As generative AI and large language models (LLMs) become more integrated into how users discover and consume information, the value of user-generated content (UGC) has grown significantly.
Whether it’s ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, or other AI search engines such as Perplexity, outputs are often pulled from trusted, community-driven sources.
Platforms like Reddit, which host in-depth, real-world discussions across a huge range of topics, are frequently surfaced in AI-generated search results.
This presents a unique opportunity for companies to establish visibility and credibility by participating meaningfully in Reddit communities. Done right, this builds brand trust, improves off-page SEO, and increases the likelihood of a company’s insights being surfaced in AI-powered answers.
However, engaging in community marketing isn’t for the faint-hearted or time-poor. There’s a lot that needs to be done to build a presence, and for good reason – mods want to keep their subreddits free from spam and shite that devalues the communities they’ve invested in curating.
But for those who are ready to start building a presence, if done right, they can:
- Build authority and earn trust within Reddit communities relevant to your sector.
- Drive organic traffic through indirect, value-led contributions.
- Grow brand awareness among developers, practitioners, and decision-makers.
- Position internal experts as thought leaders who contribute to the conversation, not just sell.
- Increase AI visibility by appearing in discussions and citations that LLMs generate.
- Enhance off-page SEO via credible mentions and backlinks (note that backlinks are nofollow but can deliver referral traffic).
Example Reddit community marketing strategy
Let’s take a look at an example of a strategy for a SaaS company. The first part of the strategy will be around creating a Reddit profile for a subject matter expert within the business, and the second part looks at how to set up and manage a branded subreddit.
Before you start, consider time and resource requirements
In the first month, creating and managing a contributor’s Reddit profile and initial engagement demands around 6 to 8 hours, and setting up and seeding a branded subreddit typically requires between 15 to 20 hours. This brings the total effort in month one to approximately 25 to 30 hours.
During the second month, ongoing contributor engagement requires another 6 to 8 hours, while maintaining the subreddit and continuing to seed it takes about 10 to 12 hours. Overall, this results in a monthly workload of 16 to 20 hours.
From the third month onward, the effort needed decreases somewhat, with 4 to 5 hours for contributor activities and around 6 to 10 hours per month dedicated to subreddit maintenance. This means a total ongoing commitment of roughly 10 to 15 hours per month.
Be aware that the more posts a contributor responds to, and the more a branded subreddit posts, the time and resources required to keep up may actually need to continue to scale. When it gets to that point, most companies will need to hire a dedicated community manager to take care of things on a daily basis.
Reddit contributor
Phase 1: Preparation
1. Create a human, individual profile
To set up a Reddit profile, go to reddit.com, click ‘Sign Up’, choose a username and password, then follow the prompts to personalise the profile. Once created, you can add a bio, profile picture and start joining communities (subreddits).
Use a real name or pseudonym that feels personal and industry-relevant (e.g. Alex_DevOps rather than YourCompanyOfficial), include a transparent bio that outlines your role and experience, and add a real photo for credibility.
2. Build karma gradually
Reddit karma is a score that reflects how other users respond to your posts and comments. When people upvote something you’ve shared, you gain karma; when they downvote it, you lose karma. It’s a way for the Reddit community to show what content they find useful, interesting or entertaining.
There are two main types: post karma and comment karma. While karma doesn’t have any direct value, having more of it can build credibility and sometimes unlock access to certain subreddits or features. It’s essentially a reputation system that encourages positive contributions.
Once you’re ready to start posting, begin engaging with relevant subreddits. For a SaaS company, this would be subreddits such as:
- r/ExperiencedDevs
- r/SaaS
- r/Startup
- r/DevOps
- r/webdev
Make sure that you answer questions sincerely, offer perspective, and avoid linking to your product or site initially. If you have low or no karma, some subreddits may block you from posting to prevent spam. Aim for at least 100–200 comment Karma before contributing in niche threads.
Also, avoid posting too often or across too many subreddits too quickly, as this can trigger Reddit’s anti-spam mechanisms.
Phase 2: Engagement
1. Learn each subreddit’s tone and rules
Niche subreddits value transparency, expertise, and non-promotional input. This means you’ll want to avoid:
- Self-promotion (unless clearly relevant)
- Copy-pasting content across multiple threads
- Vague, jargon-heavy corporate speak
2. Contribute helpful insights
It’s important to share insights which offer advice or guidance grounded in real-life experience. When doing so, use conversational, specific phrasing:
- ‘In my experience working with early-stage SaaS teams…’
- ‘We’ve also noticed this pattern with platform uptime during Q4 traffic spikes, and this is how we fixed it.’
- ‘You might find this whitepaper from XYZ useful, it explains this really clearly.’
As a rule, put yourself in their shoes – if you’d asked the question, would you be satisfied with the answer? If not, duh, don’t respond! It’s a waste of your time, and theirs.
3. Mention your company only when appropriate
You can mention your company when posting, but only when it directly answers the question, and ideally alongside alternatives to avoid bias. Remember, Reddit is not meant to be used as a sales pitch and doing so can result in downvotes, and even bans.
If you really feel the need to include your company, try something like:
‘We’ve implemented this in our own system at [Company], but similar solutions exist through [Competitor A] and [Competitor B]. The key is managing X efficiently, regardless of the platform.’
Alternatively, if someone has a question that could be answered well by a piece of content created by your company, you could outline the key points in the post and then provide a link for further reading. But only do this if you’re confident it will help them.
‘My team at [Company] recently produced an in-depth guide on how to fix this exact problem. Here’s an overview of what it includes [Bulletpoints]. The full guide can be found here if you want to read through more detailed steps on implementing and troubleshooting [Link].’
Phase 3: Scaling
1. Get verified where possible
Some subreddits allow contributors to apply for a “Verified” flair. To apply, message moderators (via modmail), explain who you are and your intention to contribute transparently, not to advertise.
2. Publish high-value thought leadership posts
Once you’ve built a trustworthy presence, you can post:
- Anonymised case studies
- Industry trend breakdowns
- Regulatory updates
- AMA threads (“Ask me anything”)
Remember to keep content educational and avoid links unless absolutely essential.
Creating a branded subreddit
Once your brand has earned credibility, you might want to consider launching a dedicated subreddit.
A branded subreddit is an official community on Reddit created and managed by a company, organisation or brand. It serves as a space for direct engagement with users, allowing brands to share updates, answer questions, gather feedback and build community around their products or services. These subreddits are often verified and follow Reddit’s guidelines for promoting transparency and authentic interaction.
There’s no minimum size your brand needs to be to create a branded subreddit – any business or organisation can set one up. However, to be effective, you should have a clear purpose for the community, a plan for regular engagement, and ideally an existing audience interested in participating. Reddit tends to verify branded subreddits from well-known companies, but smaller brands can still build valuable communities with consistent, authentic involvement.
Why create one?
- Control the narrative: Define the tone, content, and rules.
- Increased visibility: Reddit threads often rank well in search and AI overviews.
- Transparency and trust: Public, open discussions build credibility.
- Direct user feedback: Identify product pain points and trends straight from your community.
What to watch out for
- Needs consistent upkeep: Inactive subreddits can hurt your brand.
- Open to criticism: Users may voice complaints, be ready to respond constructively.
- Don’t dominate: If every post comes from your team, it’s not a community.
Best practices for branded subreddits
1. Choose the right name
- r/YourCompanyName – for brand-specific queries
- r/TechGrowthInsights – for broader, educational appeal
If opting for a name which doesn’t include your brand, you should still be transparent about who is running the subreddit.
2. Set clear expectations
Your welcome post and sidebar should explain:
- Who runs the subreddit
- What kind of content is encouraged
- How company reps will engage
‘Welcome to r/YourCompanyName – a space for developers, partners and users to ask questions, share insights, and discuss trends in the [industry].’
Don’t forget to include contact info, link to the subreddit from your website, and participate with transparency to build trust.
3. Prioritise community value
Even though you own the community, nobody wants to hear a sales pitch 24/7. Stick to an 80/20 split whenever possible.
- 80% educational content
- 20% product-related updates
It’s helpful to create a content plan to ensure that this balance is maintained.
When posting about product, still take time to explain how it can add value rather than bigging yourself up.
4. Crosspost selectively
You can crosspost on Reddit when your content is relevant to more than one subreddit and follows each community’s rules. It’s best used to reach different audiences without duplicating posts, especially if the topic fits naturally in multiple discussions. Always use the built-in ‘crosspost’ feature to maintain clarity and avoid being flagged for spam. And only link to your subreddit in other communities when it genuinely adds value to a discussion.
Final tips
- Reddit search: Use site:reddit.com/r/subreddit + keyword in Google to find relevant threads.
- Use a research tool: Build audiences and track keywords across multiple subreddits to look for posts quickly with tools like GummySearch.
- Track alerts: Social listening tools like Brand24 or Syften can notify you of discussions matching keywords.
- Separate accounts: Consider using a “lurker” account for passive monitoring and a “human” contributor account for engagement.
If you’re willing to put the time in and can contribute to conversations with something people actually care about, Reddit can offer rare access to informed audiences that can turn into your customers. If you ignore it, someone else will shape the conversation for you.
But always bear in mind that Reddit is all about community. Don’t be like the boring bloke down the pub who spouts the same tired topics that only interest him over and over and over again, and then can’t be arsed to listen to what anyone else has to say. If you’re treating Reddit as a broadcast channel, it’s not going to work.
