Your Guide to Developing a Reddit Marketing Strategy
You've worked insanely hard to get your website ready for prime time.
You've wrangled with your themes and templates. You've put more thought into the merits of ivory white vs pearl white than most brides put into planning their wedding days. And your product isn't just reasonably priced - it's insanely good.
But there's a problem:
You have no idea how to get traffic to your site. Of course, you could launch an SEO campaign that'll propel you to the top of Google. But you want fast results.
If this sounds familiar, you might need a Reddit marketing strategy. Keep reading to find out how you can use this site to promote your online business.
Here's Why You Should Be Marketing on Reddit
Reddit is one of those sites that people often have some familiarity with. Maybe you've got friends who frequent it. Or maybe you've enjoyed a few memes, but you've never really seen it as a place to promote your business.
Here are just a few of the reasons why Reddit is arguably an underrated opportunity for online marketers:
1. It's the "Front Page of the Internet"
No, literally. That's the website's tagline. And with 52 million daily users and another 430 million people accessing the site each month, you'll be hard-pressed to argue otherwise.
If you can get even a fraction of Reddit's users to your website, your business will be off to a good start.
2. The Demographic Skews Young and Affluent
On some websites, marketers often feel like they're in a catch-22. If the users are young and active, they don't have a lot of money. Or, the opposite is true and the site has less activity and more money - but then once you reach them, the market is quickly saturated.
Despite its massive numbers, Reddit doesn't have this problem. According to Pew Research, 58 percent of the site's users are within the 18 to 49 age bracket with 46 percent earning between $50,000 and over $75,000 a year.
In short, Reddit has a young, internet-savvy demographic with money to spend. It's a potential goldmine for website owners and digital marketers.
3. Reddit Has Singlehandedly Created Trends
These statistics are all well and good. But none of them answer the million-dollar question:
Do Reddit's numbers translate to tangible business outcomes?
The only response to that is, "Yes. They do.".
For instance, in early 2021, Reddit made the news for its role in the GameStop saga. Thanks to Reddit users, the stock's value grew by over 1000 percent within the span of two weeks.
And that's not all. The founder of Findlay Hats was able to make $28,000 from a single Reddit post that went viral.
No matter which way you slice it, Reddit has serious business-launching potential.
Digital Marketing on Reddit
Okay. So, you've seen the numbers and you're excited about promoting your site on Reddit. What are your best options?
For businesses and marketers, there are two main ways to advertise on Reddit:
Organic Reddit content
Reddit ads
Both strategies have their pros and cons.
For example, Reddit ads may have a cheaper CPC. But because Reddit users are able to post anonymously, it doesn't have the laser-focused targeting of Facebook or Google.
At the same time, content marketing on Reddit has the potential to generate a huge ROI. But there's no guarantee that your target market will like your content enough to upvote it.
Fortunately, you can build a Reddit marketing strategy that fits your budget. If you have some money to spend, try the ads. But if you're looking for free traffic, organic content might be the best place to start.
Reddit Marketing Dos and Don'ts
So, after thinking things over, you've decided to give Reddit marketing a try. But you've heard that Reddit doesn't like marketers.
Unfortunately, all the rumors you've heard about Reddit's feelings toward advertisers are true.
The good news, however, is that you don't have to be downvoted out of every thread and shadow banned in disgrace. You can simply follow this list of dos and don'ts to make Reddit marketing a breeze:
The Three Reddit Dos
You wouldn't expect the army to go to war without an intelligence briefing. And to keep your user account and your brand intact, you'll need some Reddit best practices. That's why we're going to start by listing your Reddit marketing must-haves:
1. Get to Know Reddit
Remember the first time you moved to a new city and needed your phone to get around?
The same feelings of confusion and disorientation can happen when you visit a site that's as large and varied as Reddit.
In the site's smaller communities, called subreddits, you can find cool images, fun facts, hilarious stories, and life hacks you never knew you needed. But like any community, Reddit has its quirks.
There's a certain lingo that everyone uses. There are classic threads and insider jokes that can make discussions harder to follow. Before you even start thinking about posting your site, you'll want to spend some time familiarizing yourself with how Reddit works.
2. Find Subreddits Related to Your Niche
Even if you haven't consciously thought about it, chances are that there are certain categories that your website and/or your product fit neatly into.
For example, let's say that you're selling a pair of artisanal running shoes. Some of the broader niches that your account could post about include:
Running
Footwear
Fitness
Fashion
Weight loss
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. As you get to know Reddit, you'll probably discover a lot of subreddit niches within subreddit niches.
You want to find active subs with lively discussions. Then, once you've got your list of communities, you'll want to take the whole point we just made on getting to know Reddit and then apply it to your specific subs.
Who are the mods? Are there power users within the sub whose posts are always hitting the top? This information can help you get more mileage out of your marketing efforts.
3. Tell a Story
On Reddit, you don't want to just tell the news. You want to be the news.
Explain why your site matters. Share your background and add some humanizing details. Redditors want to see it all.
For this reason, a post called "Marketer Shares Their Secrets to Success" probably wouldn't get much traction on Reddit. But a viral post title might say, "Two years ago, I was miserable in my dead-end job. My business is going to make $100 million this month. This is what I've learned.".
The Three Reddit Don'ts
In the same way that Redditers respond well to certain forms of content, it can be surprisingly easy to upset them. And once you've started crossing certain boundaries, you can quickly find yourself getting banned left and right.
Luckily, we've put together a short list of stuff you don't want to do if you're marketing on Reddit:
1. Spam Your Links
Imagine you're at a wedding reception and socializing with the other guests.
You could be the biggest hip-hop fan of all time. But if somebody were to interrupt your conversation with the words, "Hey you should listen to my new rap album!", it would be off-putting, right?
In most subreddits, people see posts as an opportunity to have a conversation. You don't want to be the person who's always jumping in and self-promoting. Not only will the mods eventually catch on and ban you - but the users may also start to ignore you as well.
And if that happens, you're going to have an extremely difficult time getting upvotes.
2. Be a Stereotypical Marketer
Have you ever listened to a politician speak to the press after a scandal? The measured words, the carefully prepared speech, and the public relations spin are often enough to make most people say, "That guy totally did it.".
In the corporate world, you often must speak carefully while using the blandest language possible. But on Reddit, people are all about authenticity and lived experiences.
It might feel a bit uncomfortable to go off-script at first. However, you'll be surprised at what can happen when you ditch the talking points and speak like a human.
3. Forget About Your Tech Stack
Let's say you strike gold with your Reddit post. The last thing you want is to see your site go down at the first sign of increased traffic.
Before you begin marketing in earnest, you'll want to do a site audit. Is your shopping cart up to snuff? Does your hosting provider have a reputation for going out at random times?
These are the types of questions you'll need to answer ahead of your marketing campaign.
Make More Money With a Reddit Marketing Strategy
When it comes to online advertising, digital marketers and website owners have it tough. On the one hand, you want more eyeballs on your site. But at the same time, you don't want to waste your time on platforms that are unlikely to yield results.
If you want numbers, demographics, and purchasing power, Reddit delivers on all fronts. Whether you're building a community, buying ads, or swinging for the fences with a viral post, a well-planned Reddit marketing strategy can launch your website into the stratosphere.
Want to get more traffic to your website? Are you ready to build your online business?
I can help you get results.
Contact me to see what I can do for your business.
