Expert Guide to Reddit Marketing Strategy

a man scrolling reddit on his phone

Considering the platform’s user base and high engagement rate, Reddit is still a fairly untapped opportunity in the marketing world. With a vibrant, loyal, and hyperactive community, your Reddit marketing strategy has the potential to give you easy access to the Millenial and Gen Z demographic.

Reddit is proof that a straightforward UI consisting solely of shared links and conversations can be a winning strategy in 2023. Certain trends can help you determine how to use the platform to your advantage. 

With over 130,000 active communities, marketing on Reddit is unlike any other platform since its users are suspicious of ads and sales content. Here’s everything you must know about the platform, how to market organically, and best practices. 

Table of contents

Reddit Statistics

  • Reddit ranks 10th among the most-used social media platforms (Pew Research Center)
  • 18% of US adults are Reddit users (Pew Research Center)
  • Reddit has approximately 52 million daily users (WSJ)
  • 48% of Reddit users are from the US. (Backlinko)
  • 72% of Redditors use the platform on a mobile device (eMarketer)
  • The best times of the week to post on Reddit are weekends and Monday mornings (XCart)
  • Reddit titles under 120 characters perform best (Foundation Inc)
  • Redditors watch 1.4 billion videos on the platform every year (Reddit Blog)
  • Redditors spend 10 minutes and 23 seconds per average visit (Similar Web)
  • 1 in 3 adults aged 18 to 29 use Reddit (Marketing Charts)

How Reddit Marketing is Unlike Other Social Media Channels

Reddit’s algorithm focuses on conversation and stories. Reddit ranks items by the number of votes they have, and the age of the post. Unlike Instagram, where photos are the primary content users consume, Reddit comments get a lot of interaction. 

Plus, Reddit has something that you won’t find on other platforms—a feature called “subreddits.”

Subreddits are mini-communities on Reddit that gather around a specific interest. 

On Instagram, you can try to find your niche by searching with a hashtag. Usually, it takes you to specific posts rather than communities. With over 130,000 active subreddits on Reddit, it’s almost impossible not to find a community that discusses your niche.

Here are a few pros and cons of Reddit to help you determine how it differs from other platforms.

Pros

  • Niche communities, known as subreddits, gather around shared interests. 
  • Redditors engage with your niche more often than the average person looking at your Facebook ad since the platform has more active users than other platforms.
  • Reddit users are loyal and passionate. Once you win them over, you can guarantee a loyal customer base for your Reddit account.
  • The user base on Reddit gives your ads incredible reach as long as your approach is organic and targeted.
  • Reddit ads may be cheaper due to niche communities that give your ads a higher click rate.
  • A large percentage of Redditors don’t use other platforms, so Reddit can give you access to an audience that hasn’t been engaged before.

Cons

  • Redditors do not welcome ads and blatant marketing, but they like to be entertained. 72% of US Redditors use the platform for entertainment purposes, while 43% use it to get news.
  • They may ignore, downvote, or even ban you if they suspect you’re only there for marketing purposes. The same will happen if you fail to follow the “reddiquette.”
  • Redditors do not welcome self-promotion, but you can still use the platform as a viable marketing channel. You’ll need to adjust your marketing practices to suit the users on this platform.
  • Reddit protects its users’ anonymity by allowing them to sign up with just an email address and username. These users respect the platform’s high moderation standards and voting systems. 
  • Since Reddit is still a fairly unexplored territory for many businesses, it can be intimidating to put up your ads. Plus, Redditors demand more creativity and effort than Instagram or Facebook users.

Why Brands Use Reddit: 5 Expert Reddit Marketing Strategies

Reddit prioritizes open communication more than any other social media platform. That is why most Redditors are wary of marketers and ads. They see Reddit as a place for organic conversations. 

The audience on Reddit is different from other popular social media platforms, but don’t let that intimidate you. Reddit opens the door for a new and more loyal (if you can convince them) audience you can’t access on other platforms. A large percentage of Redditors do not have accounts on Facebook (23%,), Instagram (47%), and Tiktok (69%).

Additionally, 90% of Redditors trust the platform to introduce them to new brands and products, a statistic much higher than other platforms. Here are expert strategies that can help you market effectively on Reddit.

Journalists frequently use Reddit to identify trends and conduct research, and brands can do the same. If you use Reddit the right way, you may be able to better understand your audience, spark new campaign ideas, and perform keyword research. 

Find subreddits

The first step is finding subreddits relevant to your brand and community. This subreddit search tool will do this task for you. All you need to do is enter related terms. That can include your products, competitors, SEO keywords, and industry terms.

Next, you must track trending topics on the platform with the help of tracking tools. It’s best to set reminders to check on these trends every few weeks or set up a feed to gather them for you. 

The best part about Reddit is the honest, rapid, and consistent engagement you can receive from its users. It’s best to use this engagement to your advantage and get actionable feedback by asking questions or posting surveys. 

Get new campaign and content ideas

You can generate new campaign ideas with data gathered from feedback and trend tracking. In this case, it’s best to pay attention to posts with higher engagement and recognize topics that come up frequently within your chosen subreddits.

More importantly, look for questions that are still unanswered. A large percentage of Redditors use the platform to get answers they couldn’t get elsewhere. Take the opportunity to create content that answers those questions.

2. Track Brand Mentions and Provide Customer Service 

Tracking brand mentions is as important on Reddit as on any other platform. Not only does it allow you to pick brand ambassadors and collaborate, but it can also help you provide impeccable customer service. 

You can use a brand mention tracking tool to know how many users are talking about your brand and what they’re discussing. This way, you’ll know how users are reacting to your product, overall brand, or marketing strategies. 

Then, you can utilize this data to make the necessary changes in your strategy and provide better customer service on the platform. 

3. Be an Authentic Contributor

Reddit’s community relies on user-created content and voting systems. You can take advantage of it by establishing yourself as an authority in your niche. 

Instead of trying to sell them on your product, you need to educate them or provide value. For example, if you run a plant-based food company, you might contribute to vegan and vegetarian subreddits. Many of these share recipes and behind-the-scenes videos. Others reveal little-known fruits and vegetables. 

However, remember that if users suspect you’re trying to push your product on them, they’ll likely ignore it or ban you. Spamming is the easiest way to get banned on Reddit. The audience on Reddit is different—they are only interested in quality content and having their questions answered. 

Instead of spamming links to your products, it’s better to trust the voting system and focus on what’s performing best. Stay on top of trends and answer questions that haven’t been answered yet.

If you have a lot of brand awareness, you can also create a subreddit for your brand. For example, Coca-Cola has its own r/cocacola subreddit for fans of this popular soda.

4. Leverage Subject Matter Experts

If you’re looking for subject experts, Reddit can be the most resourceful place to turn to. These experts are usually available as anonymous users who are on the platform just to provide information. However, tracking them down can be tricky.

The platform protects its users’ privacy above all, so you’ll need to do more than just ask questions to leverage subject matter experts. When finding your niche subreddits, be specific.

Additionally, you can make use of the AMA tag, which stands for Ask Me Anything. Experts in a specific field will often upload AMA posts in a subreddit to answer questions that users submit. You can navigate to the search bar in your desired subreddit and enter “AMA” to find these posts.

If the user provides links to other social media accounts, make sure that their sources are credible. If not, you can use this checklist to ensure credibility:

  • Have they responded to questions about their expertise or industry?
  • Are their answers consistent, relevant, and insightful?
  • Have they listed credentials and certifications?

5. Use Reddit Ads 

While most Reddit users don’t respond well to blatant ads, they are open to learning about products that are of interest to them. You can target ads to certain subreddits to reach communities that are most interested in your product or service. Also, you can test out various ad copy and creative to increase ad performance. 

There are various Reddit ad types, including promoted and display ads. Promoted ads can be categorized into text or link ads. You’ll need to sign up on Reddit’s campaign management tool to set up your first campaign.

It’ll also allow you to choose your audiences, locations, interests, subreddits, devices, times of day, and platforms. You can also set your maximum budget for the day or the whole campaign. 

The prices for Reddit ads are based on the cost per thousand impressions, which means you’ll pay a specified amount for every thousand impressions. The last few steps will include choosing your ad type, entering the headline, uploading images, and naming your creative. Finally, you can submit your ad for approval, which may take 24 hours to review.

Reddit Ad Tips

Reddit’s interface isn’t as intuitive as other platforms. However, certain tips and tricks can help you master it in no time. 

Know Your Audience

Reddit demographics data can help you determine if the platform is right for your marketing strategy. Reddit users are mainly young, educated men with strong earnings. The below audience data can help you decide whether or not to include Reddit in your marketing mix.

  • 61% of Reddit users are male
  • 70% of Reddit users are Caucasian
  • Only 7% of Reddit users are over 50
  • 64% of Reddit users are between the ages of 18 and 29
  • 35% of Reddit users earn over $75k per year
  • Reddit has 222 million monthly active users in the US
  • Reddit averages 52 million daily active users worldwide 

If this is similar to the audience you’re hoping to reach, Reddit is the right place to implement your marketing strategy.

Establish a Budget

Next, establish a budget that suits you. The daily ad spend on Reddit starts at $5. It’s similar to PPC campaigns in its pricing structure. You can structure your campaign based on video views, auction-style CPC, or impressions.

Reddit mostly relies on a cost-per-click (CPC)  structure, which starts at $0.20 per bid. The sum of all bid costs may depend on your competitor’s budget, so keep that in mind.

Unfortunately, this dynamic pricing system will require consistent maintenance on your end to keep it cost-effective. You can work with a professional ad agency like Goodway to reduce this labor. Reddit also uses cost-per-mile (CPM), which charges a specified amount for every 1,000 impressions.

Lastly, there is cost-per-view (CPV). It focuses on video content and tracks how long each user watches your video ad. On average, Reddit charges $3.50 for each cost-per-click ad in the US. 

Your competitor can influence the sum total of your CPC too, making it higher or lower.

Ad Placements

Marketers can use two ad placements on Reddit—right-hand sidebar and in-feed ads. The first option displays Google Display Network-styled large images or videos. 

The second option looks like a regular post, except for the blue Promoted tag on the top. When users click on the ad’s image, they’ll be directed to your chosen landing page.

Learn the System

Finally, understand how Reddit ads work. Once you enter the Reddit Ads dashboard to create a campaign, they’ll ask you to set an objective. Reddit bills each of the five default campaign objectives differently. Here’s a breakdown.

  • Brand awareness and reach – CPM 
  • Traffic – CPC 
  • Conversions – CPC
  • Video views – CPV 
  • App installs/downloads – CPC 

How Much Do Reddit Ads Cost Vs. Other Channels? 

Reddit undoubtedly has a higher minimum daily ad spends than most other platforms, but the ROI is better than you’d expect. A fairly new feature on the platform allows you to pay only for users that take action on your ad rather than paying for views. This is an ideal way to increase your Reddit advertising ROI. 

Here’s a breakdown of Reddit ad costs compared to other popular channels. 

Reddit

Reddit’s minimum daily ad spend is $5 per campaign, but there’s a major drawback to consider before you begin. The platform has admitted to the possibility of the actual ad spend of 20% higher than your budget. This can be an issue for marketers investing thousands of dollars in their campaigns.

Instagram

Instagram’s minimum daily ad spend is also $5 per campaign, charging on an impression basis. These ads are charged for clicks, likes, video views, or post engagement.

Facebook

Facebook’s minimum daily ad spend is only $1 per campaign, charging for clicks, likes, video views, or post-engagement. If you’re opting for offer claims, app installs, or other low-frequency events, the minimum daily budget must be $40.

Tiktok

TikTok’s minimum daily ad spend is $50, charging $500 for the entire campaign.

Goodway’s Reddit Marketing Services 

Reddit is still fairly unexplored in the marketing world, which is why it’s the perfect time to advertise on this platform. With the help of subreddits, marketers can appeal to both wide and niche communities, but not in a sales-y way. 

The best way to win over the hearts of Redditors is by participating in authentic and organic discussions and only mentioning the brand where it fits. Additionally, specific ad formats are given by Reddit to ensure marketers can strike an emotional connection with users. 

If you’re planning on implementing a Reddit marketing strategy, read our guide to know everything important about the platform before making your move.

Reddit 101: Etiquette and Terms Marketers Should Know

Here are a few Reddit terms you should know before marketing on the platform.

Subreddits

A subreddit is a dedicated online community within Reddit that focuses solely on one niche. They are denoted by /r/ along with the subreddit’s name, such as /r/marketing, /r/personalfinance, /r/gaming, and more. Each subreddit acts as a separate forum, with its members receiving updates and notifications about each post. You can create your own subreddit as a Reddit user.

Upvotes and Downvotes 

Upvotes and downvotes are essentially the likes and dislikes of Reddit, with dedicated buttons attached to each post and comment. Users typically upvote comments and posts that positively contribute to a discussion and downvote hateful, misinformative, or unnecessary ones. Upvotes will make your posts and comments rank higher on the feed, while downvoted ones will be pushed down.

Getting Banned 

You may get banned on Reddit for posting too many links or upvoting your own submissions with a second account. Additionally, you can get banned for spamming, harassing, continually asking for upvotes, or posting off-topic content in a subreddit. Bans on Reddit are divided into Shadow Bans, Subreddit AutoModerator Bans, and Subreddit Bans.

Creating a Real Profile

Unfortunately, Reddit has many fake accounts, most of which are created by the founders. Still, Redditors are extremely wary of fake accounts hoping to drum up profitable engagement, which is why they ban them instantly. Luckily, creating a real profile on Reddit is as simple as using the Sign-Up button and entering your information

Throwaway Account

Reddit users often create throwaway accounts for a specific purpose, only to discard the account after serving that purpose. Since these accounts typically post sensitive or personal information, throwaway accounts are almost always anonymous. Upvotes and follows from throwaway accounts aren’t considered a win since they will soon be deleted.

Mods

Short for “moderators,” Reddit mods are volunteer users helping keep certain subreddits organized, clean, and dedicated. They have the authority to remove or ban users, comments, and posts that deviate from the subreddit topic or regulations. That includes hateful content or harassment. 

Karma

Reddit has a points system known as Karma, reflecting how much each community approves of a specific user. The more upvotes your content receives, the higher your account’s Karma will be. You can also lose Karma if your content receives too many downvotes.

Flair

Users can attach a customizable label known as flair to provide extra information or context for a post. This is useful for Redditors who prefer to skim through their feed instead of reading each post extensively. For example, a user may attach the flair “cryptocurrency” to a post discussing Bitcoin. If you’re posting in a subreddit, you can also attach flairs to detail your expertise on the topic, such as amateur, veteran, and more. Additionally, users can attach NSFW flairs to their posts.