Using Reddit to find affiliates: A guide for brands and networks

Reddit is one of the world’s top ten most visited websites—and it also happens to be one of the most underrated platforms for discovering and recruiting affiliates. Offering highly engaged communities, niche-specific subreddits, and real-time discussions, Reddit is, when used correctly, a goldmine of potential partners for affiliate programmes!

However, Reddit is very different from other social media sites—and approaching it with a traditional recruitment mindset simply won’t work. The platform’s all about authenticity, transparency, and genuine engagement—meaning you need to be strategic in how you utilise its potential.

Today, we’re going to explore how to effectively use Reddit to find affiliates, what to avoid—and how to turn engagement on the platform into long-term partnerships!

Why Reddit is a powerful platform for finding affiliates

Reddit has over 70 million daily active users who join thousands of interest-based communities called subreddits. Unlike other social platforms—where algorithms determine the content served—Reddit is largely community-driven. This means:

1. Niche targeting is easier: there’s a subreddit for almost every interest, from tech and gaming to personal finance, health, and eCommerce.
2. Discussions are organic: users actively discuss products, services, and monetisation opportunities, with many wanting new income streams.
3. Affiliate marketers already exist here: many content creators, bloggers, and marketers already use Reddit to share insights, making it a great place to find experienced affiliates.

For brands and affiliate networks, this makes Reddit a really powerful platform to build connections with potential partners. But doing so successfully does require a very different approach compared to traditional outreach methods.

Where to find affiliates on Reddit

To effectively recruit affiliates, you need to find the right subreddits and engage in a way that aligns with Reddit’s culture. Here are the key places to start:

1. Affiliate marketing and business subreddits

There are several subreddits where affiliate marketers openly discuss strategies, platforms, and opportunities. Some of the most relevant include:

• r/affiliatemarketing: A hub for affiliate marketers to share experiences, tips, and programmes.
• r/juststart: Geared towards new online entrepreneurs, including those exploring affiliate marketing.
• r/digital_marketing: Covers a broad range of online marketing topics, including affiliate marketing.

By joining—and engaging—in these communities, you can get a feel for what affiliates are actually looking for, and naturally introduce your programme when relevant.

2. Niche-specific subreddits

Beyond affiliate marketing communities, you’ll find potential partners in industry-specific subreddits. For example:

• Tech & software: r/technology, r/SaaS
• eCommerce & retail: r/ecommerce, r/Shopify
• Gaming: r/gaming, r/gamedev
• Finance & investing: r/financialindependence, r/SideHustle

Affiliates in these niches often monetise their content through blogs, YouTube channels, and social media. Engaging in discussions and identifying users with influence can help you build relationships with potential affiliates.

3. AMA (Ask Me Anything) and case study discussions

AMAs and detailed case study discussions often reveal experienced affiliates who share their success stories. Engaging in these conversations can help you find high-quality partners who are already generating revenue through affiliate marketing.

Best practices for affiliate recruitment on Reddit

Simply dropping your affiliate programme link into a subreddit won’t work—Reddit users are quick to call out spam, and subreddit moderators are unafraid to hand out bans. To succeed on Reddit, consider the following strategies instead:

Engage before you promote

Spend time contributing to discussions before mentioning your programme. Answer questions, provide insights, and build credibility in the community, and make it clear that you’re there for more than simply promoting your own product or network.

Be transparent about your intentions

If you reach out to potential affiliates, be upfront about why. A message like:

*”Hey [username], I saw your post about monetising your blog through affiliate marketing. We run an affiliate programme in [industry], and I think it could be a great fit for your audience. Would you be open to chatting more about it?”*

This approach is much more effective than a generic cold pitch, although you’ll want to be a bit picky with who you send these messages to.

Look for affiliates who are already promoting similar products

Find users who discuss or recommend similar brands within your niche. If they’re already monetising their content, even better—but don’t overdo things!

Use Reddit’s search function effectively

Reddit’s search tool can help you find affiliate marketing discussions in your niche. Try searches like:

• “best affiliate programmes for [your industry]”
• “how to monetise a [niche] blog”
• “affiliate income from [industry]”

You can also run these searches on Google, and add “Reddit” at the end of your search query.

Consider running a paid Reddit ad campaign

If organic outreach isn’t yielding results, consider a Reddit Ads campaign targeting relevant subreddits. Reddit’s advertising platform allows you to reach specific communities with affiliate recruitment messaging.

Turning engagement into affiliate partnerships

Once you’ve identified potential affiliates, the next step is to do your best to nurture those relationships. Your strategy here needs to adapt depending on the audience you’re targeting—but you should think about using personalised outreach, highlighting the unique benefits of your programme, and providing ongoing support. The more value you offer, the more affiliates will want to work with you.

Reddit may not be the most conventional affiliate recruitment channel, but when used correctly, it can lead to valuable partnerships.

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