Nobody can deny the power of social media marketing for businesses. If you develop a new marketing strategy, social media will be at the forefront of your goals. Companies will create strategies across Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok without a second thought. These are proven social media channels with a broad reach.
In contrast, hardly any companies think about Reddit.
There’s always a debate as to whether or not Reddit counts as social media. Some believe it does, while others say it falls into more of the “forum” category. Either way, it’s a huge platform with so much marketing potential. This guide will introduce you to the idea of Reddit marketing for your business – why is it a good idea, and how can you utilize it?
An Introduction To Reddit – What Is It?
Most of you have heard of Reddit, and some of you may have used it at some point. It’s one of those websites that always seems to have existed, yet only a few people can properly explain what it is and what purpose it serves.
Reddit describes itself as a network of communities where people can dive into their interests, hobbies, and passions. It runs on user-generated content: people write posts, ask questions, and engage in conversations. That’s what gives it the “social media” element, though Reddit is unlike any other social network out there.
Rather than giving you a profile or page to make your own, Reddit is split into endless forums called subreddits. There’s one for pretty much anything you can think of – r/technology covers loads of tech topics, while r/nutrition talks about food and health. Anyone can follow a subreddit, and anyone can create one. Users will typically find subreddits based on their interests – which opens the door for some excellent business marketing opportunities.
How To Use Reddit For Marketing
To get started, you need a Reddit account. The average person can set up an account for free, but it’s worth buying Reddit accounts when you’re using it for promotional purposes. Why? Because Reddit uses a point system called Karma, which effectively establishes a user’s credibility. Those with a lot of Karma will have earned a strong reputation amongst other Redditors, as Karma is gained by getting posts or comments upvoted by different users.
As such, if you already have a few accounts with a lot of Karma, this instantly makes you a more respected Redditor. People will give more credence to your posts or comments – and you will have access to other features or more exclusive subreddits. Some subreddits have a Karma cap to prevent too many people from joining. Depending on your business niche, you may need a lot of Karma just to tap into your target market.
Once you have an account (or accounts), you can start using this marketing tactic to your advantage. Here are some clever ways to use Reddit for marketing a business:
Find The Right Subreddits
Subreddits hold the key to targeting the right audience. The beauty of Reddit is that it brings likeminded people with the same interests all in one place. Search for subreddits on Reddit by using the search bar and typing in some key terms.
Think about the keywords you target when marketing your website for SEO, and use the same ones here. They should be relevant to your business and you’ll soon find a lot of different subreddits to tap into and join. Don’t be afraid to join a mixture of big and small subreddits. Big ones will obviously have a wider audience, but they can be harder for you to be seen when you comment or post – but that’s why it pays to have an account with high Karma.
Smaller ones could contain a few thousand members and are better at making yourself known. There’s really no downside to joining as many subreddits as possible, provided they all relate to your business and give you direct contact with your target audience.
Create A Subreddit For Your Brand
Engaging in other subreddits helps you find your audience and chat with them. It’s an opportunity to talk about your brand or raise awareness about your company and its products/services. Nevertheless, you need a subreddit of your own as the base for your business on Reddit.
Anyone can create a subreddit in just a few clicks from the Reddit dashboard. This will give you a forum for people to join and ask questions about your products/services. Why is this good for marketing your business? Because a) it establishes your credibility as a brand, and b) it can be used as an additional customer service channel.
Fill your subreddit with posts covering common topics or questions people might have about your brand, products, or services. When people are researching your business, they will see some of these Reddit posts in the Google search results. It provides more information and can convince them to purchase something from you. Plus, you have a place for customers to go and find more information, improving their experience and increasing the likelihood of repeat business.
Engage With Users To Show Your Expertise
Whether this is in your subreddit or other subreddits, always be sure to engage with other Reddit users. Look for questions in subreddits and answer them. It shows your expertise on particular topics, and you’ll soon become an established figure in your key Reddit communities.
People trust your opinion on things, which could lead them to click on your Reddit profile and see links to your business subreddit or website. You raise brand awareness by being a good community member and sharing knowledge.
Engaging with users and communities may also include crafting your own posts. Create content designed to engage the subreddit’s audience and encourage conversations. This gives you more opportunities to show off your knowledge. Plus, you can link to other content you’ve created on different platforms – like blog posts explaining what you’re talking about in more detail or a YouTube video you created as part of a content marketing strategy.
Purchase Some Reddit Ads
Like every social platform, Reddit has built-in advertising aimed at businesses and professionals. It’s well worth purchasing some Reddit ads as they give you direct access to your most targeted market. Use the promotional posts feature to display posts in subreddits that blend into the page and aren’t too intrusive. These receive exceptional engagement and can generate clicks to your website or subreddit.
Be aware that this will obviously cost money, but it’s worth testing the waters to see how beneficial Reddit advertising can be for your business.
Why Use Reddit For Marketing?
As you’ve seen from the points above, you can use Reddit in many ways to market your business. We’ll finalize this guide with a simple question: why do this? What are the benefits of Reddit marketing?
Well, the main advantage is that it brings you closer than ever to your target market. You can find the exact people who’ll be interested in what you offer, which increases the chances of conversions far more than any other marketing method. Additionally, Reddit marketing helps you learn so much about your business. You can create posts asking for feedback on your products/services – this gives you valuable information about what your target audience thinks, but it also raises brand awareness.
There are no downsides to marketing your company on Reddit, and it’s one of the forgotten aspects of social media marketing. For some businesses, this platform is far more advantageous and yields a better ROI than marketing on X or TikTok.
