Ever since Reddit started dominating Google search results, every business owner with a laptop thinks they’ve discovered the latest SEO cheat code. “I’ll just post my links on Reddit and watch the rankings soar!”

LinkedIn and other social media is swarming with ambulance chasing bandwagon jumpers and people offering “Reddit Marketing” as if it’s a thing.

No. Just… no.

Let me save you from making a very expensive mistake.

Is Reddit Marketing the answer to AI Search and SEO?

OK, Reddit posts are ranking well in Google. Yes, ChatGPT and other AI tools are citing Reddit content frequently. But there’s one thing everyone’s getting wrong about the SEO benefit.

Reddit ranking well doesn’t mean Reddit will help YOUR website rank well.

When you see a Reddit post at the top of search results, that’s Reddit’s content ranking – not yours. Your website’s position hasn’t changed.

There is a slightly more nuanced benefit of being talked about on Reddit – if your business gets mentioned positively on Reddit, those mentions can show up in AI search results. So if someone asks ChatGPT for recommendations in your industry, your business might get mentioned because Reddit users recommended you.

That’s not SEO though – that’s brand visibility in AI search. It can drive traffic, but it’s completely different from your website ranking higher in traditional search results.

Reddit links are still nofollow, so they pass zero SEO value to your site.

The are some potential benefits:

Referral traffic from Reddit users clicking through
Brand mentions in AI search results citing Reddit content
Building reputation that leads to genuine recommendations

But none of that improves where your actual website ranks in Google search results. None of it helps your SEO.

And then there’s the brutal reality of Reddit marketing

Think LinkedIn is tough? Reddit makes LinkedIn look like a village tea party. Here’s what you’re signing up for:

Reddit users (tend to) hate blatant marketing and promotion

They can smell promotional content from three subreddits away. Post something that looks even vaguely like self-promotion, and you’ll get downvoted into oblivion faster than you can say “authentic engagement.” That’s bad for your brand, a negative brand indicator (who wants their potential customers seeing them being called out for being “shills” and “shysters” when their company name is searched for?)

Rules are everywhere and constantly changing

Every subreddit has different rules. Some allow links on Fridays. Others ban self-promotion entirely. Break a rule you didn’t know existed, and you’re banned. Forever. That lovely branded username you started posting with? Gone, along with all your Reddit marketing efforts. Sure, you can start again, but that’s not sustainable, or advisable.

You need to be active for a while before anyone trusts you

Think you can just rock up and start posting links? Think again. You need to spend time building karma (likes), commenting helpfully, and proving you’re not just there to spam your business. But if you’re calling it “Reddit Marketing” then you are just there to promote your business, so good luck with that.

One mistake can destroy your reputation

Get caught being overly promotional, and it’s not just that post that gets destroyed. Your entire business reputation can get shredded across multiple subreddits. I’ve seen businesses get their names turned into memes for all the wrong reasons. Then you’ll be showing up in AI search for things you really wouldn’t want potential clients seeing associated with your brand.

Marketing on Reddit takes time and energy

Want to do Reddit properly? This is what you’re committing to:

Hours a day/week reading and engaging in relevant subreddits
Weeks and months building credibility before you can share anything promotional
Constant vigilance about subreddit rules and community norms
Creating genuinely valuable content that happens to mention your business
Dealing with harsh feedback and potential reputation damage

That’s not a side project. That’s practically a full-time job.

If you’re going to do Reddit, do it right

Don’t get me wrong, Reddit can work for brand visibility and AI search mentions if you approach it properly:

Be genuinely helpful – answer questions in your area of expertise without mentioning your business. Build a reputation as someone who knows their stuff. When people need recommendations, they’ll think of you.

Play the long game – don’t expect immediate results. Reddit success is measured in months and years, not days and weeks. You’re building relationships and reputation, not chasing quick wins.

Accept that it’s about brand building, not SEO – you’re not doing this to improve your website’s search rankings. You’re doing it to get mentioned when people ask for recommendations in your field.

Have realistic expectations about the workload – this isn’t something you can outsource to a junior team member or automate. It needs genuine engagement and a proper understanding of each community’s culture.

Why you should build your own castle instead

All that effort you’re planning to put into Reddit? Consider putting it into your own website instead.

Create content on your own site that establishes your expertise. Build blog posts, guides, and resources that help your customers. This content is yours forever, and it can improve your SEO.

Focus on your own channels where you control the rules, the audience, and the messaging. Email lists, your website, even your own social media profiles.

Invest in good old SEO activities that improve your website’s search rankings: technical improvements, better content, and building genuine relationships with other businesses in your industry.

When Reddit might make sense

Reddit can work as part of a broader marketing strategy if you’ve got:

Dedicated time or budget for proper community management
Content that genuinely adds value to Reddit discussions
Thick skin for harsh feedback
Realistic expectations about what it can achieve
Understanding that it’s brand building, not SEO

But if you’re thinking Reddit is a quick SEO fix that’ll boost your website’s rankings? You’re setting yourself up for disappointment and potentially damaging your business reputation in the process.

Stop confusing brand visibility with SEO

Getting mentioned on Reddit might get you mentioned in AI search results. That’s brand visibility, and it can be valuable. But it’s not the same as your website ranking higher in Google.

Every few months, someone discovers a “new” way to game Google. Forum links, article directories, social bookmarking – they all follow the same pattern. Initial excitement, mass adoption, then Google changes something and everyone’s back to square one.

Reddit isn’t a magic SEO solution. It’s just the latest shiny object distracting you from doing the work of building a proper online presence.

Need help with “Reddit Marketing”? Yeah, I’m not your girl.