Reddit is something of an outlier when compared to rival social media platforms. It has a unique structure, made up of a seemingly endless number of specialized, self-sufficient communities, or Subreddits, dedicated to a vast range of topics, from the mundane to the wonderfully obscure.
The entire Reddit ethos is built around community spirit, with a study conducted by the company finding that Reddit users value the sense of belonging and emotional security the platform offers and rank it far higher when considering these compared to competitor channels.
Reddit’s distinctive interface and user design pose a unique marketing opportunity, how can you make the best use of the features the platform offers in your marketing campaign? Read on to find out.
How popular is Reddit?
Just how popular is Reddit? While it might not be the first that comes to mind when asked to think of leading social media platforms, it continues to impress with numbers as regularly ranks as one of the top digital channels in today’s landscape.
Reddit was founded in 2005 and has come on leaps and bounds since then, seeing exponential growth in terms of its popularity and user base. The website registered 1.7 billion visits in May 2022, making it one of the most visited websites online. Currently, Reddit has 330 million monthly active users and 1.5 billion registered users.
These impressive figures are hard to ignore, they make Reddit an attractive prospect for marketers and advertisers. The site has seen contributions from a host of celebrities, from Bill Gates to Barack Obama, giving it cross-market and cross-generational appeal.
How does Reddit work?
Before designing and implementing a marketing strategy on Reddit, it’s vital to understand how the platform works. The site is made of Subreddits, dedicated communities on specific subjects with user bases that can range from a few hundred to several million. Within these communities, users show appreciation for content by upvoting it, which drives it up on the feed, while showing displeasure by downvoting content, which drives it down in the feed. Content that is in breach of Reddit’s rules or the specific rules of that community is likely to be removed completely.
Community members are famously protective of their groups, brands and advertisers aren’t welcome, generally speaking. So, how do you as a marketer penetrate these communities and take advantage of the opportunities available?
Organic marketing
The best way to get the most from Reddit as a marketer is to implement an organic marketing strategy. Make a user account and take part in the community. No matter what industry or service you are in, there will undoubtedly be a Subreddit for it. Find that Subreddit and establish yourself as a trusted and valued member of the community.
Make it clear, either through your username or profile, that your account represents a specific business or brand. However, rather than simply posting ads directly into Subreddits, which will likely see you banned, make the effort to get involved with the community, provide information and answer questions about your brand. Reddit users are typically looking for entertainment or information, if you can provide both of these in an entertaining and engaging way, you’ll be well on your way to implementing a successful Reddit marketing strategy.
Ask Me Anything, or AMA, is a popular Reddit feature where a celebrity or company will open the floor to questions from the entire Reddit user base. Doing this is an excellent way to engage directly with consumers on a large scale and can improve the reach and impact of your brand to new markets and demographics.
Reddit Ads
Posting ads directly into Subreddits is not advised, it is not only against rules, but against the etiquette, or Reddiquette, of the platform. It will see you banned at best, and the reputation of your brand damaged at worst.
However, Reddit does offer a paid ad service, which comes with some benefits over similar features on rival platforms. Paid ads on Reddit come in two basic forms. Takeover ads offer increased visibility for your ad for a set period of time, you can choose to go for a front-page takeover, a trending takeover, or a category takeover, each with their own specific pros and cons. Promoted posts are more like specialized Reddit posts, showing up alongside them on the feed, with users able to comment and discuss the product.
What’s interesting about Reddit ads as they allow brands to specify what the goal of the ad should be, with options including brand awareness, conversions, traffic, and app installs. The option you choose will influence payment structures and how the Reddit algorithm delivers your ad to users.
Conclusion
Reddit isn’t like rival platforms. Its distinctive design and functional idiosyncrasies may work to put off marketers at first. However, it presents a range of unique marketing opportunities through its organic, community-based structure, enormous user base, and effective paid ads service.
