How Publishers Can Use Reddit to Their Advantage

Despite whatever view publishers might have on the credibility or usefulness of Reddit, its impact cannot be discounted. While Reddit has already had quite a large presence on the internet, a recent Google search update has caused an increase in visibility in user forums such as Quora and Reddit. 

Google has made some changes to their algorithm that have further powered its search results. The company has updated its algorithm to enhance search results, as part of an initiative called the Helpful Content Update. This change has reduced traffic to smaller, independent websites while boosting the visibility of others.

Ever since the change in Google’s algorithm, Reddit’s traffic, data shows, skyrocketed between August 2023 and April 2024, raising the number of monthly visitors from 132 million to 346 million. Publishers have taken note of this dramatic shift, hoping to now direct at least some of that increased audience into new sources of social traffic.

Reddit's vast size might seem overwhelming, but its division into subreddits allows everyone to find a community that aligns with their interests. Digital news publishers can easily begin their involvement on Reddit by creating an account and identifying a subreddit that closely matches the content they produce or plan to shift towards.

It's important to remember that if a new user starts by posting a lot of links to their own content on Reddit, moderators may flag it as spam. Instead, it's better to begin by observing and engaging with existing content before sharing your own.

Reporters and editors of independent publishers can register their profiles while identifying themselves as employees of the news organizations they work for, serving as the face of their respective publications. It is better to do it this way rather than post anonymously, as it will benefit the publishers to be transparent about who they are and the media organizations they represent. Even when links and posts do not gain the intended traction, Reddit is a useful way to gather insights and encourage discussion on a given topic.

One more tool that can be used by publishers and reporters alike is Reddit Pro which provides analytics that help brands understand the way users engage with content. Publishers can improve their visibility and engagement because it’s easy to promote their AMAs ahead of time and add co-hosts.

Promoting posts on Reddit keeps them prioritized at a higher level on subreddits and targets them to specific groups of users. Reddit users may have a different attitude to a post if it is “downvoted” enough and descends in the list of prioritized posts. The general perception of posts does matter, otherwise posts won’t reach as much of the audience.

Other than the utilization of an AMA thread to enhance audience engagement, another marketing strategy being used involves starting or participating in a subreddit discussion forum related to the publishers’ brand, product, or industry. Anyone could be involved in those forums, including executives, staff members from the company, or influencers who could all potentially promote their brand with their platforms providing higher engagement.

Keeping a watchful eye on the comments section will likely be necessary though and publishers should ensure that their posts don’t have an overly PR-styled response because Reddit users do not respond to that well. Since Reddit is a niche platform, experimentation and brainstorming will be necessary but if publishers know how to use the platform in their favor, it can potentially lead to creative marketing strategies that can only bolster their influence.