Established 13 years ago, Reddit has become the 3rd most most-trafficked website in the US and 6th in the world. It has become a popular site for discussion on tech, gaming, politics, humour, etc. As of February 2018, Reddit reported 542 million monthly users. One can safely say that Reddit represents a huge opportunity for marketers. Unlike giants like Google and Facebook, advertising is a little tricky on Reddit. To help you out, here are a few tips that will help you advertise successfully on Reddit.
- Create multiple accounts
Signing up for Reddit is easy and doesn’t require verification. It is recommended to have at least two or three accounts for marketing purposes, two for backup, and a separate personal account. Do not use your personal account for marketing purposes as that might backfire. The most one can do is upvote some posts on your marketing accounts.
- Know your audience
Reddit users explore their interests in-depth and engage in conversations around them. For example, if you are a gamer, there’s a subreddit for that. Subreddits make it very specific and targeting easier for marketers. Find the right community for your product or services, listen and analyse the conversation before jumping in.
- Gain karma
In Reddit, you get points when your comment or submission is upvoted. They are called karma and there are two types: link karma gained through posting new threads and comment karma for commenting. Before you start driving sales, start conversations to earn credibility. It is not recommended to start promoting with a new account with zero karma.
- Interact with the community
The importance of interacting with the community cannot be stressed enough for Reddit. Discussion is an integral part of Reddit and to build a relationship, you need to start encouraging and participating in conversations. Eventually in your conversation, find ways in which users will know that you are a brand and put a call to action.
To increase interaction with your thread, presenting rewards can help. Make sure that the language you use doesn’t come off as too market oriented. Use plain language, be sincere, add a knack of humour, and be an individual with a personality.
- Follow the rules
Each subreddit has their own set of moderators and rules. The golden rule is not to piss off the moderators. You might get banned or shadowban, which essentially means no one will see your comments except for youself. The rules are always listed on the sidebar, make sure to check it before you post anything.
- Do not systematically upvote your own posts
Reddit will pick up if you systematically upvote your own posts from different accounts, even if you use VPN. For example, if an account upvotes posts by another account frequently, both accounts might get blocked. The chances of a ban are higher if both the accounts are relatively new and karma points are low.
- Avoid hyperlinking your text
Instead of hyperlinking your text, it is advisable to add a link at the end of the comment instead. With how Reddit works and understanding the community, hyperlinks make it look intentional and that you’re there only to get ‘clicks’. Instead, leave comments with a link at the end or mention that you will add the link if you find one later. Then you can edit and leave a link later. Authenticity is the key.
- Host an AMA
AMA aka ‘Ask Me Anything’ is one of the most popular types of posts on Reddit. AMA is an open question-and-answer thread hosted by prominent figures like celebrities, CEOs, tech geniuses, entrepreneurs, etc. AMAs are hosted with the approval of a related subreddit moderator. This will give exposure to your brand and its products and services.
When it comes to Reddit, experimenting is important to perfect your marketing strategy. A digital creative agency can guide you through Reddit and how to promote your brand there. Since Reddit is a very targeted community, a digital creative agency can increase your brand’s followers and sales through this medium.