start engaging your target audience

Unlike other social media platforms, Reddit isn’t a one-sided relationship. Being on Reddit requires you to be involved in the community. 

To embark on your Reddit marketing journey, start by reading the threads under the ‘Hot’ or ‘Top’ sections. See if you relate to any of the questions and topics shared and contribute to these discussions by upvoting, commenting, or replying to other redditor’s questions. 

Using Reddit for content marketing involves playing the long game. Dive into specific industry-related threads that you’ll have the answers to and share your responses in well-thought-out, empathetic ways. In turn, the subreddit community will be more receptive and engage with your posts. 

By contributing to the community and sharing valuable insight, you’ll slowly gain prominence within the community. And once you’re more established within the community, Redditors might begin to trust your insights and advice. 

Engaging frequently with your audience can also create a strong line of communication with your target audience. Doing this might help you to streamline your strategies in the future. 

Not only does it help to build your reputation as a valuable member of the community, it also can create loyalty for your brand. 

To do content marketing on Reddit, you have to be a Redditor first! 

3. Follow the Reddiquette

If there’s one thing you need to know about Redditors, it’s that they’re fiercely anti-marketing. At the slight inkling of a shameless plug or spam promotion—you’re out. The culture of Reddit values the community over any product. 

So to succeed on Reddit, you’ll have to understand the rules and workings of Reddit. Learn more about the Reddiquette here.

Rules and regulations of each subreddit may differ, so do take note of these. 

You might also be a little confused at what constitutes spamming on Reddit. So here’s a quick rundown. Your posts are considered spam if: 

  • You keep submitting outbound links to your own sites, or links that you otherwise might directly benefit from.
  • You do not participate in any discussion, other than the submission of links 
  • More than 10% of your submissions and conversation are your own site, content, or affiliate links. 

Although self-promotion is allowed on Reddit, there’s a fine line being a fellow Redditor, and being an annoying promoter. 

Here’s a handy table on the do’s and don’ts of Reddit: 

Do’sDon’ts
Check your domain pagePeople might have comments on posts you’ve written in the pastThis can lead to building a community of your ownDon’t submit the same content to multiple subredditsThey can be considered as spam
Join subreddits relevant to your interest: Give feedback to other RedditorsLet them know about your expertise and experience in the fieldDon’t spam with your links Just submitting links might be viewed as spamSubmitting too many links might even get you banned from the subreddit forever
Read the sidebar to see if your actions are appropriate In some subreddits, mentioning or posting of certain images or links might be prohibitedEvery subreddit is run by different moderators, so do check!Don’t vote cheatVote cheating is when you consistently upvote a particular user, submit on, or vote on one brand’s contentVoting on Reddit is highly dependant on the value of the post
Be humbleRemember, you’re a Redditor first! Don’t ask for votesRedditors vote for posts with valueAsking for votes isn’t appropriate in the Reddit community, and might get you banned

4. Start promoting your own content

Once you’ve established yourself as a valuable member of the community, you can start to post valuable content from your company. 

However, being a valued member doesn’t mean you can neglect the rules and regulations of the subreddit. Posting your own content has to be at the right time, and has to be beneficial to the community. Being personable and willing to listen to different opinions is the best way to gain respect on Reddit. 

Content marketing on Reddit includes free posts or paid posts. The good thing about paid posts is that you usually get the most eyeballs if your post is at the top. So, spending money on a paid post essentially boosts your reach. 

However, your post will be labelled with a blue ‘promoted’ tag. This means that Redditors will know that your post is a sponsored post, and might not be as inclined to click on it. 

Image of promoted posts used by businesses to do Reddit marketing
Marketing on Reddit can help you reach influential communities.
Image Credit: Reddit

That’s why building trust on the site is essential if you’re marketing on Reddit. Redditors will be more likely to click into a sponsored post of a brand or user they follow, rather than a random post from a user they’ve never interacted with. 

Reddit, get set, go!

Although Reddit is still a relatively new channel for content marketing, it remains one of the most promising platforms to engage audiences in. 

As most social media sites do import viral posts from Reddit, a single viral post on the platform could lead to massive conversions on your content. 

However, do remember that community engagement and brand awareness are the pillars of marketing on Reddit. Simply pushing sponsored posts out on the site might do more harm than good. 

Exploring content marketing strategies that your brand could use? Check out how podcasts could be a wildcard strategy for your brand. 

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