A part of our work at OGS Media with Reddit is making it simpler for manufacturers to get on the platform the correct method: clear, genuine, and actually connecting together with your viewers. A few of that occurs by means of our partnership, working with numerous groups at Reddit, testing new options, and sharing insights from the manufacturers we’re at the moment managing.
One other a part of that’s by means of internet hosting Ask Me Something (AMAs) just like the one I did final week on r/RedditForBusiness.
The questions that got here in jogged my memory why this work issues. After almost twenty years on the platform and dealing with manufacturers like TikTok, Purple, and Asurion, I see how manufacturers are genuinely attempting to determine Reddit. The AMA drew questions from entrepreneurs throughout industries, from early-stage startups to enterprise manufacturers, all working to know the best way to present up authentically.
Let me stroll you thru the most important themes that emerged and what really works on Reddit.
The Greatest Mistake Manufacturers Make (And Why It Occurs)
A number of individuals requested variations of the identical query: “What’s the most important mistake manufacturers make after they first begin advertising and marketing on Reddit?”
“Most manufacturers discover Reddit by means of their on-line advertising and marketing groups. They see that Reddit is displaying up in Google search outcomes or they see it in LLMs. However when taking a look at who ought to give Reddit a strive, it nonetheless finally ends up touchdown of their on-line advertising and marketing groups. On-line entrepreneurs have been held to ROI numbers for thus lengthy, it’s how they take a look at their engagement on Reddit.
There’s an curiosity in being on Reddit as a result of it’s well-liked and necessary, however there’s not sufficient time spent understanding why Reddit is necessary and that’s what I believe is the most important mistake manufacturers make.”
The basis drawback? Manufacturers want to know what makes Reddit so highly effective within the on-line person’s journey, how subreddits function as particular person communities with their very own guidelines, tradition, and expectations. How the journey to studying and making choices is as necessary as the end result.
When one marketer requested the best way to keep away from the anti-promotional backlash, I defined:
“As for the road between contribution and self-promotion, I believe that’s typically extra of a sense than a line. It takes understanding the neighborhood, what they anticipate and wish, what they recognize and what they despise. The most effective entrepreneurs know the best way to ‘learn the room’ and know their viewers, begin with being useful first, and look forward to that second when what they’ve to supply is what you’re asking for, in order that they’re by no means promoting you one thing, however moderately serving to you out with an answer they only occur to have.”
Why Conventional Social Media Technique Fails On Reddit
A marketer with years of expertise requested why conventional social media approaches don’t translate to Reddit success. The reply will get to the center of what makes Reddit totally different:
“It actually comes all the way down to a big phase of the world wanting to have interaction in dialog, versus simply watching streams for updates and leisure.
It was lengthy after social media actually got here out that entrepreneurs began actually taking a look at it for the publicity and site visitors it may drive. This created two avenues: a megaphone to share info and customer support.
Neither of those helps people who find themselves on a journey to study one thing, interact in conversations or discussions round a subject of curiosity, or to discover a answer to an issue they want solved.
Conventional social media doesn’t work right here as a result of it isn’t about dialog, it’s about promotion and advertising and marketing.”
The basic shift manufacturers must make? Cease eager about Reddit like Fb or LinkedIn with stricter guidelines. As an alternative:
“Begin eager about Reddit like a networking occasion, a cocktail occasion, a social occasion. How would you strategy and have interaction with an precise occasion, versus posting content material on a social media platform.
It merely comes all the way down to the intent.”
Reddit operates extra like strolling right into a convention the place every subreddit is a special breakout session with its personal tradition, expectations, and unwritten guidelines. You may’t simply seize the microphone and begin pitching; it’s essential hear, contribute, and earn your home within the dialog.
This understanding leads on to what really works on Reddit.
The Do’s And Don’ts For Reddit Success
When requested for the highest do’s and don’ts, I broke it all the way down to the necessities:
Do:
“Actually turn out to be a Redditor:
- Discover communities that you’re a good match to belong to (from the Redditor viewpoint).
- Deal with participating and serving to Redditors by means of dialogue.”
Don’t:
“Give this job to your advertising and marketing group (properly, not solely your advertising and marketing group).
- Deal with subreddits like classes.
- Deal with KPIs outdoors Reddit.”
That first “don’t” surprises individuals, but it surely’s important. Right here’s the factor: Advertising and marketing groups are skilled to chase quarterly numbers, to indicate instant ROI, to justify each greenback spent. However Reddit operates on relationship timelines, not marketing campaign cycles.
Once you hand Reddit to somebody who’s measured on conversion charges and cost-per-click, they’re going to deal with it like one other efficiency channel. They’ll miss what really issues, the compound worth of changing into a part of the dialog, of genuinely serving to resolve issues, of constructing belief that turns your model into the answer individuals advocate when somebody asks for assist six months from now.
The actual ROI on Reddit isn’t within the site visitors you drive this quarter; it’s in changing into the reply that exhibits up in Google searches and AI responses for years to come back since you took the time to construct genuine authority in your communities.
How Lengthy Does Reddit Success Really Take?
This got here up a number of occasions, so right here’s the reasonable timeline:
“A few of our purchasers see Reddit turn out to be their main funnel inside three months. Some rank with their content material prominently inside 30 days. Some present up all over the place in LLMs inside six months. Some purchasers get info that adjustments their complete enterprise inside three months. One very giant model rotated its model sentiment in about 9 months. So it’s simply depending on what impression means to you.”
However the normal rule: Six to 12 months for significant impression, assuming you’re doing it proper.
The Product Promotion Query Everybody Asks
Some of the sensible questions was the best way to succeed with out really promoting merchandise. I responded:
“Total, the premise is you don’t promote merchandise on Reddit. You resolve issues. Assist individuals with their precise issues, and so they’ll ask what you advocate. That’s while you point out your answer. Nonetheless, some communities do need product posts, like style or deal subreddits. It is determined by what you’re promoting. However the sensible transfer is be useful first, then run advertisements the place individuals want your product. You get conversions from advertisements plus belief from being genuinely helpful.”
That is the place loads of manufacturers get tripped up. They assume “no promoting” means they will by no means point out their product. That’s not it in any respect. It’s about context and timing.
What Startups And Enterprise Manufacturers Each Want To Know
Apparently, questions got here from each ends of the spectrum, pre-launch startups and established enterprise firms. The reply was the identical for each:
“I believe that the pathway for each model, early stage, prelaunch, or established, must be about understanding what their viewers on Reddit actually wants from them, what their clients journey by means of Reddit seems like, and what the alternatives are for the model to attach with these clients on the proper time, with the correct conversations, and with the intent to assist them transfer by means of their journey to completion.”
The method is similar no matter firm dimension. It takes time, it takes dedication, and it informs the model what their clients really want, what they give thought to the business, the model, and its opponents.
The Authenticity Problem
When somebody requested about responding to criticism, right here’s the truth examine:
“What I’ll say, is that arguing and getting defensive virtually NEVER works. Keep in mind you and the individuals you might be speaking with are people, so what would you do in actual life? I by no means assume it hurts to provide a fast and sincere apology (by means of DM if wanted). One thing human. Folks soften after they notice they’re speaking to a different individual.”
This ties again to the networking occasion idea. If somebody known as you out at a convention, you wouldn’t begin arguing with them in entrance of everybody. You’d deal with it like a human being.
What Ought to Manufacturers Do In Their First 90 Days On Reddit?
One other sensible query that got here up was what manufacturers ought to really deal with throughout their first three months on Reddit. Primarily based on our work with enterprise purchasers, there’s a selected methodology that works.
The most important temptation for brand spanking new manufacturers is to leap in and begin posting instantly. That’s precisely backwards.
Month 1: Basis And Discovery
The primary month isn’t about your model in any respect; it’s about changing into a real Redditor. Now we have our purchasers’ group members be a part of communities associated to their private pursuits first. Love cooking? Be part of r/cooking. Into images? Discover your digicam subreddit. This isn’t advertising and marketing; it’s studying how Reddit really works.
Concurrently, we’re conducting what we name “deep viewers immersion.” Earlier than posting a single factor, we spend weeks analyzing subreddit discussions to know what your viewers really cares about. We map person journeys, establish ache factors, and doc the language and tone that resonates inside every neighborhood.
Throughout this part, we additionally set up your model subreddit as a “house base” and create one to 2 worker accounts for future engagement. However these accounts don’t interact with enterprise subjects but. They’re constructing karma and credibility in private curiosity areas.
Month 2: Genuine Engagement Begins
Month 2 is once we begin participating authentically inside your business communities, however nonetheless not selling something. Crew members start collaborating in discussions the place their experience provides real worth. The secret’s participating as educated people who occur to work at your organization, not as firm representatives.
We’re additionally creating content material throughout this part, but it surely’s all primarily based on actual person conversations we’ve noticed. Each publish, remark, and engagement has a function rooted in fixing precise issues we’ve seen mentioned.
Month 3: Strategic Content material And Good Timing
The third month is when content material technique kicks into excessive gear, but it surely’s knowledgeable by every thing we’ve discovered. We map high-traffic discussions and guarantee your model is current when it issues most, with out being intrusive.
We name this “sensible engagement timing,” showing in conversations not as a result of we’re pushing an agenda, however as a result of we genuinely have one thing invaluable to contribute.
The Outcomes
This strategy works. One shopper, Devicie, went from relative obscurity to genuine business credibility inside their first quarter. They noticed a 2,000% improve in Reddit visibility, 528 whole upvotes throughout community-driven posts, 271% development in significant conversations, and enterprise leads sourced straight from Reddit engagement.
However extra importantly, Reddit grew to become an engine for his or her total enterprise technique, informing every thing from product growth to gross sales conversations.
The 90-day strategy isn’t about fast wins, however moderately constructing the inspiration for long-term success that compounds over time.
The Funding Query
A number of individuals requested whether or not Reddit ought to substitute different advertising and marketing channels. Right here’s the attitude:
“I don’t know that I’d ever put all my eggs in a single basket, however I’d say that for me, and for lots of people I do know within the search engine marketing house, Reddit is a vital funding to make. The biggest impression you possibly can have to look proper now in my view, in addition to for LLM search, is to have prime quality drawback fixing discussions that embody your model on Reddit.”
And when somebody joked about traits we’ll cringe at in 10 years, the response was easy:
“Questioning whether or not Reddit is an effective funding to make in your model.”
What This All Means
The questions from this AMA reinforce what I’ve been seeing for years: Manufacturers know Reddit is necessary, however they’re approaching it with the incorrect frameworks. They’re attempting to use Fb promoting logic to a platform that operates extra like a set {of professional} associations or pastime golf equipment.
The manufacturers that succeed on Reddit perceive this elementary distinction. They present up as people first, specialists second, and corporations third. They resolve issues as an alternative of pushing merchandise. They make investments time in understanding communities as an alternative of treating them as promoting classes.
Most significantly, they acknowledge that Reddit success isn’t about gaming the system; it’s about genuinely collaborating in it. That takes longer than operating advertisements, requires extra nuance than posting content material, and calls for extra authenticity than most advertising and marketing groups are used to offering.
However for the manufacturers that get it proper? Reddit turns into greater than a advertising and marketing channel. It turns into a aggressive benefit that’s extremely tough for opponents to copy.
In case you have questions on Reddit advertising and marketing, be happy to leap into the unique AMA thread or join with me on LinkedIn, the place I publish most of my Reddit ideas.
Extra Assets:
Featured Picture: Courtesy of r/RedditforBusiness
