Reddit has become one of the most influential platforms in all of search.
It acts as a trusted space where real users compare products, challenge claims, and validate buying decisions.
With this much user trust spread across billions of niche subreddits and community threads, it’s little surprise that it has jumped to the front of the line for both Google and AI Search when they’re looking for a trusted source to serve their users.
This means Reddit isn’t just another social network, it’s a credibility engine that directly affects both human and AI discovery.
In this case study, we’ll show you how we helped a technology company dramatically increase referral traffic and strengthen authority signals by building a genuine presence on Reddit.
The result?
Referral traffic from Reddit alone grew by 642%.
But even more importantly: their monthly AI referral traffic grew by 2,814%
In this case study, you’ll learn :
How to craft a Reddit strategy specifically to maximize your SEO and AI search reach.- How to identify the right subreddits and threads you should be seen and heard in.
- How to execute that strategy in a manner that builds trust and generates engagement with your audience.
To start, here’s a refresher about the site and why they needed our help.
The Challenge
The client is a technology company specializing in real estate data and analytics, you know, the Ahrefs of real estate from the original case study.
We’d already seen great success by reusing their existing content and publishing it on different platforms. But, they had no presence in the online communities where their audience was actively seeking advice, comparing tools, and sharing recommendations.
Reddit was a major hub for those discussions, yet they weren’t part of the conversation.
As users increasingly rely on Reddit threads to guide decisions, verify information, and influence AI-generated results, the client was in serious danger of falling behind the curve.
Competitors with even minimal Reddit activity were appearing in searches, earning upvotes, and being referenced by AI systems.
The issue wasn’t the quality of the client’s knowledge, it was that they lacked credibility, visibility, and participation in the community channels that actually shape company perception and discovery.
They turned to The Search Initiative to develop a Reddit strategy that would build trust authentically, provide audience value without being promotional, and increase visibility in a way that would drive referral traffic and improve AI search authority.
Building Authority Through Reddit Engagement
Reddit has become one of the most influential platforms in search today. It helps shape what people see on Google, influences AI-generated answers, and serves as a trusted space where consumers validate their decisions with peers, experts, or fellow enthusiasts.
Why is Reddit Key to AI Search Success?
Recent research into AI platform citation patterns shows just how central Reddit has become. In Profound’s 2025 study, Reddit emerged as the leading source for both Google AI Overviews (2.2%) and Perplexity (6.6%), and second for ChatGPT (1.8%). This was also supported by a separate study by SEMrush who found Reddit dominating citations across all AI models.
Adding to this momentum, 2024 saw both Google and OpenAI strike partnerships with Reddit. For Google, the aim is “to make its content available for training the search engine giant’s artificial intelligence models,” and OpenAI to “bring enhanced Reddit content to ChatGPT and new products.”
This means that when people ask AI systems for answers, Reddit discussions are consistently part of the evidence those systems pull from – and, crucially, these tools are proactively looking at Reddit.
This means that when people ask AI systems for answers, Reddit discussions are consistently part of the evidence those systems pull from – and, crucially, these tools are proactively looking at Reddit.
This visibility translates into three critical advantages:
1 . Search and AI visibility – Engaging in the right discussion communities (or ‘subreddits’, as they’re known) helps boost your chances of being featured in both Google search results and AI-generated answers.
For example, a Google search for “best summer fragrances for men” features Reddit content on the very first page:
Likewise, ChatGPT cites Reddit for the same query.
2. Community trust – Users see Reddit as unfiltered and credible. Many people actively check Reddit threads to validate claims they’ve seen elsewhere. This makes some of the risks for marketers greater, but also the potential rewards.
3. Defensible authority – Because credibility on Reddit is earned slowly through karma and authentic engagement, competitors can’t easily replicate your standing once you’ve established it.
In short, showing up on Reddit authentically and ahead of the competition doesn’t just win over community members, it also embeds your expertise into the knowledge base that powers AI search.
How to Execute a Successful Reddit Strategy
Here’s a step-by-step playbook for running a successful Reddit strategy.
Setting Up Your Reddit Profile Authentically
The first rule of Reddit marketing is simple: don’t look like a marketer.
To win on Reddit (and avoid getting banned), remember this: it’s about value, not sales.
Reddit users can spot inauthentic marketing right away.
As this 2025 investigation by Hubspot found, nothing gets you downvoted faster than: obvious shilling, using corporate jargon and hard sells. Success is achieved through helpful answers, not ads.
That means your profile should be understated:
Skip the company pitch or flashy CTA in your bio- Don’t link out to your website our socials (yet)
- Keep the avatar simpleLet your activity do the talking
Once you’ve established credibility, you can post under usernames like BrandName_Official or BrandName_YourName. The key is that your name signals who you are, while your contributions and activity prove that you belong in those subreddits and are providing value.
Take Nick_OS_ as an example. Their account has no links, no sales pitch, and no flashy profile. But if you scroll through their post history, you’ll see they consistently contribute to health and nutrition-focused subreddits.
Their valuable contributions earned them labels like “Allied Health Professional”.
Trust is earned through your engagement, not how you package yourself. Build credibility with helpful content first. Your profile can follow later.
Familiarize Yourself With Subreddits
Before you write a single post, take the time to understand how Reddit works. This is your onboarding phase. Spend at least a week or two observing. Pay attention to how people interact, what gets engagement, and what gets removed.
Why? Because the high-energy, self-promotional style that works on LinkedIn or Instagram is exactly what gets you downvoted or even banned on subreddits for not meeting their rules.
Success here comes from fitting into the culture first.
How Subreddits Work
Each subreddit has its own culture, rules, and expectations and there are literally millions of unique subreddits.
What works in one subreddit might get you flagged in another.
For example, in r/Entrepreneur, you need 10 comment karma (a score showing how well your contributions are received by the community) before you can post, and self-promotion is strictly banned.
Whereas in r/Pen_Swap, self-promotion is expected, and people actively buy, sell, and trade pens.
Think of Reddit as having two layers of rules:
1. Global norms (Reddiquette) – the platform’s overall code of conduct serving as the baseline for how you should behave. The idea is simple:
- Remember that there’s a human on the other side of the screen.
- Write clearly and format your posts in a way that makes them easy to read.
- Assume good intent until someone proves otherwise, and avoid personal attacks or spam.
Following Reddiquette won’t guarantee success, but breaking it almost always guarantees trouble.
2. Local rules – Each subreddit has its own specific guidelines, often pinned in the sidebar or highlighted in a sticky post.
These rules govern how the community operates. Some subreddits ban self-promotion entirely, while others allow it under strict conditions.
Some subreddits don’t allow external links in posts, like this DIY subreddit, which specially restricts users from adding YouTube links.
In most cases, you can still work around this by publishing the post without links and introducing them later in the comments as part of a natural reply.
This keeps posts compliant while still allowing interested readers to access deeper resources.
Understanding both the global norms and the local rules is key to blending in and building credibility.
Learn the Language of Reddit
Redditors value plain language, quick wit, and a conversational tone and so if you’re using corporate jargon, it’ll stand out like a sore thumb.
Here are some common terms you’ll see everywhere:
- OP – Original Poster (the person who started the thread)
- ELI5 – Explain Like I’m 5 (a request for a simple breakdown)
- TL;DR – Too Long; Didn’t Read (a one-line summary)
- TIL – Today I Learned
- AMA – Ask Me Anything (a live Q&A format)
- Karma – Reddit’s point system, earned from upvotes.
- FTFY – Fixed That For You (used humorously to correct someone)
You don’t need to memorize everything, but knowing the basics helps you blend in.
Karma and Voting
Karma is Reddit’s reputation system. Think of it as your trust score.
- Post karma comes from upvotes on threads you create.
- Comment karma comes from upvotes on your replies.
While karma might seem like just a number, it’s important as some subreddits require a minimum karma score before you can post.
Upvotes and downvotes decide visibility.
The best answers float to the top of the thread, attracting more views and more engagement.
Downvoted comments sink, making them invisible to most readers.
Your goal in the early stages is to earn consistent upvotes by contributing useful, clear, and authentic responses.
By the end of this stage, you should feel comfortable in your chosen subreddits, which I’ll show you how to find next…
How to Choose & Find Relevant Subreddits
The subreddits you choose will directly impact how quickly you build karma.
Instead of aiming for the biggest, most crowded subreddits, focus on smaller, niche communities that align with your expertise and a few you genuinely enjoy. This balance helps you engage authentically while reaching the right audience.
Broad communities like r/Plumbing (13K weekly contributions) move fast.
Posts disappear quickly, moderators are stricter, and only viral or perfectly timed content stands out. For most new accounts, this means your post will likely get lost.
Instead, target smaller subreddits where the pace is slower, and thoughtful contributions get noticed.
For instance, r/BathroomRemodeling is a space for sharing remodel photos, asking for advice, and finding inspiration. This is a community that moves at a manageable pace, with simpler rules and more forgiving members as you learn the ropes.
Once you’ve built some Karma and confidence, start engaging more deeply: answer relevant questions, share insights only a practitioner would know, and create threads around FAQs you see pop up often.
The easiest way to find relevant communities is through Reddit’s search bar.
Type your niche in the top search bar, hit enter, and click “Communities.”.
You’ll see two numbers next to each subreddit: total members and users online. The ratio shows how active it really is.
If you’re prioritizing specific keyword search terms as a first step, you can also use Ahrefs data to identify which of your highest value keywords feature Reddit posts on the first page of Google.
Compile a full list of which posts rank for each keyword – and which subreddits they feature in, then prioritize these subreddits based on which ones are dominating your highest value terms.
Bonus: try r/findareddit, where you can ask for subreddit recommendations.
When starting out, join 10-15 subreddits to test where your voice fits. Over time, narrow down to the 3-5 where you’re most active and recognized.
Before posting, watch what people ask and how they respond to understand what truly resonates.
Tips on How to Engage Within Your Chosen Subreddits
1. Pick the Right Threads – Browse your subreddits and filter threads by “Rising”. These posts are gaining traction and already have some engagement or upvotes.
Getting in early on these threads increases the chance your comment will be noticed as the conversation develops.
Looking at the “Hot” topics is another great place to start.
These threads already have plenty of upvotes and comments, meaning they’re likely interesting or useful to a large audience.
Cross-check both of these to find threads where you can:
- Answer a question with your expertise
- Add additional context that others may have missed
- Correct a common misconception
- Share a relevant story from your own experience
- Give step-by-step help to a “how-to” question
The key, especially in “Hot” topic threads where basics are often already covered, is to find opportunities where you can genuinely add your unique value, not just commenting for the sake of commenting.
For example, here’s a thread where someone is explicitly asking for help with their tiny bathroom:
If you’re a plumber, interior designer, or sell bathroom products, this is a great place to show your expertise and offer practical remodeling advice.
Bonus tip: Tailor your approach to the subreddit’s size.
In larger subreddits (1M+ members or 100+ daily posts), aim for threads with at least 50 upvotes and 15 comments.
In smaller subreddits, even 5 upvotes and a few replies mean it’s worth jumping in.
2. Write Scannable Comments – There are two ways you can reply to comments:
- Direct to the post, by clicking “Join the conversation” under the main thread.
- Inside the thread itself, by clicking “Reply” under another comment.
Both options work, but how you structure your comment is key.
Here are some general rules to follow to make your comments scannable:
- Keep paragraphs short (2–3 sentences max)
- Use spacing to guide the eye
- Bold key ideas (if the sub allows it)
- Lists and numbers make advice easy to digest
For example, this block of text isn’t very readable…
A better formatted version would be…
Use the “Aa” icon in the comment box to view formatting options, allowing you to add lists, bold text etc.
3. Write in the First Person – Rather than writing your comments from your brand or site’s perspective, frame them as personal observations or experience.
So instead of saying: “In our experience” or “we’ve learnt”
Write “Here’s what I’ve seen” or “In my experience”.
Why?
Because well-known publishers can get away with external-facing summaries, but for smaller brands, first-person writing feels more natural and aligns better with Reddit’s expectations.
This approach reduces the risk of moderation issues and makes contributions feel like genuine participation, not content promotion.
4. Style Your Comment to Win Upvotes – Not all comments are created equal. The ones that earn upvotes are clear, useful, and add something new to the conversation.
Here are six proven comment styles you can use to consistently stand out on Reddit, each backed with a real example to show you how it works.
The Straight Shooter – This style works best for direct, practical questions where the user just wants a clear answer. Keep it simple and give them the exact steps or solution without overcomplicating things.
- The Missing Piece – Use this style when other replies in the thread are good but incomplete. Acknowledge the existing advice, then add the missing detail or extra value that takes the answer from “OK” to “gold.”
For example, this simple additional comment received a lot of upvotes.
- The Story Drop – Make your advice more memorable by attaching it to a real experience or use case. People relate to stories more than abstract tips, so this style builds credibility and trust.
- The Proof Point – Reddit threads often fill up with opinions. If you step in with evidence like a stat, report, or credible source, you cut through the noise and stand out as the person who brings facts, not guesses.
- The Mini-Playbook – Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is hand people a step-by-step list. When doing so, make it scannable (either with ordered lists or by spreading out the list with each line) and give readers something they can act on immediately.
- The Brand Voice – In most cases, you should avoid any kind of advertising, but sometimes, your business name or product may come up organically in a thread. This is a golden chance for you to step in transparently and helpfully, without being salesy
Here’s an example done right: the brand replied openly, solved the issue, and even earned a thank-you from the original poster.
4. Keep the Thread Going – Respond consistently to build relationships and show you’re part of the community, not just using it as a billboard.
The bonus? You’ll increase visibility because each new reply bumps the thread back up the feed
Pro tip: Follow your own comments. Click the three dots under a reply and select “Follow comment” to get notified when someone responds.
Here are some additional tips to keep the conversation going:
- Ask Follow-Up Questions – Asking these helps provide more detail so that you can give a sharper answer.
- End Posts With a Question – End replies to others’ and your own posts with a relevant, open-ended question to invite replies and keep the conversation active.
The goal isn’t to “CTA” readers, but to give them an easy reason to respond and encourage further discussion.
- Drop Bonus Resources – Add a tool, guide, or quick reference that helps right away.
- Acknowledge + Build – Highlight someone else’s point, then layer your insight on top.
5. Start Your Own Threads – At some point, you’ll want to go beyond just commenting and start your own threads.
But there’s no magic karma number that unlocks this ability.
Each subreddit has its own bar for posting. Some require account age or karma, others don’t care at all.
The real question isn’t “Can I post?” but “Should I?”.
This depends on:
- How well you know the community
- How much you understand its culture
- How much you’ve already contributed through comments
Once you’ve built credibility, focus on posts with real value. Look for topics that have the potential to earn upvotes and get noticed, such as:
- Your top-performing comments
- Recurring questions you see in your niche or from your audience
- Threads where the same issues keep popping up
Here are some of the most effective post types to launch on Reddit:
- Case Studies – Share real experiences to build credibility. Walk readers through a situation, the steps you took, and the outcome.
- Lessons Learned & Common Mistakes – People love learning from mistakes. Frame it like “Here’s what went wrong, here’s how we fixed it,” or share what you’ve learned in your niche.
- Discussion Prompts – Ask questions that invite others to share their stories or opinions. Be specific and follow up to keep the conversation going.
- Free Resources – Offer something of value the community can use, like spreadsheets, templates, or checklists.
6. How to Properly Talk About Your Business – By contributing to relevant conversations and starting your own posts, you’ll help build you a Reddit profile that allows you to talk about you, your brand and products.
Here’re how to do this:
- Profile – Let your profile speak for itself. Focus on being helpful, and curious readers can click through to learn more about you.
Once you’ve built credibility, add a simple, professional bio like this:
Why this works:
- Clear expertise: It’s clear what the user does, establishing credibility without sounding like a sales pitch.
- Helpfulness: Focuses on offering advice, showing the user is there to contribute, not sell.
- Inviting: The mention of being open to messages encourages interaction without being pushy.
This format presents you as a knowledgeable community member, not just a marketer.
- Expertise – Use your role, experience, or background as context for why your perspective matters. It signals authority without sounding like a sales pitch.
- Direct – This method involves naming you, your company or product in the comments, but it should be used sparingly.
This method works when you’re genuinely adding value to the conversation, like when it addresses a pain point or solves the issue being discussed.
Instead of saying, “Check out my product, it’s the best solution,” focus on how it helped others or how it addresses the problem at hand.
Following these steps will help you contribute authentically, build credibility, and avoid getting downvoted (or banned), while growing your company’s presence on Reddit.
How to Track Your Reddit Performance
Once you start engaging on Reddit, measuring performance helps you understand what resonates with the community, which content earns upvotes, and whether your efforts are boosting visibility for your business or expertise.
1. Track Karma and Upvotes – The easiest way to measure your Reddit performance is by tracking your karma and upvotes.
- Check your profile page regularly to see your total karma.
Karma is important because it often determines whether you can contribute to certain subreddits.
- Identify which of your comments or posts earn the most upvotes and do the same for comments and posts in your chosen subreddits in general.
These help you identify what types of contributions the community values.
- Look for patterns. Do informative, helpful comments perform better than personal anecdotes or promotional content in specific subreddits?
2. Monitor Engagement Metrics – Beyond karma, pay attention to the level of engagement your contributions generate. This includes:
- Number of comments on your posts
- Number of replies to your comments
- Awards received (like Reddit Gold, Silver, or helpful badges)
- Thread visibility, whether your posts are rising to the top or staying visible for longer periods
Compare engagement over time to see which types of posts or subreddits are most responsive to your content.
3. Monitor Mentions in AI Models – Periodically search for your key topics or brand terms in AI models to see if Reddit threads you’ve contributed to are being cited.
Take note of which types of posts (Q&A, tutorials, or case studies) are more frequently picked up, and adjust your strategy based on which contributions gain AI recognition.
To check if your Reddit posts are being referenced, use specific search prompts:
- “Can you provide insights from Reddit discussions on [your topic]?”
- “What are Reddit users saying about [your company/product]?”
- “Summarize Reddit threads discussing [your topic].”
- “What do Reddit users think about [your company/product]?”
These queries can help you identify if your posts are being cited in AI-generated responses.
For example, running a prompt in ChatGPT for QuickGrow Pruner shows which Reddit threads the model is citing:
In our QuickGrow example, ChatGPT didn’t find direct mentions of the pruner, but it provided insights on what content and phrasing AI looks for. Pay attention to common topics, keywords, and formats to tailor your contributions.
For instance, ChatGPT gave actionable tips for QuickGrow Pruner, emphasizing the ergonomic design, sharpness retention, and blade type based on what the community values:
Once you know which content AI models are picking up, you can actively shape your posts to align with those insights.
4. Track your Website’s Reddit Referral Traffic – This may seem a little old school at this point, but as word about you gets around on a trusted platform, you massively increase the likelihood that your site will be linked directly from Reddit and users will click through.
This is exactly what happened for our client. Not just through their own seeded content, but also through linked recommendations from the wider community in their most active subreddits.
One important nuance to be aware of is attribution. Traffic from Reddit often appears in GA4 as “Direct” or “Unassigned,” even when Reddit is the true source. This is common and doesn’t mean Reddit isn’t driving an impact.
Where subreddit rules allowed, we added UTM parameters to links to improve attribution (here’s a great free site to create UTM links).
However, some subreddits restrict or remove posts containing tracked URLs, so compliance always comes first.
In these cases, prioritize engagement and visibility, treating analytics data as directional rather than exact.
Measure and learn from these success metrics and you will have a clear view of which strategies are actually working and where to double down.
By contributing thoughtfully, tracking performance, and analyzing which threads and subreddits AI tools trust, you can grow your authority in the eyes of your most engaged customers, while also increasing the chances that your content shows up in AI Search.
The Results
When compared year-on-year, our client site’s referral traffic from Reddit grew by 642%.
In the same period, AI referral traffic increased by 2,814%
The site is also appearing for 136 keywords within AI overviews in the U.S.A.
Conclusion
In this case study, I’ve shown you how to:
- Engage authentically in relevant subreddits to earn trust and credibility, so your expertise is recognized by both humans and AI.
If you want to:
- Turn what you already know into Reddit content that AI systems can actually pick up and reference
- Engage with your audience and have meaningful conversations that showcase your expertise and value
- Grow your traffic from sources beyond Google by showing up in the communities people trust most.
…talk to our team at The Search Initiative and we’ll show you where your biggest Reddit opportunities are hiding – and how to take advantage of them right now.
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