As social media continues to be a profitable marketing avenue, new platforms also continue to crop up. Digital marketing has never been so simple and easy. However, not many marketers have discovered the potential benefits of advertising on Reddit.
According to a recent study, the site is currently among the top ten most used social media platforms in the US and the top twenty worldwide. The site’s average daily use is 11.29 times, up against Facebook, which stands at 9:34. Although it’s no match for the giant Facebook, it sure surpassed both Twitter and LinkedIn.
It has millions of users researching various topics, presenting an opportunity for social media marketers to cast their news wider to give their brand’s a voice. As a marketer, turn these users into prospective customers by learning how to get started with this new cool platform.
Understand the Platform
As a social media networking site, millions of its users contribute content into themed communities known as subreddits. Shared content can be in the form of images, footage, links, or texts.
Community members react to these contents by upvoting, downvoting, liking, and commenting. Subreddits are niche-oriented and cover a wide range of topics. As of now, there are over 1.2 million subreddits. As a user, you can create a new subreddit unique to you, build members, and continue the vast flow of content, ideas, and networking on the platform.
The platform’s users only subscribe to content that is relevant to their interests. Therefore, you should tailor your marketing-related content to align with what users in your audience is most interested in. Never post what’s irrelevant to the community’s culture lest your content risk being downvoted.
Getting Started
The platform has different users built into close-knit communities, which they protect from newcomers seeking personal gain. As a member, never approach a subreddit to market your brand without regard for the community’s values and priorities that form the group’s basis.
Redditors come together to share ideas and insights into different areas of interest. They could be drawn together by a common hobby, social reason, or just a break to have fun. Before you badge in to tell everyone what nice sandals you’re selling, consider the community’s rules. As a new member, do the necessary and toe the line. Consider the following tips for successful marketing on this platform:
- Become a member: An account with no relevant posts other than those meant to promote brands is treated suspiciously on this site. You will never join any community with such an account. Therefore, if you want to have a place to belong and a solid footing, consider first becoming a member. Genuinely participate in discussions, share ideas, react to content posted on your feed. Basically, do everything to be a part of that community.
- Take less, give more: Most subreddit communities have strict rules that you must adhere to succeed on the platform. You will be required to contribute more to the group’s core priorities and post less marketing content. If you are not the patient type, you may consider that a waste of time and miss out on marketing opportunities.
- Be genuine and prove it: Forget about copy-pasting your Facebook content on this platform. For unknown reasons, Redditors frown at such content. Make yourself a valuable member of the community by generously contributing fresh content every day, and you might create a new fanbase from this subreddit community.
- No shills: You won’t go any further with a fake account with suspicious activities like employees upvoting promo posts, anonymous sponsors, and the like.
Once you become a member and focus on becoming part of the community, embrace its culture and contribute generously to its objectives., Then, slowly but surely, you can start fulfilling your own objectives of social media marketing. For a quick, positive outcome, learn how to tailor your marketing content by formatting it to blend in with the communities’ preferred contents.
How to Advertise on the Platform
To start an advertising campaign on the platform, the following steps should be in order:
1. Register for an Account
The first step is to sign up for an account on the platform. Incorporate your brand keyword or phrases with your own name into your username. This makes your account look both professional and authentic.
2. Create a TrackReddit Account for Alerts
TrackReditt has both free and premium options, which allow you to receive notifications if your keywords are mentioned on the platform. This enables you to respond more quickly and easily if users and prospective buyers mention your brand.
3. Establish a strong presence
Discover as many relevant communities as you can that might be useful in your campaign. Utilize your feed’s front page for this purpose, along with the subreddit sidebar for recommended communities.
4. Stay Active and Alert
Frequently log into your account and catch up with the daily trendings on the platform. View discussions, share ideas, upvote, leave comments, listen, and learn.
5. Take Your Participation a Notch Higher
Back on taking less and giving more. Before you start submitting your advertising content, be aggressive in your participation. Invest more time contributing to your communities’ interests.
6. Contribute Original Content
Create unique content specifically for your community, making it engaging and relevant. Never mind, even if it attracts less attention. Your goal is to establish yourself on the platform.
7. Be consistent
As with every major social media marketing platform, this does not offer any instant ROI or flow of cash. You will have to be consistent in setting your online presence and doing everything necessary to get your brand out there. Therefore, be consistent, and it will pay off in the long run.
Once you have become acquainted with the rules above, you can employ your social media marketing skills and expertise to share your products and services with hour audiences. Some of the most common contents you can use to promote your brand on the platform include:
- Videos – Have the same effect as GIFs. Works best if linked from another platform such as YouTube.
- GIFS -This type of content is popular on the site and can be very useful in your marketing strategy.
- Photos – What is social media marketing without photos? Make sure they are of high quality and always include cats and dogs. For some reason, users love them.
- Text – Post relevant messages and share content that sparks in-depth discussions.
- Blogs – One perfect way to promote a reading culture. A blog post detailing your products is a great marketing strategy.
- AMA – Means Ask Me Anything. With this feature, you can tell your audience anything they ask about your brand.
- News – Use this feature to share anything newsworthy with your audiences.
Conclusion
Reddit is not your typical social media marketing platform like Facebook or Twitter, where all you need is a strong following to get your brand out there. This platform is more of a public relations experience where you interact with and know your customers on a personal level. It offers the opportunity to build real relationships and be part of communities relevant to your brand. If seen from that perspective, and with patience and consistency, this platform can be a reliable digital marketing avenue with great rewards.
