December 2, 2011
So in the first blog in this series, we established that Reddit is significant online social movement, but what exactly can it offer a brand or business?
Monitoring:
Businesses can utilise the platform as a go-to for cutting edge news and content. Monitoring the platform for relevant industry or brand mentions can also yield interesting results. A search for ‘Coca Cola’ on Reddit reveals an interesting and perhaps surprising variety of conversations taking place around the global leader.
Engagement:
Businesses can actively participate in discussions or initiate new conversations. It may be worth considering potential CSR opportunities – is there a particular cause that is important to your business that you would like to talk about with the community?
A word of warning: tread carefully and be transparent about who you are. If you act in an underhand manner, you run the risk of the community turning on you.
The IAmA or “I am a” subreddit is another opportunity for business or brand ambassadors to engage with the Reddit community and answer their questions. Recently the intrepid explorer, Bear Grylls engaged in an IAmA, sponsored by Degree Men, the US version of the Sure antiperspirant brand. He answered redditors’ questions with text and video responses. His presence on the platform resulted in some gentle teasing from the community…
Sponsored links:
Reddit also offers sponsored link opportunities, allowing brands and business to target views according to their interests. As with a typical Reddit post, sponsored links can be commented on and are subject to the Up and Down vote system. They appear at the top of the Reddit feed and are clearly marked as a sponsored link. A savvy brand can get in the eyeline of a very targeted and motivated audience.