Reddit Marketing for Small Business

Interested in Marketing on Reddit? Here’s Where to Start

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Reddit is the self-proclaimed front page of the Internet, and a dream come true for marketers who know how to leverage it. The thing is, most don’t.  They approach Reddit like they would approach any other platform – and that’s a huge mistake.

Reddit describes its service as being able to give you the best of the internet in one place. It’s a network of communities based on people’s interests and is constantly updating each user’s feed with breaking news, fun stories, pics, memes, and videos just for them.

Reddit tailors content to your interests.

It’s the 13th most visited site in the world and the fifth most-visited in the United States. It’s home to 330 million of the Internet’s most tech-savvy men and women, who between them maintain over 130 thousand active communities.  I’m speaking, of course, about Reddit – the Front Page of the Internet, as it calls itself.

It’s an accurate name, honestly.

According to research carried out by University College London,  though the vast majority of memes on the Internet originate on platforms like voice chat app Discord, Reddit is one of two communities where they first see public exposure. It’s been a launchpad for countless instances of viral content, and websites like BuzzFeed regularly cannibalize it for their articles.

Moreover, Reddit’s users, when they do display any sort of brand loyalty, are incredibly fierce about it.

So far, it sounds like a golden goose for marketers, right?

Why, then, are there not more brands using it for their marketing initiatives?

Simply put, because most people have no idea how to do that.

The issue is that Reddit is not a traditional social network. It isn’t like Facebook or Twitter with their structured, business-oriented advertising models. It’s entirely driven by its users. 

And those users do not like traditional sales tactics. If you try to blunder your way onto Reddit as a salesperson, you’re going to be met with open hostility at best, or a site-wide ban at worst. If you’re dead-set on using Reddit in your marketing, you have to remember one thing above all else:

Don’t use Reddit as a sales platform or an advertising tool.

That isn’t as counterintuitive as it sounds. Reddit is actually a fantastic way to connect with your audience, provided you approach it as a user rather than as a salesperson. And it’s also an incredible tool for research into your demographic, your industry, and your competition.

And while, yes, there are mechanisms for paid ads on Reddit, they shouldn’t be the cornerstone of your strategy. Instead, you should use Reddit to connect with people. To share your expertise, and to openly and honestly promote your products and services only when they are the absolute best option. 

So where should a small business begin with Reddit?

  • Read Michael Franco’s Beginner’s Guide to Reddit.  That’ll familiarize you with a lot of the nuts and bolts of the platform, knowledge you’re going to need moving forward.  Once you think you know the ropes, create an account. 
  • Find subreddits dedicated to your region. Most major cities have their own subreddit. Some even have several. 
  • Seek out any other subreddits that might be relevant to your audience and your industry. A good first step is searching Reddit with keywords you know are related to your brand. I’d also recommend a tool like TrackReddit to help you keep an ear to the ground in terms of brand mentions and the like. 
  • Work to be an active participant in these subreddits. Remember that in this case, you are neither a marketer or a salesperson. You’re just another Reddit user, another member of the community. 

That’s pretty much all there is to it. Deceptively simple, right?  As you become more familiar with Reddit and continue to ramp up your participation, you might consider creating a sub dedicated to your own brand, hosting contests and events, or even hosting a Q&A on r/AMA. 

The most important thing to remember throughout is that you must be honest, transparent, and authentic. Don’t throw the fact that you’re a business owner looking to find more customers in everyone’s face, but don’t hide it, either. 

About the Author:

Daniel Page is the Director of Business Development for ASEOHosting, a leading provider in SEO hosting and multiple IP hosting.