Reddit is in its main character era. What was once deemed a chaotic hub for gamers, underground conversations, meme-lords, and stock-market stunts has become one of the most powerful forces on the web for culture, trust, and even search.

As of January 2025, 1.1 billion people are scrolling, posting, and upvoting on Reddit each month (which is nearly triple the population of the EU). Our listening data shows that media mentions of Reddit are also up 2,810% in the last five years, and that it’s been cited alongside TikTok and Instagram in 38% more articles compared to a year ago—signaling that the platform is truly influencing the digital ecosystem.

And it’s not just on-platform momentum. With an IPO, a landmark data-sharing deal with Google, and an integration with OpenAI, Reddit is now training the very AI models that surface answers in search.

So, we’re shouting this out loud to all the marketers, communicators, product leads, and C-suite executives out there: Reddit is the next platform you need to focus on.

Reddit’s rise is impossible to ignore for anyone responsible for shaping brand perception, whether building trust, uncovering audience insights, testing product ideas, or joining cultural conversations. It’s not an isolated playground for niche communities. It’s a platform actively shaping the conversations that determine what people believe, buy, and share.

How Reddit shapes AI, search, and brand perception

Reddit might look complicated on the surface with its labyrinth of hyper-specific subreddits like r/RealBeesFakeTopHats, r/PizzaCrimes, and r/unstirredpaint. But underneath, it’s built something powerful that many platforms have lost: trust.

That sense of trust is what’s made Reddit so powerful. Audiences burned out by ad-heavy feeds choose Reddit because it feels more authentic. According to Reddit, 76% of its users believe posts on the platform are more honest and truthful than those on Snapchat, TikTok, X, Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook.

It’s the reason why a single upvoted comment in a niche thread can ripple outward and shape hundreds or thousands of buying decisions at scale. It’s why Reddit threads now drive so many real-world choices: from which viral skincare products are actually worth trying to which SaaS platform will take your customer service from good to great.

Search visibility is another treasure trove found in the world of Reddit. The platform has become far more visible in search, especially in Google product review queries, where it now appears 97.5% of the time. Our data shows that 30,146 articles linked Reddit to product reviews in the past year. Between 2023 and 2024, Reddit also jumped from the 68th to the 5th-highest SEO visibility domain.

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram may be where trends blow up, but Reddit is where decisions get made.

Why Reddit marketing matters for brands

Reddit is the internet’s decision engine. It’s where people trade opinions, swap receipts, and crowdsource the truth before they hit “buy.” For marketers and brand leaders, that makes it one of the most valuable platforms hiding in plain sight.

Still skeptical? Here are six reasons why Reddit deserves a place in your marketing playbook:

1. Plenty of niche communities, zero wasted effort. Targeted subreddits like r/MarketingMentor or r/salestechniques attract people who actually want to talk shop. These are not casual scrollers. They are users hunting for answers, recommendations, and solutions. Drop into the right thread and you are instantly part of a conversation that matters.

2. Trust you can’t buy. 86% of internet users trust product opinions on Reddit, and nearly 80% say they welcome brands that contribute value. Communities like r/CloudFlare prove the formula: show up, be useful, and credibility follows.

3. Small steps, outsized returns. One thoughtful post per week can lift positive sentiment by 3.5%. Three authentic comments per week can raise positive mentions by 2.2%. That is ROI most platforms would kill for, and it comes from consistency, not volume.

4. The realest focus group on the web. Brands looking for sugarcoated commentary won’t find it on Reddit. Conversations on the platform reveal the unvarnished truth about products, categories, and competitors. Notion taps directly into this with a dedicated thread for user suggestions that feed its roadmap.

5. Search dominance is baked in. Reddit threads rule search results for product review queries. Join the right conversations and your brand shows up exactly when people are looking for solutions.

6. AI can’t stop quoting Reddit. Semrush found Reddit referenced in 40.1% of responses from leading LLMs like ChatGPT and Perplexity. Google’s AI Overviews cited Reddit 450% more often between March and June 2025. In other words, what happens on Reddit today can shape how AI highlights your brand tomorrow.

The bottom line: Reddit is where authenticity, trust, and visibility collide. The brands moving in now will be significantly ahead in the influence game.

How to build a Reddit strategy that earns trust" (and not get downvoted into oblivion)

Reddit rewards brands that add value and rebukes the ones that don’t. Before you wade into the Reddit marketing pool, run a quick gut-check:

If you’re nodding “yes” to most of these, it’s time to dip a toe in. Here’s your starter pack:

1. Audit your footprint. Search your brand, category, or FAQs on Reddit to find out what people are already saying. That’s the only way to begin.

2. Lurk before you leap. Every subreddit has its own rules, slang, and rituals. Spend time reviewing comment threads, moderator rules, and community highlights. Lurking first keeps you from barging in awkwardly and blowing your credibility on day one.

3. Claim a branded voice. Set up an official account (u/YourBrandName) so you can engage directly. Keep the tone conversational and approachable, not corporate boilerplate. Some brands go further with personality-led handles, like Mint Mobile’s u/MintMobileAlex, to put a human face behind the logo.

4. Build reusable FAQs. If you’re seeing the same questions surface over and over, prep replies your team can personalize to save time and keep answers consistent. Brands like u/hims lean on this approach to handle wellness questions.

5. Step up with original content. Don’t stop at reactive replies. Offer how-tos, explainers, or thought leadership threads, like this post on AI marketing challenges written by u/SEMrush. AMAs are especially powerful, giving communities direct access to your experts in real time. Posts that package insights visually, like charts, memes, and quick infographics, can also cut through walls of text.

6. Commit to consistency. Treat Reddit like part of your marketing workflow, not a side gig. Joining conversations a few times a week compounds visibility and trust. Over time, communities may even reward you with Awards, a visible stamp that says “this brand actually brought value.”

As with most advice on Reddit, though, remember YMMV (“your mileage may vary”). What clicks in one community might flop in another. Read the room, respect the culture, and adapt your approach to fit.

TL;DR: Reddit’s time is now

Reddit has become one of the internet’s most powerful drivers of influence. It’s where decisions get made, opinions get shaped, and brands prove their worth by adding utility, not noise.

The platform’s influence stretches far beyond its own walls. Threads amplify outward, ranking in Google, surfacing in AI responses, and fueling the conversations that shape what people buy, download, and think. Even small, steady participation on the platform can snowball into outsized impact.

The takeaway is simple: brands that take Reddit marketing seriously now will be the ones writing the book on discoverability, community, and culture in the years ahead.

FAQ: What you need to know about Reddit marketing

Why should brands care about Reddit in 2025?

Reddit has evolved into one of the internet’s most trusted and influential platforms, with 1.1 billion monthly users and growing integration into Google Search and AI models. It’s where real conversations drive real decisions—what people believe, buy, and share. For marketers and executives, Reddit now sits at the crossroads of authenticity, visibility, and influence.

How is Reddit shaping AI and search visibility?

Reddit threads increasingly train and inform AI models. Between March and June 2025, Google’s AI Overviews cited Reddit 450% more often, and platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity reference it in over 40% of answers. That means insights shared in Reddit communities can directly influence what AI and search engines say about your brand.

What makes Reddit different from other social platforms?

Reddit’s power lies in community-driven trust, not paid reach. Users seek honest recommendations and expert opinions, not marketing slogans. Brands earn credibility by showing up as humans first, experts second, and marketers last. Success depends on transparency, utility, and consistent participation, not ad spend.

How can brands join conversations without being downvoted?

Start by listening. Every subreddit has its own tone and rules—learn them before posting. Engage with value: answer questions, share insights, and avoid hard sells. Even one thoughtful post or a few expert comments per week can build trust and lift positive sentiment measurably over time.

What kind of content works best for brands on Reddit?

Content that feels helpful, human, and data-backed wins. Examples include: AMAs (Ask Me Anything) with subject-matter experts; explainers, how-tos, and visuals (charts, memes, quick infographics); behind-the-scenes insights or transparent discussions of lessons learned Posts that invite discussion rather than broadcast promotion tend to earn upvotes and citations.

How can Reddit insights fuel broader marketing strategy?

Reddit is a living focus group. The language, themes, and sentiment in subreddits reveal audience pain points and authentic feedback. Marketers use these insights to shape messaging, product decisions, SEO content, and even PR angles, turning organic community conversation into strategic intelligence.

What should brands track to measure success on Reddit?

Skip vanity metrics and focus on sentiment, share of voice, engagement quality, and citation visibility in search or AI results. Track how often your brand is mentioned, upvoted, or referenced in generative outputs. These are the new signals of trust and authority in the GEO era.

Just Drive Media helps brands build credibility where it counts — with media, on social, and in the moments that shape reputation. Our team blends data, storytelling, and audience insight to drive visibility and trust across channels. Explore our services or get in touch to see how we can help you turn authentic conversations into lasting impact.