Reddit is Becoming a Key Consideration for Marketers
If you’re looking for new ways to maximize your digital marketing performance in the age of AI-assisted discovery, it’s worth paying attention to Reddit, and the significant increases in attention the platform is deriving from AI referrals.
According to data from SEMRush, Reddit is now the second most visited website in the U.S., and the third most visited in Canada, which is largely based on AI chatbot referrals, of which Reddit is the most cited source.
Why are AI tools referring to Reddit insights for answers?
Well, largely because Reddit provides real, human responses, from users with experience in related fields, which can add more value to its replies.
But it also relates to Reddit’s deal with Google, which sees Google make Reddit more of a priority in its own AI overviews and answers.
In February last year, Reddit signed a deal with Google that gives the Search giant exclusive access to Reddit’s data for use in Search and within its generative AI projects.
“Over the years, we’ve seen that people increasingly use Google to search for helpful content on Reddit to find product recommendations, travel advice and much more. We know people find this information useful, so we’re developing ways to make it even easier to access across Google products. This partnership will facilitate more content-forward displays of Reddit information that will make our products more helpful for our users and make it easier to participate in Reddit communities and conversations.”
Since establishing that deal, Reddit’s referrals from Google have skyrocketed, which is a big reason why it’s now seeing so much traffic.
Which points to opportunity for marketers, and if you’re trying to get your head around Generative engine optimization (GEO), and optimizing your web presence for AI-generated discovery, Reddit may well be the key platform that you need to enhance your focus on.
And that could get even more significant over time. Reddit is currently in talks with Google on renewing its content-sharing arrangement, which could see Reddit referrals remain a key element of Google’s AI overviews.
I mean, if Google’s going to pay tens of millions for data access, it’ll be looking to get its money’s worth, and with the use of AI overviews on the rise, and Google users reporting better experiences when engaging with these results, it makes sense that Google would keep showing them Reddit links and conversations, and linking through to the platform’s trove of expert insights.
As such, you should be looking at Reddit as a possible focus for your digital marketing efforts, and considering how you can build your Reddit presence.
So how can you maximize your Reddit listings, and increase the chances of your business being in Reddit’s responses?
A first step would be to check out Reddit’s brand playbook, which provides a range of insights and notes on how to connect with the platform’s audience.
You should also check out Reddit’s Pro Trends tool, which provides insight into what’s trending in the app at any given time, and enables you to hone in on specific topics and conversations.
Though this, you’ll learn how to establish a Reddit presence for your business, and how to engage within subreddit communities for maximum effect.
It’s likely Reddit hasn’t been a focus for you in the past, and you may still think that it’s not where your target audience is active. But the data suggests that more people are coming to Reddit for specific answers, and even though it doesn’t have the same audience size as other apps, the reasons behind why people are coming to the app are important.
Worth considering.
Originally published at Social Media Today
