Table of Contents
Looking at Reddit somewhat skeptically, many brands indeed ignore this social site, news hub, or forum. No matter what we call it, it will continue impressing us with its potential: over 97 million daily active users and counting.
It also has an inexhaustible fuel tank to drive SEO in any business sphere. Reddit is not simply another social platform. It’s something more valuable that can get you to the top page on Google. You’ll see why in a moment. Afterward, learn the ABCs of using Reddit for SEO.
Let’s kickstart your journey to Reddit SEO.
Why Reddit Is the X-Factor in Search Engine Optimization
Here are several facts SISTRIX discovered about Reddit’s impact on SEO:
- Reddit.com is the third most discoverable domain on Google after Wikipedia.com and Amazon.com.
- Nearly half (48.9%) of the platform’s rankings appear in the top ten of Google’s SERP.
- 11.4M daily clicks on Reddit originate from Google searches.
Besides, Google started collaborating with Reddit in an expanded partnership for “more content-forward displays of Reddit information” in the search results.
And here’s the proof.
Whenever googling anything, Reddit content comes first in the “Discussions and forums” rich snippet enabled by Google recently.
For example:
Imagine you’re looking for food connoisseurs for your restaurant influencer marketing campaign. If you google “Where can I find food bloggers,” you’ll receive the top two results from the r/FoodieSnark and r/Cooking subreddits.
The First-Timer’s Guide to Reddit for SEO
Below is a pocket guide for beginners using Reddit in search engine optimization. Grab and read.
Pick the right subreddits.
What are the greatest subreddits or micro-forums for SEO on Reddit?
Check out the top subreddits with the highest visibility index on Google:
You can review the whole list in the same study by SISTRIX.
But—
Don’t rush in just yet. “Naturally,” notes Stanislav Khilobochenko, VP of Customer Services at Clario, an anti-spyware company, “you should prioritize the subreddits fitting to your business in a broader and narrower sense. In our case, the broadest topic is online privacy, and the narrowest ones are MacOS and Android segments.”
That said, Clario closely investigates subreddits, such as r/Privacy, r/macapps, and r/AndroidQuestions.
Let’s say your company operates in the beauty industry. Obviously, you’d dive into makeup subreddits for beauty enthusiasts. But again—
it’s too soon to comment or post new content there. Khilobochenko recommends a “watch-before-you-talk” approach for beginners in Reddit SEO. “First read the rules, check the metrics like engagement and post frequency, and understand the vibe and conversation stylistics before rolling into discussions.”
Produce searchable, valuable, and interest-driven content.
Did you know?
Seven out of ten Redditors come to the site for news.
However, you shouldn’t concentrate on the news posts when using Reddit for SEO. Otherwise, you risk losing relevance. Due to a short shelf lifespan, once a piece of news loses the audience’s interest, so does your post.
Adrian Iorga, Founder & President at Stairhopper Movers, recommends hosting Q&A sessions, commonly referred to as AMAs (Ask Me Anything), on Reddit. “AMA grants you a splendid opportunity to tell people more about your profession, business, lifestyle, or anything else. When participating in AMA interview rounds, give more extensive, professional answers rather than a yes/no format.”
This is also applicable to Reddit posts and comments. The more value you bring, the more upvotes you gather, the higher ranking your content will receive in Google results.”
For example:
Here’s how a jewelry fabrication studio manager broke into the r/AMA/ subreddit: “I’ve been in the jewelry-making industry for over a decade—ask me anything! AMA.”
Also, optimize your Reddit posts with relevant keywords to make them searchable and discoverable by Google.
Pro tip: Bank on evergreen content marketing and share X lists or guides with “how-to” keywords. For instance, it may be “how to learn drawing” for art subreddits like r/drawing or r/ArtistLounge. This way, your content will rank better in Google for that juicy keyword.
Run targeted Reddit ads.
Lenovo, Capital One, New Balance, and even another social media giant, LinkedIn—they all leveraged Reddit advertising to reach their target markets and generate qualified site visits. As you can see, companies from various business niches use Reddit ads.
The platform offers four ad formats:
- Free-form
- Carousel
- Video
- Image
By type of placement, you can opt for:
- In-feed ads
- In-conversation ads
Your budget for Reddit ads can be:
- Low
- Medium
- High
If you’re a complete noob in using Reddit for SEO via advertising, it can be a tough decision about what ad type to pick. Gain beginner’s insights from Murtaza Oklu, Owner of OMO Transfer, who is weighing the options for the DTF transfer company. “When it comes to advertising, I say learn it from competitors first. True. Some very narrow niches have few ads on Reddit. Although there aren’t many Reddit ads featuring DTF transfers in our business niche, our team still collects them as breadcrumbs to eventually shape our own advertising campaign for higher website traffic.”
For example:
Here’s a DTF transfer advertisement (video) that targets a specific audience interested in custom apparel and DIY projects.
Go to the Reddit Ads library and explore the top-performing adverts by industry, format, placement, budget, and objective (in your case—traffic).
For example:
Look at the following carousel ads from the real estate sphere run in the Reddit feed as low-budget campaigns.
Pro tip: Use Reddit ad measurement tools (Google Campaign Manager, Rockerbox, or Gamesight) to see what content works and what falls flat from reaching your targeted user on the platform.
Steer away from over-promotional and unethical tactics.
“Ahh, an advertisement.”
That’s how a Redditor reacted to this post promoting a mattress.
Yes, Redditors despise spammers and self-promoters. And yes, you may face the rage of moderators, aka mods, and get a suspension or even a ban.
Each subreddit has rules, and Reddit mods are quite strict about those. If they say, “No promotional/commercial activities” or “No self-promotion,” don’t try to sneak in your blog post merely to drive traffic to your website. Mods will find you. They always do. If not them, other users will “smell” your sales pitch miles away and downvote it into oblivion.
Connect more authentically with people, share helpful information, and avoid pushy and over-promotional language like this:
- Visit our website
- Our services are the best in the world!
- Check out our blog article
- Click here to watch my YouTube video
- You won’t find a better ___ anywhere else!
- Why haven’t you signed up yet?
Moreover, Kathryn MacDonell, CEO at Trilby Misso Lawyers, warns against unethical SEO behavior on Reddit:
“Unethical SEO practices violate Reddit’s policies and often lead to account suspensions, bans, and tarnished brand reputations. This can be spamming or manipulations with sock-puppet accounts.
Then, there’s the darkest corner of search engine optimization I’d never recommend peeking into. It concerns black-hat SEO tactics, such as keyword stuffing, cloaking, cross-posting the same link in different subreddits, hiding links in comments, and so on.”
As for sharing links, Reddit users also frown upon people who simply throw a link into the discussion and disappear without explanation.
Involve influencers and brand ambassadors.
Influencer marketing
Have you ever partnered with influential content creators on Instagram, YouTube, or other social platforms?
It’s practically the same with influencer marketing on Reddit for search engine optimization. Yet, there are several must-know specifics.
Reddit influencers have already gained a high reputation as industry experts and have gathered a super-devoted community around them. But there’s a pitfall. They never advertise products or services directly (Redditors cringe at aggressive selling, remember?). Instead, they can help you build SEO-friendly backlinks in a more natural, non-spammy way.
Max Tang, CMO at GEEKOM, says, “The best method to collaborate with Reddit influencers is to ask them to host an AMA, start discussions, or comment in existing conversations in a helpful and authentic voice. And the best collaboration would be with a niche influencer because they can generate more targeted traffic to your website.”
Currently, GEEKOM is considering partnerships with gamers as niche influencers using mini PCs for gaming.
Brand ambassador marketing
Why not engage your loyal customers in brand ambassadorship on Reddit for SEO? You may urge them to endorse your brand within a particular Reddit community after trying your product or service.
For example:
Here’s a discussion with Redditors mentioning their tried-and-tested brands that print custom T-shirts.
Pro tip: Launch a loyalty program with rewards to motivate your Reddit brand ambassadors even more.
For instance, if you’re a clothing brand, you can offer your customers early access to a new collection or limited-edition apparel for sharing their positive feedback about your brand in fashion subreddits or more general communities like r/BuyItForLife.
Your neighborhood’s calling—stay on the map with local SEO.
Hey, all local folks, large and small businesses!
The moment for your big break has arrived with Reddit in local SEO.
According to Greg Arnold, General Manager at Kitchen Mania, a small family business, “If you aim at local SEO with Reddit, you just need to find the subreddit dedicated to your city, town, or even neighborhood. When participating in it, act as a friendly neighbor and community member in the first place. Leave your role of a business manager, marketer, or SEO specialist offstage and go after authenticity in content creation on Reddit.”
For example:
Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the Kitchen Mania team plans to target the r/auckland subreddit for local search engine optimization.
Getting back to you—
Suppose you’re a fitness brand with a gym in Vancouver. Logically, you’ll dig into the r/Vancouver subreddit. Here’s why. When asking, “What’s the best fitness gym in Vancouver?” you get the following result from the before-mentioned subreddit: “What are the best/worst gyms to work out at in Vancouver?”
Final Note in This Crash Course on Using Reddit for SEO
Thanks to these basic instructions, Reddit can become your golden ticket to search engine optimization.But don’t tie yourself in knots to outwit Google’s algorithms—just be honest and useful. And remember: Redditors nose out self-promotion quicker than a cat sniffs tuna.So, lace up your digital boots and make tiny but firm steps into the Redditverse for SEO.
P.S.: Should you need help with influencers, contact NeoReach to develop the best influencer marketing solutions for your business.
