Reddit Is Becoming a Key Consideration for Marketers in 2026

Over the past few years I’ve been asked more and more about Reddit, and whether it’s worth a place in the social mix. My answer today: yes, it’s time to take Reddit seriously.

Reddit reported that as of July 2025 it’s the second most visited site in the US and third in Canada, with 415M+ global weekly active users and communities (subreddits) for virtually every niche. Add to that a growing body of analysis showing that LLMs (like ChatGPT) often reference Reddit discussions, and you’ve got a platform that can influence both human and AI-driven discovery.

If you’re planning your 2026 strategy, Reddit is a smart channel to test, provided you respect how its communities work.

Why Reddit matters for brands

• High-intent conversations: Users ask questions, compare products, and share experiences—perfect for insight and consideration.

• Evergreen visibility: Helpful threads can rank in search engines and be surfaced by AI assistants long after you post.

• Niche targeting: Thousands of subreddits allow you to meet audiences by interest, location, industry, or need.

• Cost-effective ads: Reddit Ads can be comparatively affordable and contextually targeted.

Three ways to use Reddit (safely and effectively)

1. Participate as a helpful contributor (organic)

Create a brand or spokesperson profile and answer questions, share useful resources, and credit others. On Reddit, value first wins.

Do:

• Read a subreddit’s rules before posting.

• Disclose your affiliation (e.g., “I work at X”).

• Add sources, data, and practical steps.

Don’t:

• Drop links without context.

• Recycle press releases.

• Argue with users – acknowledge, clarify, move on.

2. Host or sponsor an AMA (Ask Me Anything)

AMAs work for founders, subject-matter experts, and community initiatives.

Tips for AMAs:

• Prepare 10–15 likely questions and evidence (images, links, data).

• Have two moderators: one to answer, one to triage.

• Promote the AMA in relevant subreddits (where allowed) and on your socials.

3. Test Reddit Ads

Target by subreddit, interest, location, device, and keywords.

Starter playbook:

• Build ad groups by subreddit (e.g., r/UKPersonalFinance, r/SmallBusiness).

• Use question-led creative (“Which CRM is best for a 5-person team?”).

• Send clicks to fast, skimmable landing pages that match the question.

• Track with UTMs; optimise to add-to-cart/lead events, not just clicks.

Etiquette that earns trust (non-negotiables)

• Read before you post: Lurk for a week in your priority subreddits.

• Be transparent: Add a line in your flair or comment (“Brand rep here”).

• Help first, link later: Only link when it’s genuinely useful.

• Credit the community: Thank users; summarise learnings back to the thread.

• Accept scrutiny: Redditors will check claims—come prepared.

What to post on Reddit (content ideas)

• How-to guides tailored to the subreddit’s needs

• Comparison charts (with criteria and trade-offs)

• Case studies with screenshots and lessons learned

• Tool stacks or shopping lists (“Budget podcast kit under £300”)

• Behind-the-scenes processes and checklists

• Community-voted polls to inform your product or content

Measurement: what good looks like

• Thread quality: upvotes/downvotes ratio, saves, meaningful replies

• Assisted discovery: brand mentions in new threads; referral traffic with UTMs

• Search visibility: your threads appearing in Google/AI answers over time

• Lower-funnel signals: demo requests, newsletter sign-ups from Reddit landers

• Cost efficiency (ads): CPC, CPA, and subreddit-level ROAS

Final thought

Reddit isn’t about polished brand content. It’s about useful, honest conversation. If you show up to help, not to hard-sell, you’ll earn trust, insight, and over time, get high-quality traffic at a sensible cost.