When you think of social media marketing, the minds of most practitioners will generally go to sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and – more recently – TikTok.
But off that beaten path is Reddit, a surprisingly large, robust, and intriguing social media platform that could offer marketers an interesting place to share their message. Provided you’re willing to play by the rules, that is.
What Is Reddit?
You’ve probably at least heard of Reddit. But to most non-“Redditors,” it can be shrouded in some mystery.
So what is it, really?
Referred to as the “front page of the internet,” Reddit is a social news and discussion platform that has become a major player in the digital marketing landscape with 430 million monthly active users.
It is a site where users can share content, engage in discussions, and vote on the quality of content.
One of the most important things to understand is that Reddit is divided into thousands of “subreddits,” each focused on a specific topic. These subreddits cover almost every topic imaginable – from technology and gaming to cooking and fashion – attracting people from all walks of life.
One of the most interesting elements of Reddit is its upvoting and downvoting system for content. The system allows users to vote on the quality of content. “Upvoting” a post or comment means that a user finds it useful, interesting, or valuable – downvoting indicates the opposite.
This system provides a level of transparency and authenticity that is hard to find on other platforms. It gives users a say in what content (paid and organic alike) rises to the top or falls to the bottom of the forum.
To learn more, read this excellent guide about the ins and outs of Reddit.
What Is Reddit’s Target Market?
The target market of Reddit is diverse and varied, encompassing a wide range of interests and demographics.
Reddit’s user base includes people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, united by shared interests and passions.
Reddit also has a strong international presence, with users worldwide engaging in discussions and sharing content.
The common thread among Reddit’s target market is their passion for content and the desire to engage with like-minded individuals.
Is Reddit Good For Promoting A Business?
Reddit can be a great place for businesses to advertise, provided that they do so effectively.
One of the biggest advantages of advertising on Reddit is the platform’s massive user base, diversity of interests, and pockets of niche communities. This means businesses can target their ads to specific subreddits, ensuring that their content reaches a highly engaged and relevant audience.
By creating valuable and relevant content, engaging with the audience, and targeting the right subreddits, businesses can leverage Reddit’s massive reach and involved user base to achieve their marketing goals.
For digital marketers, understanding each subreddit’s nuances and target audience is crucial to creating effective campaigns that resonate with the target market.
The Challenges Of Marketing On Reddit
Unlike more advertising-oriented social platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn, Reddit is not a place you want to wander into as a new marketer without understanding some of its potential pitfalls.
- Content – One of the biggest challenges for businesses is creating content that resonates with Reddit’s user base, which is known for being highly discerning and critical of low-quality content. You can’t simply repurpose content from channels like Facebook and Twitter and find success – you need to think audience-first.
- Critique – Reddit’s users can be highly opinionated and vocal about their beliefs, which can lead to negative backlash if a campaign is perceived as tone-deaf or insensitive.
- Nuance – Each subreddit on Reddit has its own unique culture and set of rules, which can make it challenging for digital marketers to create effective campaigns that resonate with the platform’s users.
- Tools – Seasoned social media marketers may find the advertising tools Reddit offers lacking compared to the larger channels. Unfortunately, Reddit doesn’t provide the same level of automation, conversion tracking, and analytics as Facebook. Still, you can execute campaigns at any stage of the funnel.
Reddit Marketing Best Practices
Set Clear Objectives And KPIs
Before launching your paid advertising campaign on Reddit, setting clear objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) is crucial.
Are you looking to generate website traffic, increase brand awareness, or drive sales? Once you have a clear objective, you can set KPIs that align with your goals, such as click-through rates (CTRs), conversion rates, or return on ad spend (ROAS).
Choose The Right Ad Format
Reddit offers various ad formats, including sponsored posts, display ads, and video ads. Each ad format has unique strengths and weaknesses, so choosing the format that aligns with your campaign’s goals and target audience is essential.
For example, if you’re looking to drive brand awareness, display ads may be more effective, while if you’re looking to generate leads or sales, sponsored posts may be a better fit.
Develop Content That Resonates
Reddit’s user base is highly discerning and can quickly spot low-quality content.
Well-crafted advertising content can generate upvotes, increase engagement, and drive traffic, leads, and sales. If your content rubs users the wrong way, they won’t be shy about letting you know it.
Advertisers who create authentic, high-quality content can build brand awareness and loyalty on Reddit, translating into a more positive brand perception and customer retention.
Creating quality content on Reddit means:
- Researching the target audience – Study the target audience and the subreddits where they are most active. This will help you understand their needs, interests, and preferences and create content that resonates with them. Take time to understand the tone and voice of each subreddit and use it to inform your content development.
- Providing value – Make sure that your content provides value to the audience. This could include educational content, behind-the-scenes stories, or using humor to connect with the audience. The key is to create useful, entertaining, or informative content that resonates with the target audience.
- Following the rules and guidelines – Each subreddit on Reddit has its own set of rules and guidelines, so it’s important to read and understand them before creating content. Violating the rules can lead to negative feedback or even getting banned from the subreddit, which can hurt a brand’s reputation and credibility.
- Engaging with the audience – Responding to comments, answering questions, and participating in discussions related to the content can increase engagement and build trust and loyalty with the audience. It can also provide valuable insights into their needs and preferences, informing future content development.
- Using eye-catching visuals – High-quality visuals relevant to the content can increase the likelihood of generating engagement and upvotes. Ensure the visuals are eye-catching and supportive of the message you want to convey.
Target The Right Subreddits
Just as with organic content, targeting the right subreddits is crucial for the success of your paid advertising campaign on Reddit.
Start by researching relevant subreddits using tools like Redditlist or Subreddit Stats.
Reddit also offers various targeting options, including location, interest, and device type, which can help you reach the right audience.
You can increase the likelihood of generating high-quality leads and sales by targeting the right subreddits and using the right targeting options.
Continually Optimize Your Campaign
Regularly monitoring and optimizing your paid advertising campaign on Reddit is critical to its success. Use Reddit’s built-in analytics to track your campaign’s progress and adjust your strategy based on the data.
This can include tweaking your targeting, adjusting your messaging, or changing the visuals to better resonate with your target audience.
Additionally, consider testing different ad formats, targeting options, and messaging to identify what works best for your target audience.
By continually optimizing your campaign, you can ensure you get the most out of your investment and achieve your marketing goals.
Top Brands Using Reddit For Marketing
In addition to the thousands of advertisers across the globe, Reddit’s potential has attracted several major brands, including the likes of Uber, HP, Ulta, Adidas, and Universal Studios.
Personally, I like the HP and Adidas examples for two different reasons.
HP
HP “dipped its toes” into Reddit to help drive subscriptions for its ink replacement service.
This is a great example of a major company taking the leap into the lower part of the funnel!
Screenshot from Reddit, February 2023
Adidas
Adidas used a popular Reddit concept called an “AMA” (Ask Me Anything), where its apparel experts answered community questions about its new line of running shoes.
This was a great example of providing relevant and valuable information and masterful use of Reddit’s content trends.
Screenshot from Reddit, February 2023
Takeaways
Advertising on Reddit is more challenging than doing so on more traditional social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. It requires more prep work, an intimate understanding of the target audience, and content tailored to the nuance of the platform.
Some advertisers might easily dismiss those requirements as too high of a barrier to entry. And that’s ok.
However, advertisers looking to engage with a supremely passionate, demographically diverse audience will find them on Reddit.
And with a little due diligence, these advertisers can create content that drives not just results, but the respect, appreciation, and loyalty of valuable customers.
More resources:
- Getting Started With Reddit Advertising: What You Need To Know
- How to Harvest Content Ideas from Reddit
- Why Every Marketer Should Be on Reddit
Featured Image: Nicescene/Shutterstock
Category Reddit Social Media Advertising
FAQs
How do you market successfully on Reddit? ›
- Share useful, engaging content. If you create good content, people will share it and engage with it on Reddit. ...
- Host an AMA. ...
- Create a subreddit for your brand. ...
- Create a support subreddit for your brand.
Reddit is a great platform to build your brand visibility and loyalty, but doing so might take a while. Reddit would not be so popular if it had not protected its users from promotional content. But, with the right attitude, you still can succeed in getting your brand out there and attracting the attention of users.
What is Reddit's target audience? ›Highly-Engaged Audiences
People who use Reddit regularly generally do so for almost 34 minutes daily. Reddit's user base also trends toward the younger 18-35 demographic, and its users are highly active in specific segments like Gaming, Fashion, and Entertainment.
You can raise your company's profile and build your personal brand by doing an AMA on Reddit. Post in r/AMA, or find a relevant post and comment on it with “I am the CEO of ______. Ask me anything.”
How do I attract people to my subreddit? ›- Keep It Relevant. ...
- Only Post Great Content. ...
- No Double Dipping. ...
- Have fun. ...
- Address the Concerns of the Community Before They Have Them. ...
- Don't Ever Let Your First (or second) Post be a Promotion. ...
- Don't Over-Promote. ...
- Share Your New Posts With Your Friends.
Reddit Profiles
The best- performing posts have a casual and friendly tone. A good rule of thumb is: How would you describe yourself or project to a friend? A good tip is to remember to make it interactive and engagement focused. Redditors love sharing their own stories and opinions.
The disadvantage is that your impressions and reach will be very limited, as your ad may only be showing in a handful of subreddits. Subreddit Targeting Tips: To target by subreddit, you'll want to find smaller communities of around 5,000 subscribers and then get a feel of their active members.
Why Reddit is better than Facebook? ›Reddit Prioritizes User Feedback
Reddit is a platform that prioritizes the feedback of its users when it comes to what it shows first. With its unique upvote and downvote system, it's able to identify not just what people like, but also what they don't like, in a timely and accurate manner.
Yes, you can earn real money from Reddit. You will not be paid directly from Reddit. However, you will find opportunities to earn money through subreddits, which are niche forums within Reddit.
Who mostly uses Reddit? ›With over 430 million monthly active users, 74% of which are men and 25.8% women, it's no wonder that this social media platform is so popular. In addition to its gender breakdown, almost 64% of Reddit users are between 18-29 years old and 48% come from the United States.
Who is the average Reddit user? ›
The average age of a Redditor is ~23. People aged between 18 and 29 are the most numerous age group on Reddit (36%).
What types of people use Reddit? ›- Gender: 59% of the Reddit app users are male.
- Age: 45% are between the ages of 18 and 29, though users between 30–49 also represent a significant chunk (40%) of the Reddit audience.
- Education: 46% of Reddit app users have a college degree or higher, while 40% have a high school degree.
You can openly attach the link to your OnlyFans account to your Reddit posts and invite users to become subscribers without fear of being blocked by the platform. If your content is attractive, the upvotes from Reddit users will push it up, giving you exposure to potential clients.
Do you have to pay to advertise on Reddit? ›Reddit advertising costs are similar to other PPC campaigns in the pricing structure. The minimum to advertise on Reddit is $5 a day. Advertisers can structure campaigns based on impressions, video views or auction-style CPC. Cost per mille (CPM) – Impressions are purchased on a CPM basis, or cost-per-mille.
Why are my Reddit posts not being seen? ›By default, most communities sort their posts by hot, which prioritizes posts with the most upvotes. If you've just made a new post in a community with a lot of upvoted posts, you may not see your post unless you sort by new.
How to go viral on Reddit? ›Headline: An eye-catching, engaging headline can attract users to your post and encourage them to upvote and comment. Content: High-quality, original content that resonates with the subreddit's audience is more likely to go viral. Images, videos, and other media can help your post stand out.
How do I get more karma on Reddit? ›Posting and commenting
When your posts or comments get upvoted, you gain some karma—so making posts and comments that communities find valuable is the best way to gain karma. The more upvotes you get, the more karma you'll receive.
The overall Best Time To Post on Reddit
You can make the most out of your Reddit efforts if you are posting in the early mornings and post them on Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The good news is that you don't have to stick to the rules – you can post to Reddit whenever you like.
Instigating harassment, for example by revealing someone's personal or confidential information, is not allowed. Never post or threaten to post intimate or sexually-explicit media of someone without their consent. Do not post or encourage the posting of sexual or suggestive content involving minors.
Is it risky to post on Reddit? ›If it's your data that worries you, then the answer is that you should be primarily safe. Firstly, there's no need for you to give Reddit any actual data about yourself. Secondly, the site has a robust infrastructure that should keep everybody safe from hackers.
What are controversial posts on Reddit? ›
Controversial Reddit communities are communities on the social news site Reddit (known as "subreddits"), often devoted to explicit, violent, or hateful material, that have been the topic of controversy.
Why you should never stop advertising? ›It builds stronger customer relationships.
It's important to engage and stay top-of-mind with your target audience at all times. Consumers never stop buying products and services, so you shouldn't stop catering to them and their needs in your messaging.
There's a reason why Reddit is so popular with the nerdy slice of the world's population. It's an incredible source of information on pretty much every field of human knowledge. You can browse through the many subreddits in philosophy, languages, coding, molecular gastronomy or whatever makes your mind hungry.
Why is Reddit so special? ›Reddit is a social media platform boasting over 50 million unique daily users that doesn't look – or feel – like most other platforms. It's a hub for linking content from elsewhere, creating “discussion” posts on topics of interest, and posting original text, image, or video content.
How many Reddit posts can you make a day? ›The first is the overall request rate limit. This is one request a second and reddit tells you exactly how many requests you have available. So the theoretical maximum is 60 * 60 * 24 = 86400 seconds in a day, so 86400 posts per day. The second rate limit is the karma/account age limit.
Does Reddit pay for karma? ›Neither Reddit coins nor a Reddit paid membership can buy you karma, and explicitly asking for upvotes is discouraged. If a service claims to let you buy Reddit karma, it's likely a scam. And even if it could earn you karma, it would likely go against Reddit's terms of service and get you banned from the platform.
How much money does Reddit make per user? ›Reddit still has significant upside to continue capitalizing on that growing popularity by growing their ARPU—Reddit's revenue per monthly user is roughly $1.19, up from 2021 when it was about $0.81. Compare that to ~$10 per monthly active user for Twitter, ~$45 for Facebook, and ~$35 for Instagram.
What is a Reddit lurker? ›In Internet culture, a lurker is typically a member of an online community who observes, but does not participate.
What is the number one Reddit post of all time? ›The most popular post featured on Reddit was posted in the subreddit r/places with over 434 thousand upvotes. The post shows the full screenshot of the 2022's r/place April's Fool traditional collective artwork that Redditors created.
Where do most Redditors live? ›Reddit Inc. As of February 2023, Reddit ranks as the 10th-most-visited website in the world and 6th most-visited website in the U.S., according to Semrush. About 42–49.3% of its user base comes from the United States, followed by the United Kingdom at 7.9–8.2% and Canada at 5.2–7.8%.
What is the largest community on Reddit? ›
| Subreddit | Number of subscribers |
|---|---|
| /r/announcements | 117.14 million |
| /r/funny | 37.51 million |
| /r/AskReddit | 33.73 million |
| /r/gaming | 30.66 million |
| Characteristic | Share of traffic |
|---|---|
| United States | 47.89% |
| United Kingdom | 7.13% |
| Canada | 6.98% |
| Australia | 4.14% |
Reddit was created in the United States, so it should come as no surprise that the United States also has the most users.
What is the best way to use Reddit? ›- Set up and sharpen your Reddit profile. ...
- Link to your other social media accounts. ...
- Pick broad subreddit topics. ...
- Learn how to style your comments. ...
- Build your karma over time. ...
- Promote deals in the right subreddits. ...
- Post something interesting and relevant to your business.
But, to secretly promote your OnlyFans profile, you must create new social media profiles with the anonymous name you use on OnlyFans. To create secret social media accounts on popular websites like Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, and Twitter, you must use the new email address you created to sign up for OnlyFans.
What should I post on Reddit to promote OnlyFans? ›Focus on Pinned posts
If you are looking for how to promote OnlyFans on Reddit, you might be familiar with pinned posts. Pinned posts are the first thing people would see when they visit your profile on Reddit. Reddit allows you to pin up to 5 posts on your profile.
- Use a fake name. ...
- Use geoblocking. ...
- Hide scars, tattoos, and birthmarks. ...
- Pay attention to your surroundings. ...
- Use a voice changer. ...
- Hide your face with masks and props. ...
- Use tools to gain more subscribers. ...
- Promote on forums.
Once you've reviewed your campaign, ad group, and ad details, you can submit it to Reddit for approval. This process can take around 48 hours but can be longer depending on the content. If you submitted your ad over the weekend, the Reddit team won't review it until the following Monday.
Am I allowed to sell on Reddit? ›Ways to Sell on Reddit. Reddit offers three paid options for reaching users, each of them engaged and based on specific interests. The site offers options on the Reddit.com desktop site as well as through a mobile app.
How much do Reddit accounts sell for? ›
Accounts that only have a couple thousand karma usually sell for $40 to $50. But if you've accumulated 10,000 to 50,000 karma, your account could fetch $100 to $150. Accounts with 50,000 to 100,000+ karma are even more valuable and could earn you $200 or more. The age of your Reddit profile is also a factor.
How do I promote my selling content on Reddit? ›- Start with simple. Since Reddit is a trust-based social platform, you need to prove yourself as a reliable agent before starting to market. ...
- Create original content. ...
- Post blogs. ...
- Add visuals. ...
- Maintain consistency. ...
- Mention benefits, not features. ...
- Ask questions. ...
- Embrace employee advocacy.
Choose link posts if you're looking to boost your traffic. If you're more interested in getting links, text posts are a better pick. To make it work on Reddit, make sure that your texts posts are relevant to the subreddit where you're posting. AskReddit is a popular subreddit where users post all kinds of questions.
How much does it cost to market on Reddit? ›In fact, 'the minimum to advertise on Reddit is only $5 per day', making it an affordable option for many businesses. Advertising campaigns on Reddit can be structured based on impressions, video views, or auction-style Cost-Per-Click. For instance, the price of auction-style ads starts at $0.20 per bid.
What are the best times to promote on Reddit? ›The best time to post on Reddit is Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Specifically, you should post on Reddit early morning from 6 am to 9 am. This is the ideal time when users interact and participate in discussions.
Can I use Reddit to promote my OnlyFans? ›You can openly attach the link to your OnlyFans account to your Reddit posts and invite users to become subscribers without fear of being blocked by the platform. If your content is attractive, the upvotes from Reddit users will push it up, giving you exposure to potential clients.
How do you make a Reddit post go viral? ›Headline: An eye-catching, engaging headline can attract users to your post and encourage them to upvote and comment. Content: High-quality, original content that resonates with the subreddit's audience is more likely to go viral. Images, videos, and other media can help your post stand out.
How do I grow my subreddit? ›Use detailed and precise descriptions and titles in your community description to help users discover your community organically. Add content to your community, giving visitors something to interact with. Post in user-run communities that welcome promotion of new subreddits, such as r/newreddits or r/promoteareddit.
What is a good cost per click Reddit? ›The average Reddit ad cost-per-click is $3.50 in the US. The actual CPC for your ad campaigns could be substantially higher or lower, depending on the level of competition.
Do you make money posting on Reddit? ›Yes, you can earn real money from Reddit. You will not be paid directly from Reddit. However, you will find opportunities to earn money through subreddits, which are niche forums within Reddit.
Can I advertise on Reddit for free? ›
While Reddit offers a paid advertising service, there are many ways brands can use the site to build their presence for free. In particular, the site contains millions of communities known as subreddits that focus on specific interests.
Should I post everyday on Reddit? ›The overall Best Time To Post on Reddit
You can make the most out of your Reddit efforts if you are posting in the early mornings and post them on Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The good news is that you don't have to stick to the rules – you can post to Reddit whenever you like.
Promoted posts are pinned to the top of the specific subreddit, or subreddits, that you target, so any user will see them first when they check out the subreddit.