Why Reddit Matters: What Brands Need to Know (Copy)
Why Reddit Is One of the Most Underrated Platforms for Brands in 2025
Reddit has over 1 billion active users and deep influence across niche communities. Let’s explore how lifestyle brands can use Reddit strategically for visibility, trust, and growth.
Lucky Spot by Stella McCartney 🐎
A few years ago I ran a popular lifestyle blog that absolutely thrived on traffic (like they all do). Most of my day was spent figuring out how to get eyeballs on my posts, and I tried everything you can think of. I was able to get a good amount of readers on a daily basis from social media and links from other sites, but I still lagged behind some of the bigger sites. Then one day my readership absolutely took off like a rocket! 🚀 When I tracked the source it was from one single post on a Reddit called “I am bored” (it’s no longer there, I checked 😉) suggesting people take a look at a post I’d done about Stella McCartney’s Swarovski Crystal Horse called Lucky Spot. That one post drove literally 1000’s of views per day and it continued for months, as other websites picked it up and credited me for the find. I’ve never experienced that sort of lift from any other social platform. But that was quite a while ago, and I wondered recently about Reddit’s impact now.
Is Reddit Still Relevant in 2025?
Absolutely - and more than ever. With over 1.1 billion monthly unique visitors and a 51% year-over-year spike in daily active users, Reddit is quietly becoming one of the most influential platforms for authentic conversation, product discovery, and community-driven brand trust.
While platforms like Instagram and TikTok dominate visual content and viral trends, Reddit plays a deeper game: one rooted in relevance, discussion, and long-term influence.
How Popular Is Reddit Compared to Other Social Platforms?
Let’s look at Reddit side-by-side with the most dominant players in 2025:
While Reddit may not drive quick-fire trends like TikTok or Instagram, it excels in depth. Reddit users spend meaningful time in topic-based communities: everything from r/SkincareAddiction to r/Entrepreneur - and are highly engaged in peer recommendations, reviews, and research.
What Makes Reddit So Impactful?
Community-driven trust: Reddit users value authenticity. If someone recommends a product, it’s typically based on personal experience, not #ad deals.
Discussion > Promotion: Reddit’s upvote/downvote system promotes valuable content rather than promotional noise.
Longevity: Posts can stay active for weeks if they’re useful. Unlike Instagram Stories or TikTok trends, Reddit content has a longer shelf life.
Trend seeding: Many movements - like the GameStop stock saga or viral skincare ingredients - started in Reddit threads before hitting the mainstream.
Can Brands Use Reddit Effectively?
Yes - but only if they respect the culture. Here’s how:
✅ 1. Start by Listening
Use Reddit as a research tool. Monitor conversations around your category, competitors, and pain points. Tools like Reddit Search, Keyworddit, or native Reddit Ads dashboards can surface valuable audience intel.
✅ 2. Engage Authentically
If you comment or post as a brand or founder, be transparent. Redditors sniff out inauthenticity fast. Instead of selling, focus on storytelling, advice, or answering real questions. Founder AMAs (“Ask Me Anything”) are a powerful tool here.
✅ 3. Run Targeted Ads
Reddit Ads can be hyper-focused by subreddit, interest, and behavior. Promoted posts that mirror community language (no slick sales speak) tend to perform best.
✅ 4. Use Reddit for Product Validation
Reddit is a goldmine for raw, unfiltered feedback. You can learn what audiences really think about scents, packaging, price points, or usability, especially in beauty, wellness, home, and food niches.
How Should Lifestyle Brands Show Up on Reddit?
If you're in candles, skincare, wellness, or artisan food:
Drop into subreddits like r/fragrance, r/candlemaking, r/SkincareAddiction, or r/SmallBusiness.
Consider starting threads like:
“I started a clean-burning candle line from my kitchen, happy to share what worked (and didn’t).”
Or run a founder AMA:
“I’ve been in PR + marketing for 28 years and just launched my own brand, Ask Me Anything about press, visibility, and the shift from agency to founder.”
More About Reddit
1. Community-Driven Structure
It’s divided into subreddits (communities) for pretty much any topic you can think of. This allows people to find niche spaces where they can discuss specific interests, whether it’s gaming, personal finance, memes, or obscure hobbies.
Each community has its own rules and vibe, so users can curate their experience based on what they’re into.
2. Anonymity
Unlike platforms that rely on personal profiles (like Facebook or Instagram), Reddit lets users stay anonymous. This often encourages more open and honest conversations since people aren’t tied to their real-life identity.
That anonymity can also foster creativity, allowing people to share things they might not feel comfortable posting elsewhere.
3. Upvote/Downvote System
Content visibility is largely decided by the community through upvotes and downvotes. High-quality or popular posts rise to the top, while low-quality or irrelevant content gets buried.
This makes it more about the content itself rather than who’s posting it.
4. Diverse Content & Breaking News
Reddit’s often ahead of the curve with news, trends, and viral content because of its huge user base and active discussion culture.
People use it as a primary source for everything from breaking world events to life advice.
5. AMA (Ask Me Anything) and Other Unique Formats
Features like AMAs give users direct access to celebrities, experts, and public figures in a casual Q&A format.
This kind of engagement feels more authentic compared to highly curated posts on other platforms.
6. Strong Moderation (for Better or Worse)
Mods and community rules can shape the tone of each subreddit, creating spaces that are highly regulated or more laid-back depending on the community’s preferences.
This allows communities to self-police and maintain their desired culture.
7. Cultural Influence
Memes, movements, and internet culture trends often originate or gain traction on Reddit.
Certain subreddits (like r/WallStreetBets or r/AskReddit) have even influenced real-world events and conversations.
How Brands can Use Reddit Effectively
Brands can harness the power of Reddit, but they have to approach it differently than other platforms because Reddit users are quick to sniff out inauthentic or overly promotional content. Here’s how brands can engage meaningfully:
🔍 1. Listen First (Social Listening)
Use Reddit to monitor conversations about your brand, competitors, or industry.
Subreddits like r/beauty, r/fragrance, r/Entrepreneur, or r/SmallBusiness can offer candid feedback and emerging trends.
🧠 2. Market Research Goldmine
Reddit is full of authentic user insights, questions, frustrations, and product feedback.
Great place to gather ideas for product development, packaging, customer pain points, etc.
🧵 3. Engage Authentically in Communities
Brands can participate in relevant subreddits by offering helpful advice or answering questions - without pushing products too hard.
Think: Be a valuable community member first, a seller second.
💬 4. Host an AMA (Ask Me Anything)
A great way to humanize your brand.
Example: “Hi, I’m the founder of a small-batch candle brand. Ask me anything about starting from scratch, sourcing scents, or running a business!”
📣 5. Advertise (Carefully)
Reddit offers paid ads with great targeting options by subreddit interest, location, device, etc.
Native-style ads work best, where the post looks like a regular post but is marked "Promoted."
🔗 6. Run Promotions or Giveaways (with Moderator Approval)
Some subreddits allow giveaways or contests, just make sure to read the rules and get mod approval if needed.
This can help drive engagement and get your brand in front of a niche audience.
🔧 7. Create Your Own Subreddit (Eventually)
Once you have some traction, you can start a branded subreddit as a hub for fans/customers to connect.
Great for customer support, product updates, or building a brand community.
⚠️ Tips to Keep in Mind:
Reddit hates spam. Don’t just drop links or promotions and bounce.
Transparency matters. Be clear if you’re affiliated with the brand.
Use a personal tone. Speak like a real human, not a corporate bot.
Examples of brands that successfully use Reddit currently
While Reddit isn’t always top-of-mind for brand marketing, a few companies have used it really well, mostly by being transparent, helpful, and community-focused. Here are some standout examples:
🧴 Glossier
Where: r/SkincareAddiction, r/MakeupAddiction
What they did: Glossier didn’t post directly, but the brand benefited massively from organic mentions in beauty subreddits. Fans talked about their experience, and that word-of-mouth helped fuel the hype.
Lesson: Sometimes just having a cult-followed product can get you a lot of love without saying a word. Let your customers be your voice.
🕹 Nintendo
Where: r/NintendoSwitch
What they did: Nintendo reps have occasionally engaged directly, dropping game updates or answering questions. Most of the time, their strategy leans on letting fans lead, while providing occasional official insights.
Lesson: Let passionate communities do the heavy lifting, just show up when it matters.
🛒 Walmart
Where: Promoted content across Reddit
What they did: Walmart has run ads that blend in really well with Reddit culture, like relatable memes or quirky product comparisons. They don’t scream “buy this,” but they spark interest and laughs.
Lesson: On Reddit, native and clever > polished and corporate.
🚀 SpaceX / Elon Musk
Where: r/space, r/technology, r/SpaceX
What they did: Elon has directly interacted with Redditors in AMAs and comment threads. SpaceX updates often appear organically or are sometimes amplified by Elon’s presence.
Lesson: Founder visibility and authentic engagement build hype and trust.
📱 Spotify
Where: r/Spotify
What they did: Spotify runs its own subreddit for feature suggestions, bug reports, and community feedback. They even have product managers chime in.
Lesson: A brand-owned subreddit can become a powerful feedback loop and loyalty builder.
Examples for Small Business on Reddit
Reddit isn’t about broadcasting - it’s about blending in, being useful, and letting real people drive the story.
Here are two soft, Reddit-native examples for a lifestyle brand that would feel natural and not too salesy - one organic, one promoted.
🌿 Organic Community Post Example
Subreddit: r/Entrepreneur or r/SmallBusiness
Title: Started a candle brand from my kitchen, happy to share what worked and what didn’t
Body:
Hey Reddit! I started (put your company name here) a little over a year ago because I couldn’t find candles that matched my aesthetic (soft blush tones, minimalist fonts, clean scents).
I had no background in business, just a love for creating and a mild obsession with packaging. Fast forward to now, and we’ve shipped over 1,000 orders and learned A LOT.
I’m not here to plug anything, just wanted to open up the conversation if anyone’s curious about:
– Making products that actually sell
– Running a brand with a tiny budget
– Mistakes I made (and how I fixed them)Happy to answer anything!
🧠 Why it works: It’s personal, helpful, and shows vulnerability. You’re offering value first, not asking for sales.
🕯 Promoted Post Example
Subreddit: r/Fragrance or r/BuyItForLife
Title: This candle smells like a French garden at golden hour.
Body:
Not to be dramatic, but we obsessed over this scent combo for weeks.
(Put your company name here) is a tiny candle brand hand-pouring clean-burning soy wax candles in soft blush packaging. Think: playfully romantic, not overly sweet.
We’re based in the U.S. and ship plastic-free. If you’re into dreamy aesthetics and clean scents, this one’s for you.
🧠 Why it works: It’s poetic but grounded. Aesthetic and sensory language matches Reddit’s tone without being cringey. Plus, you’re not shouting, just inviting.
Final Thoughts: Should Reddit Be in Your 2025 Strategy?
Yes - if you’re ready to play the long game.
Reddit isn’t about the hard sell. It’s about showing up where people already care, listening, participating, and becoming a trusted presence.
If you're a lifestyle founder, creative director, or marketer who wants to build real brand equity, Reddit is no longer optional, it’s an underutilized advantage.
Want help building a smart Reddit strategy for your brand?
Let’s talk about how to blend community engagement, soft storytelling, and insight-driven content that earns attention, without triggering Reddit’s promotional red flags.
