Reddit has published a new report which looks at its rising influence on purchase behavior, as more people turn to Reddit conversations to inform their choices.
Because Reddit users are informed, and have real-world experience with the products they’re discussing. Subreddit communities are also highly engaged, and with its crowd-sourced upvote system, that also helps to ensure that the most useful responses get the most traction in the app.
I mean, there’s a reason why Google established a partnership with Reddit last year giving it access to Reddit’s data for use in Search and its generative AI projects.
As per Reddit:
“In a world of expanding options, decreasing trust in influencers and heightened economic pressure, people are becoming more intentional about their buying choices. They turn to Reddit communities and conversations throughout their shopping journeys to vet their options and make faster, better decisions. In addition, posts on Reddit remain useful and provide value weeks, months, or even years later.”
And there are some valuable data notes to back this up.
First, Reddit says that 88% of people go through Reddit to help make purchase decisions.
A large chunk of that now actually comes via Google, with Reddit results getting priority in many Reddit searches, and with AI results muddying the waters in some respects (by providing aggregated, generalized insight which isn’t always helpful in learning about products), many people now scroll down to the Reddit links, or add “Reddit” to their search queries to get these insights.
Reddit says that its posts also generate views months after the initial publication date, with 57% of all Reddit posts that mention a brand or product getting views for over a year.
So how can brands play a part, and ensure that they’re products are the ones being discussed in Reddit communities?
Well, for one, be present.
Reddit says that brand participation sparks response from Redditors, who often return the favor with positive posts and comments.
“As little as one organic post per week is associated with a 3.5% increase in positive posts from Redditors about your brand, and just 3 organic comments from a brand on a user post per week on top of paid media may drive a 2.2% rise in positive posting.”
So, playing a part can help, and while these aren’t crazy engagement leaps, they also compound over time, based on ongoing participation.
Finally, Reddit also notes that advertising on the platform can have a ripple effect for your expanded marketing efforts.
“Our most recent media mix modeling meta analysis, in partnership with Transunion, found that Reddit ads helped tech advertisers achieve a +$6.94 7 in return on ad spend (ROAS).”
In summary, people are looking for product info on Reddit, and you can meet them there by being active in the app, and utilizing Reddit ads to solidify your messaging.
This won’t be true of all brands and campaigns, but it may be worth checking out Reddit’s trends tool to see what people are saying about your brand and sector, and what’s resonating in relevant Reddit communities.
You can check out Reddit’s full marketing impact report here.
