Reddit is a social network and news website where anonymous users, or “redditors,” can subscribe to over 9,600 different communities, or “subreddits.” Are you a total tech junkie? There are about 20 different subreddits that cater to technology enthusiasts. Or maybe you just REALLY like Nicolas Cage? Yes, there’s a subreddit for that too (appropriately titled “One True God”). Subreddits can be cities, industries, interests, religions, hobbies, news and everything in between.

How it works is a redditor submits a text-based post or link, which fellow redditors then vote “up” or “down” to determine the post’s position on the page. The higher a post rises on the page, the more impressions and traffic it receives. Almost any viral content you’ve encountered in the last 10 years dates back to a single post that was significantly up-voted on this “front page of the Internet.” Popular sites like Huffington Post and Buzzfeed are famous for borrowing content, stories and ideas from reddit.

So, why should you care?

With more than 168,519,576 unique visitors per month from more than 208 countries, the better question is probably “why wouldn’t you care?” Based on sheer numbers alone, it’s obvious that, if executed well, reddit can be an incredibly powerful tool for generating brand publicity.

The catch, however, is that reddit prides itself on having little to no tolerance for commercial content. Post something that screams “promotional marketing” and redditors will down-vote you faster than you can learn what “TIFU” means. Not only will the post get buried in the subreddit but your reddit karma, and credibility, will suffer. (Yes. Redditors, like all of us, build karma, but only on reddit is your karma score displayed next to your username.)

As a brand, the key is to navigate reddit gracefully and strategically. Here are three tips for using reddit to help strengthen your brand.

1. Put yourself out there with an AMA

You’ve got to risk it to get the biscuit.

An Ask Me Anything, or “AMA” in reddit-speak, is an open forum where a person of interest posts a thread titled “I am ___, ask me anything” and the most upvoted questions are answered. It’s uncensored, risky and, when leveraged properly, extremely beneficial. Everyone from President Obama to astronauts currently in orbit have tried their hand at it, and for good reason. A high-profile AMA is one of the most coveted interview opportunities in new media because it shows transparency and vulnerability.  An AMA could be a great chance for your CEO to win over legions of redditors with candid yet positive answers to real questions.

2. Gather uncensored consumer insight

No matter what market a company operates in, it is certain that at least some of its consumers are on reddit. For example, a company that producers gluten-free cookies can subscribe to a subreddit about baking or living gluten-free to see what its audience is talking about. Because accounts are anonymous, people discuss topics and share opinions with unparalleled candor, giving the company invaluable insight into consumers’ minds. Think of subreddits as a heavily curated glimpse into any lifestyle.

3. Discover trends before they’re trending

Why did the hipster burn his tongue? Because he ate his food before it was cool.

Everyone, brands and hipsters included, wants to stay ahead of trends. Keeping ahead of what’s “in” and what’s “out” means that companies can create relevant, interesting content that will appeal to consumers on a more personal level. While some brands are still trying to make “bae” happen, others are already looking ahead (and on reddit) to see what the next big thing will be. Because reddit encompasses and aggregates just about everything under the sun, it’s a safe bet that the next fashion trend or viral video is already being shared and discussed in a subreddit right now. By tuning in to different subreddits you can observe what people are talking about well before there’s a viral meme for it.

TL;DR: Reddit can be a great tool for gaining brand trust and consumer insight; just be sure to play it cool and follow the rules.

The post Reddit, does your brand get it? appeared first on Fineman PR.

If you’ve never really grasped Reddit, or how or why this social media site is one of the most powerful ones out there, let this You Tube video explain it.  This five minute vignette is one of the most clearly articulated teaching tool for beginners I’ve seen which fully addresses the question “What is Reddit?”

[At 9:49am PT the video is at 11,800 views on YouTube – let’s see what happens now]

From dabblers to die-hards, Reddit’s popularity is consistently growing, as is its content (which is as varied as the species on the planet).  Over the years it has maintained its signature, simple interface, completely void of editorialization. So when a video explaining Reddit becomes popular on Reddit, this is a community self-celebrating its culture, championing its cause, and as a result, giving Redditors an effective tool to promote the virtues of Reddit.

Here are five reasons why any Brand Manager should care about Reddit, also known as  “The Front Page of The Internet” –

1)     It’s truly, wholly democratic. There are no Google-like algorithms, SEO strategies, no         editorial agenda. Conspiracy theorists might venture to think otherwise, but Redditors typically         self-regulate their community and do so with fierce velocity.

2)     Anonymity of users can make for interesting focus groups. I know many people that         have secret Reddit lives. It’s where they feel free to express true opinion and want to give it         freely, to explore varied interests and fly their freak flag. There are polls on any topic, even         polls to stop polling. While this can be a maverick marketplace of consumer insight, it’s not         one to completely disregard, especially if the opinions of early adopters are meaningful.

3)     It inspires good content. A brand always has its best intentions at heart, but too much         inside baseball on content development can create unintentional blinders. Need a litmus test         on what may be considered “viral” or “shareable” and why?  Turn to Reddit.  What is popular is         generally likeable by a wide cross-section of individuals. It is a content inspired machine.

[At 10:10 PT, it’s at 33,816 views on You Tube- and now hosts advertising]

4)     Subreddits will help you find where conversations are taking place on your topic.         This is the quintessential listening tool, the New Republic in public relations. Discussions are         encouraged to shape the context of links and stories. Nothing is ever face-value. To take a         quote from the video, “Reddit is a lot like life: It is what you make it.”

5)     Influencer Participation. Reddit isn’t (just) Millennial Mark/Michelle living at home, cynical         and under-employed. But many people assume this. Reddit is a large community, and with so         many anonymous users, a relatively shapeless demographic.  It’s also one that hosts         politicians, actors, writers, CEOs – leaders and icons interacting with Redditors. Your top news         producers, editors and bloggers are guaranteed to be reading, reviewing and sourcing content         from– or sharing stories about what has become popular on Reddit.

[At 10:43 PT, it’s at 57,922 views on You Tube]

Love it or leave it, Reddit is a wonderfully weird place with a lot of good, a lot of bad and plenty of ugly. It is also where communicators and brands can learn by participating and listening. And what better venue than front row seat of the internet’s no. 1 content auction block? Reddit can also help build or bury brand news – good or bad. Here’s an example of Mashable’s report on Golden Corral’s PR crisis made popular by Reddit:

To know more about how Reddit views participants with a PR agenda, check out their post by veteran Redditors on “How Companies Can Properly Use Reddit.”

[Update: at 1:55 PT, views are well over 160,000]

The post “What is Reddit?” Video Now Popular on Reddit and Five Reasons Brand Managers Should Care appeared first on Fineman PR.