Reddit for Business: How to Properly Use the Platform and Avoid Hate
If you want as many people as possible to learn about your business, social media will help. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest are particularly popular among business owners. At a glance, they seem to be the most suitable for marketing purposes.
And what about Reddit? We have talked about this platform before- Reddit For SEO: How to Start Promoting through Reddit. But in this article, we want to focus on how to use Reddit for business.
It is worth paying attention to Reddit for two reasons: the first being that it is one of the largest social platforms, and secondly, it is used less frequently for marketing than the others. The average time spent by users on Reddit is usually higher than on Facebook. And thanks to the openness and anonymity of the platform, you can communicate with potential customers, collect their opinions and user experience. It is worth a try.
Reddit’s Code of Ethics
Since Reddit is not like any other social platform, it operates according to its rules. And you will have to learn how to follow them if you plan to use Reddit for business.
It is essential to adhere to etiquette anywhere on the Internet, but especially on Reddit, since the ability to hide one’s identity frees many hands. There is an entire list of rules compiled by the platform participants themselves. In short, they boil down to one thing: first of all, you should take into account the interests of the Reddit community, publish useful information for users, provide links to sources, and try to avoid fakes, spam, and self-promotion.
Before you publish something, you should research whether the material has already been published. Also, when commenting, upvoting, or downvoting someone’s post, you need to consider the impact of your actions on the community.
After spending some time on the platform and understanding the mechanisms of how it works, you will quickly realize how different it is from Facebook or Instagram, where thousands of people can post the same photo of a dog, and all of them receive likes. Here, any post has its value.
Please also note that each of the subreddits had its rules that you need to familiarize yourself with before publishing material. Everything is strict here– moderators, automated bots, and the community members themselves monitor compliance through a voting and reporting system. If you decide to ignore them, the post might be deleted, and your access to the subreddit will be suspended.
Learn the Platform Language
In the previous section, we used several terms (upvote/downvote) that you may not have previously encountered. Like any social network, Reddit has its unique terminology and it is better to learn it in the beginning stages of working with the community. Below are the most common phrases and acronyms you will see on Reddit.
Upvote
In the world of social media, this is a like. When you “upvote” a post, you are voting for its promotion, thus marking its significance for the entire community.
Downvote
A downvote is the opposite of an upvote, in other words, it is a dislike. Your vote against a post or comment is a flag that it does not benefit Reddit members, and or does not share their values.
Karma
It is a quantitative indicator of your reputation in the community, taking into account posts and comments. Read more about this in the section below.
Reddit Gold
It is a premium membership with certain benefits.
Mod (Moderator)
As with other sites, this is an account that monitors compliance with the community rules and regulations, as well as bans and deletes user posts/comments, in the case of non-compliance.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
It is a summary of a long-read that maintains its essence.
OP (Original poster)
Repost
It is the publishing of a link/information that was previously posted in the selected subreddit. Remember that Reddit does not like duplicate content, so it is best to avoid this.
X-post (Cross Post)
If you plan to share information from another subreddit on your own, in the title you need to make an X-post mark with the name of the subreddit from where you got the link or materials.
OC (Original content)
It is a unique content created by any of the community members.
Lurking
An active Reddit user who does not make a substantial contribution to the community; for example, they do not create posts or upvote others.
Throwaway account
Is an account that is not the main one and is used infrequently or for specific purposes. Many people create multiple accounts.
IRL (in real life)
It is your experience in the real world or the real world in general.
NSFW (Not Safe For Work)
It is a warning about objectionable or inappropriate content that should not be viewed in public.
AMA (Ask Me Anything)
A post in which any member of the community can request that others ask them questions, thus involving users in the discussion. For example, “Hi, my name is John and I am a single father. Ask me anything.” Below we will discuss how you can use this for business.
TIL (Today I Learned)
It is used to refer to something that you just learned about on the Internet.
FTFY (Fixed That For You)
It can be used as a sarcastic comment about an error or typo, but it is more often used to point it out to the author.
Shadowban
It is used if the user starts another account after one has been blocked. Then the user will not be notified about the blocking of the next profile, but they will simply become invisible to other users.
Karma As the Basis for Promotion on Reddit
The community is made up mostly of anonymous accounts, which is confusing when it comes to promoting your business. How can you promote your brand if no one knows exactly who you are? The answer lies in the ideology of the community– even if no one knows your name, users will objectively evaluate your contribution to Reddit if it is useful. What is in it for you?
Every post and comment can get a certain number of votes from the participants of the platform. This creates your Karma: points are scored separately for post-karma and comment-karma, these are indicators of your contribution to the community. The higher the number of points, the higher the reputation. If you actively work on building karma, it will give you several advantages- exclusive communities only allow accounts with a certain number of points to comment and discuss; the higher the score, the more significant you and the materials you publish on the platform will be. As a result, this is more coverage and even the opportunity for selling a Reddit account; yes, rating accounts are bought eagerly.
How to Get High Karma on Reddit for Business
It is not easy to earn good Karma on Reddit, but if you take the time and follow a sequence of actions, it is quite possible. Below are a few recommendations for a decent representation of business in the community.
1. Find all subreddits relevant to your industry
After you create a Reddit account, search for all the subreddits related to your business. Start with large communities, then move onto smaller and more detailed ones (there will be recommendations in the sidebar of the subreddit.) You can also use Google to search for keywords in your orientation + Reddit.
2. Create multiple accounts for different purposes
Create multiple profiles on the platform. It will not be difficult since Reddit does not request personal data. Do not use the main profile for advertising, to not cause resentment from moderators and community members. You can show marketing activity on other accounts, as well as use them to upvote your posts, but do not abuse this. Backup accounts will also be useful if the main account gets blocked.
3. Install TrackReddit to track notifications
To keep your finger on the pulse, use TrackReddit.
With it, you can get real-time alerts when the specified keywords and phrases are used in Reddit. It will allow you to quickly respond to mentions of your business, as well as actively participate in interesting discussions.
4. Be active and explore what is already there
Your success on the platform depends on how deeply you dive into the community. Watch the discussions in your niche every day, and do not forget about upvoting and commenting when appropriate. Research what content resonates with your target audience and what time it is published.
5. Become an active member of the community before proposing anything
Before beginning your publications, establish yourself as a worthy commentator, which will already attract attention to you and ensure visibility on the platform. If you start publishing immediately without understanding, nothing will work.
6. Create unique content that is relevant to your target audience
Try to create unique content that will be interesting to your target audience (we will discuss the kind of content you need to use late). Do not expect great coverage right away– Reddit posts are more difficult to access than other social networks. If you get at least a few upvotes and comments, this is a good start.
7. Follow the sequence
Do not abandon your account. Make sure that your content is published regularly and is useful and valuable to the community. It is difficult to determine the exact frequency of publications, since it may vary depending on the subreddit. Research the activity of your subreddit and determine your posting schedule.
What Types of Content Should I Use for Business on Reddit
You can find any kind of digital content on Reddit. But we will focus on those that are most in-demand and most often attract the attention of community members.
1. Images
Visual content is always ahead, including on Reddit. The images are easily perceived and do not require much involvement with the material. With the original submission, you may well get the expected coverage.
2. Video
If you post a link to a video from other resources, it will reduce the coverage. The best way to share video content is to make a GIF out of it, for example, with the funniest or most impactful moment. In some subreddits, the entire video can be included, but this depends on the specific situation.
3. GIFs
Reddit loves GIFs in completely different fields: music, politics, fashion, economics, stars, business, whatever! If your business has ready-made video content, use it (after making it into a GIF).
Created this loop from 50 photos I found online by googling ‘Lionel Messi kick’ from gifs
4. Text Format
Unlike Instagram users who hate long reads, Reddit users like to read the content. Especially those that can be discussed in the comments. If you bring up an important topic and state your thoughts consistently, the community will appreciate it.
5. Questions/Answers
AMA(ask me anything) is an interesting format for interacting with your target audience. The bottom line is that members of the community can ask any question, and you will answer it. It is especially true for companies with an interesting history and an established reputation.
6. News
In the community, you can find practically any news, and they are updated promptly. If you quickly publish an up-to-date news report, an opinion leader’s statement, or something like that, you can get good coverage. Pay attention to the Reddit business news niche, where you can both participate in discussions and contribute in the form of updated news notes.
Reddit Business Ideas
Reddit is good because it can be a source of valuable knowledge. On the platform, they discuss quite serious questions about investing, share experiences, and ideas. There you can find tips on how to build a business with different starting capital, amazing (and, importantly, unique) business ideas, and much more. You can use this in two ways: learn something from the discussions for yourself or offer your personal, unique experience to the community. This niche will be particularly relevant for aspiring entrepreneurs- Reddit also offers small business ideas for all tastes and budgets.
Can You Make Money on Reddit?
The platform does not imply direct monetization of subreddits. You can not insert sponsored links in your posts, as this threatens to be banned. However, there is an opportunity to grow your account and build a business presence in the community in the ways we listed above. And, in the long-run, get a high-quality target audience.
How does Reddit Make Money?
Reddit mainly earns money from advertising, including banner ads, and paid premium subscriptions.
Business-Reddit: Successful Marketing Case Studies of Well-known Brands
Some large companies have managed to win the attention of the selective Reddit community. Here are some inspiring examples:
1. Spotify
Once upon a time, the Internet audio streaming service Spotify was lucky enough to blow up Reddit by asking users over 30 different questions about songs and the emotions they evoke. Community members found this interesting and actively participated in the discussions. The result was a playlist of over 10,000 works. As a result, the company built not only a strong brand image on Reddit, but also won the Community Brand award in 2014.
2. Elon Musk and SpaceX
The whole world is watching how Elon Musk develops technology, and the same goes for his social activism. In 2015 when SpaceX was preparing to launch the Falcon 9 rocket, Elon decided to get in touch with Reddit users and participate in an AMA, answering all the questions about his company, artificial intelligence, and even personal habits. So SpaceX wanted to show that their company is personified by a living person, an ideologue, with their worldview and character. The company also invited users to answer questions from software developers who helped to delve into the topic.
3. How to Lucid
If everything is more or less clear with Elon Musk and big companies since eminent brands are rarely ignored, what about beginner business and start-ups? If you do something original, or at least know how to present it creatively, you can interest users. Three years ago, the founder of the program on personal growth and lucid dreams easily captured the attention of Reddit participants on the AMA, inviting them to ask any questions about this topic. Since most people are attracted to the unknown and the unconscious, there were many questions and discussions. As a result, he not only attracted attention to his site, but also advertised a future course, books, and much more.
Reddit is a unique community with a wide variety of content, from the subreddits of young moms to Reddit take it off. There is something for everyone here. If you had any doubts about whether or not to use Reddit for business, we hope we were able to dispel them. The platform is worth considering, and, over time, it can yield good results for the company.
