Should your content marketing strategy include Reddit? Well, with over 48 million users a month, it might be a good idea for you or your clients. A lot of companies fail to include Reddit in their marketing strategy when planning around their social media marketing. The result is lost leads and customers that they probably won’t find elsewhere.
In this article, we'll help you decide if Reddit is a good fit for your marketing strategy. And if you've already decided to use Reddit to grow your business, then we'll share some tips to help you create a content marketing strategy. Here's how you can get started and use Reddit to take your business to a new level.
Why Reddit?
Reddit was the original social media channel where trends and news started. Today, it remains popular despite the rise of social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. With millions of loyal monthly users, there is no doubt that Reddit is here to stay. And businesses that add Reddit to their digital marketing strategies can take advantage of forums and content marketing to boost their sales and brand reputation.
One of the best things about Reddit is that it focuses on content marketing. No need to worry about TikTok videos, Instagram influencer marketing, or celebrity retweets. Reddit doesn’t follow one particular niche - it follows every niche! There are topics for every business to get involved in—and regardless of your industry, you can find a forum to start a discussion on every topic and get people talking about your product.
If you are trying to market to a specific industry, a content marketing strategy with Reddit is your best bet. There are also opportunities to advertise your business to help it grow. Even without an ad, your content can help to bring people to your website or to get them to buy your products or services.
How Reddit Works
Reddit is built on user-generated content (UGC). Content is submitted, and users get to upvote or downvote posts. A post that gets lots of upvotes will move to the “Hot page" - think of it as a trending page. The most popular posts will be the posts that everyone is talking about. Content matters here, and so it’s important to create authentic content that users can engage with.
There are two ways your content can get massive views, and this involves getting to the front of Subreddit pages and the main Reddit page. Getting to the front page or even getting a lot of upvotes increases your chances of views, which can lead to major traffic for your business. More traffic will lead to more followers and more engagement with your posts.
Why does a large following matter? A larger following helps your posts to get more people interested in your products or service offering. The more people are talking about your product or company, the better your chances are to close sales and find new leads.
Find the Right SubReddit for Posting
Subreddits are smaller communities within Reddit, and they can range from a few dozen subscribers to tens of thousands. And while a larger subreddit can increase your business's chances of generating traffic to your website, a smaller subreddit can help you to find your target market.
A hypothetical example of a large subreddit will be one of a famous fashion magazine that creates a campaign directed at female empowerment. Fashion brands will likely follow this subreddit, and popular discussions will take place around the topic. This subreddit would be perfect for those in the retail industry to network and follow.
Smaller or niche subreddits have more engagement. They have smaller key players who are likely to read discussions and convert to leads. An example would be a local marketing company talking about a popular or catchy ad. These subreddits are ideal for local businesses and companies looking to gain more traffic.
Finding the right subreddit will depend on your overall goals, your niche, and your company’s strategy. You will have to look for your specific subreddit niche if you want to drive users to your website. If you’re a bigger business and you’re looking to increase your brand image, then a more large subreddit might be best for your goals.
What Should you Post on Reddit?
Regardless of what subreddit you choose, you need to make sure you are posting good content and follow Reddit rules. There are two types of posts you can create on Reddit:
- Posts with links that direct users to an external site, and
- Posts with text that are hosted on Reddit
Link posts will help you to get people to click on your website or social media pages. If you are looking to increase your website traffic, these are the posts you should be focusing on in your Reddit marketing strategy.
If you are looking to get more information, start a discussion, or promote your company, then text posts are a better solution for your business. Just make sure you are posting to the correct or relevant subreddit when posting text posts.
Another subreddit you should follow and use is "AskReddit". AskReddit is a popular subreddit where users post questions to or about brands. Following this subreddit will help you to get involved in your field of expertise and show others how knowledgeable you are in the field.
Regardless of where you choose to post, your content needs to be interesting, relevant and entertaining to your target audience. Remember that Reddit works with upvotes, so your audience needs to relate to your content and see you as authentic. Don’t focus only on pushing your products and services to Redditors but rather, use Reddit as a way to engage with consumers and build your brand’s reputation.
Tips for Posting on Reddit
Now that you know why and how you should be using Reddit for your marketing, you are ready to start creating upvote-worthy content. Here are some tips to follow:
- Avoid using the same comment or post multiple times - Reddit is likely to see you as a spammer if you do this.
- If you submit links, spread them out and don’t submit them only to your website. Remember - pushing your products is likely to push people away. Keep it authentic.
- Don't ask for upvotes or ask people to upvote your posts. It makes your brand look overly promotional and desperate.
- Use original content that adds value for your readers.
- Don’t use illegal content or profanity. Keep it polite and user-friendly - remember, you are representing your brand.
Bonus Tip: use your existing content. Reddit users tend to stay clear from marketers, so you must use content that is your own, with a specific name rather than a company name. You are more likely to get honest answers and feedback by being yourself and using entertaining posts. With great content and a bit of guidance and practice, Reddit will help to take your business marketing to the next level.
If you need help with your content marketing, give the experts WSI a call today!
