As a matter of good business, online creators should be aware of the trends and practices creators are using. In 2022, you’ll notice that more creators are on Reddit than ever before. They’re discovering it’s one of the most under-used ways to give your brand a boost. Consider this a Reddit guide to help you use subreddits to get creative in your own content, engage with your audience in new ways and understand what they’re interested in.
A guide to Reddit: More than just a forum
Reddit has taken the concept of online chat forums to the next level. There are pages, called subreddits, for nearly any topic imaginable. These subreddits are user-moderated. Plus, the moderators can develop their own community rules within the general Reddit guidelines. The posts and comments rise or fall in popularity based on like or dislike votes from other users. Also, rather than relying on algorithms to suggest content, users join the subreddit communities they’re interested in. Flair tags help guide users to the topics they want to see. Direct self-promotion — like sharing links to your own content — is generally not permitted. That doesn’t mean it’s not a perfect platform to elevate your channel and grow your brand.
A new way to build community
If you’ve learned anything about successful creators, you know that creating a sense of community is critical. Reddit is designed around conversation and opinions. That means your subreddit pages will be full of people showing up to participate in your topics. Perhaps you have a gaming channel where you play a lot of sport-related video games. You can start a subreddit that revolves around sports video games. It can be specific or general. Create posts about your favorite games, most or least realistic games, best or worst graphics, secret codes and so on. You’ll then be engaged in discussions with the Redditors who join your threads. Interacting helps them feel connected to you, making them want to find your content on other platforms. They’ll be more likely to follow you on social media, reshare your posts and come back for more.
The art of subtle self-promotion
When we think of marketing, we mostly think of obvious things like advertisements that encourage viewers to click a link. Other marketing tactics may include influencers, cross-posting or sponsored content. Some of the most effective marketing, though, is more subtle. When viewers are willing to do a little work, they become more committed. Reddit is a great place to foster this. There are very limited ways to push people directly from the platform to your content. That means they will have to learn enough to find your streaming content on other platforms.
Some ways to use your subreddit:
- Announcements about upcoming guests on your stream
- Opinions about the games you’ve been playing
- Tell a funny story from a recent stream
- Share things you’ve learned from hosting streaming channels
- Present your own reviews or comparisons of games or gamers
- Write about entertaining behind the scenes moments
Find inspiration for content creation
You can also use subreddit threads to find inspiration for your streaming channels. Many creators on YouTube encourage their viewers to leave comments with their ideas for future episodes. Cooking channels ask for ideas of which new recipes to cover. DIY crafters ask for input on what the next project should be. The easiest way to ensure you’re giving the audience what they really want is to simply ask them. One subreddit, r/patientgamers, has an ongoing topic: “What are you playing this week?” Its flair tag is WAYPTW. When you browse the comments, you might notice a pattern that shows many people are into a particular game at the same time. Add that to your play rotation wherever you stream and work it into the conversations on Reddit.
One last tip for your success
Be sure to keep up on the latest developments on Reddit. Consider how it could affect your subreddits and take steps to ensure your brand can benefit from it. For example, Reddit recently rolled out a feature called Discovery. The intent, from Reddit’s perspective, is to find ways to keep members engaged so they will stay on the platform longer. Users can go to the Discover tab and find recommendations for new subreddits based on the subreddits they are already spending time in. As your subreddit grows in popularity, it will be recommended more in the Discovery tab. That’s automatic audience growth that you can market to and engage with to build your audiences elsewhere.
Many content creators and streamers are not taking advantage of the perks of Reddit yet. However, you’ll notice that number is rising quickly and for good reasons. If you take anything from this Reddit guide, take that you just have to just get in there. You have to start racking up your good karma and begin networking and connecting. Then, as soon as you can, create your own public subreddit to start building your Reddit community, which we have a guide for as well. Encourage your viewers to join the conversations and entice the Redditors to find your streams. It’s a truly engaging way to level up.