Reddit is one of the most challenging and misunderstood social media platforms out there. Everyone is anonymous, and the structure – split into topic-led forums led by volunteer moderators – is unusual; as a result, brands find it difficult to use. That’s because Redditors (as users are called) are particularly vocal about not having their safe spaces invaded by corporate voices.

But that’s not to say it’s a no-go zone. As many companies are finding, with a bit of understanding, it can provide a host of useful insights and audience engagement. Let’s dig in…

Collective spirit

Founded in 2005 and about to celebrate its 20th anniversary in June, Reddit can be described as a collective of online communities, known as subreddits, where users come together to discuss specific topics. These can be as broad as r/news (30m members) and as specific as r/ToiletPaper (323 members).

As of February 2025, there were over 500 million accounts, an increase of over 150 million since 2019. The platform saw 21% growth last year alone, behind only Threads as the second fastest-growing social media app – not bad for one that’s been around for decades.

The good, the bad, and the ugly

For brands, Reddit is a treasure trove of real customer opinions, as full anonymity means users are incredibly honest. It’s also the place many people go to for product reviews and information, and a hub for real – and sometimes heartfelt – conversations. 

The platform is a massive hub for product discovery; whatever your industry, there’s a niche subreddit where your audience hangs out. This makes Reddit an ideal platform for businesses looking to connect with highly engaged, interest-specific audiences.

It means Reddit also offers great opportunities for social listening, as you’ll get the unvarnished truth from your consumers. Redditors are outspoken and passionate about what they’re posting, and easy API access means most tools enable you to search and analyse relevant comments by keyword and sentiment.

However, brands need to be very aware of Reddit culture. Openly promoting your products and services as part of conversations is frowned upon and will be met with an onslaught of negative comments. Success on Reddit means a thoughtful approach to community management, focusing on real value and, if appropriate, a little bit of banter.

Discussions on Reddit, especially on larger subreddits, can move fast, yet threads can rank months or even years later. This means posts have extreme longevity, such as on platforms like LinkedIn, and it can also support your SEO efforts. And as OpenAI has signed a partnership with the platform for access to its data, you’ll also be future-proofing your SEO efforts by covering both search and AI chatbots.

How to succeed on Reddit

Brands that do well on the platform understand their customers’ needs, culture, and language, and adapt accordingly. Lodge, a brand specialising in cast iron pans, adopts an educational approach and uses subreddits such as r/castiron to answer questions about products without running its page. Engaging candidly with consumers can help brands build awareness and trust.

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Taking a different approach, adidas uses comments across sports-related subreddits to surprise and delight Redditors and to insert the brand into cultural conversations. This makes the brand relatable, showing consumers it understands them and cares about the same things they do. 

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Meanwhile, Netflix shares previews and content from its shows and upcoming series across a number of different subreddits. It even hosts AMAs (Ask Me Anything, a popular format on the platform), as characters from its programmes, such as Maury from animated series Big Mouth, using Reddit’s tagging feature to indicate who the account is supposed to be.

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Not all brands manage to tackle Reddit successfully, though. Duolingo, famous for its unhinged social media presence, tried to emulate its approach from other platforms by asking users of the r/RoastMe subreddit to do their worst, but the brand got more than it bargained for, with users downvoting Duolingo’s witty replies and criticising its efforts to seem approachable. 

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Whatever your strategy, Reddit is a place where brands can build true connections with their customers and prospective audiences. If you want to know more about how you can activate on the platform, get in touch – hello@battenhall.com.

P.S. Keep a lookout for an in-depth Reddit report that we’ll be publishing later this summer.

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