Apr 15 2024
Reddit Post Ranks On Google In 5 Minutes – What’s Going On? via @sejournal, @martinibuster

Google’s Danny Sullivan disputed the assertions made in a Reddit discussion that Google is showing a preference for Reddit in the search results. But a Redditor’s example proves that it’s possible for a Reddit post to rank in the top ten of the search results within minutes and to actually improve rankings to position #2 a week later.

Discussion About Google Showing Preference To Reddit

A Redditor (gronetwork) complained that Google is sending so many visitors to Reddit that the server is struggling with the load and shared an example that proved that it can only take minutes for a Reddit post to rank in the top ten.

That post was part of a 79 post Reddit thread where many in the r/SEO subreddit were complaining about Google allegedly giving too much preference to Reddit over legit sites.

The person who did the test (gronetwork) wrote:

“…The website is already cracking (server down, double posts, comments not showing) because there are too many visitors.

…It only takes few minutes (you can test it) for a post on Reddit to appear in the top ten results of Google with keywords related to the post’s title… (while I have to wait months for an article on my site to be referenced). Do the math, the whole world is going to spam here. The loop is completed.”

Reddit Post Ranked Within Minutes

Another Redditor asked if they had tested if it takes “a few minutes” to rank in the top ten and gronetwork answered that they had tested it with a post titled, Google SGE Review.

gronetwork posted:

“Yes, I have created for example a post named “Google SGE Review” previously. After less than 5 minutes it was ranked 8th for Google SGE Review (no quotes). Just after Washingtonpost.com, 6 authoritative SEO websites and Google.com’s overview page for SGE (Search Generative Experience). It is ranked third for SGE Review.”

It’s true, not only does that specific post (Google SGE Review) rank in the top 10, the post started out in position 8 and it actually improved ranking, currently listed beneath the number one result for the search query “SGE Review”.

Screenshot Of Reddit Post That Ranked Within Minutes

Screenshot showing a Reddit post that ranked in Google within minutes

Anecdotes Versus Anecdotes

Okay, the above is just one anecdote. But it’s a heck of an anecdote because it proves that it’s possible for a Reddit post to rank within minutes and get stuck in the top of the search results over other possibly more authoritative websites.

hankschrader79 shared that Reddit posts outrank Toyota Tacoma forums for a phrase related to mods for that truck.

Google’s Danny Sullivan responded to that post and the entire discussion to dispute that Reddit is not always prioritized over other forums.

Danny wrote:

“Reddit is not always prioritized over other forums. [super vhs to mac adapter] I did this week, it goes Apple Support Community, MacRumors Forum and further down, there’s Reddit. I also did [kumo cloud not working setup 5ghz] recently (it’s a nightmare) and it was the Netgear community, the SmartThings Community, GreenBuildingAdvisor before Reddit. Related to that was [disable 5g airport] which has Apple Support Community above Reddit. [how to open an 8 track tape] — really, it was the YouTube videos that helped me most, but it’s the Tapeheads community that comes before Reddit.

In your example for [toyota tacoma], I don’t even get Reddit in the top results. I get Toyota, Car & Driver, Wikipedia, Toyota again, three YouTube videos from different creators (not Toyota), Edmunds, a Top Stories unit. No Reddit, which doesn’t really support the notion of always wanting to drive traffic just to Reddit.

If I guess at the more specific query you might have done, maybe [overland mods for toyota tacoma], I get a YouTube video first, then Reddit, then Tacoma World at third — not near the bottom. So yes, Reddit is higher for that query — but it’s not first. It’s also not always first. And sometimes, it’s not even showing at all.”

hankschrader79 conceded that they were generalizing when they wrote that Google always prioritized Reddit. But they also insisted that that didn’t diminish what they said is a fact that Google’s “prioritization” forum content has benefitted Reddit more than actual forums.

Why Is The Reddit Post Ranked So High?

It’s possible that Google “tested” that Reddit post in position 8 within minutes and that user interaction signals indicated to Google’s algorithms that users prefer to see that Reddit post. If that’s the case then it’s not a matter of Google showing preference to Reddit post but rather it’s users that are showing the preference and the algorithm is responding to those preferences.

Nevertheless, an argument can be made that user preferences for Reddit can be a manifestation of Familiarity Bias. Familiarity Bias is when people show a preference for things that are familiar to them. If a person is familiar with a brand because of all the advertising they were exposed to then they may show a bias for the brand products over unfamiliar brands.

Users who are familiar with Reddit may choose Reddit because they don’t know the other sites in the search results or because they have a bias that Google ranks spammy and optimized websites and feel safer reading Reddit.

Google may be picking up on those user interaction signals that indicate a preference and satisfaction with the Reddit results but those results may simply be biases and not an indication that Reddit is trustworthy and authoritative.

Is Reddit Benefiting From A Self-Reinforcing Feedback Loop?

It may very well be that Google’s decision to prioritize user generated content may have started a self-reinforcing pattern that draws users in to Reddit through the search results and because the answers seem plausible those users start to prefer Reddit results. When they’re exposed to more Reddit posts their familiarity bias kicks in and they start to show a preference for Reddit. So what could be happening is that the users and Google’s algorithm are creating a self-reinforcing feedback loop.

Is it possible that Google’s decision to show more user generated content has kicked off a cycle where more users are exposed to Reddit which then feeds back into Google’s algorithm which in turn increases Reddit visibility, regardless of lack of expertise and authoritativeness?

Featured Image by Shutterstock/Kues

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Feb 23 2024
Google Announces Deal To Show More Reddit Content via @sejournal, @martinibuster

Google announced a deal with Reddit to gain access to real-time access to all of its content so that Google can show even more Reddit content than it already does and to gain access to all of its content for training models.

The agreement between Google and Reddit is explicit that this will result in increased visibility for Reddit discussions in various Google products, which may include various search surfaces across a range of topics and contexts.

Google’s access to a wider range of Reddit content in a structured format will the ability of language models to understand human conversations and writing styles. AI is increasingly used in search so this could in turn affect how content is understood and ranked in Google search.

Reddit gains access to Google’s Vertex AI platform to improve search and create other  “capabilities” with it. The deal is reported to be worth $60 million dollars per year for Reddit.

Reddit, Google Search And AI

Reddit has become a popular destination for people to have discussions on virtually any topic, making it a such a popular destination for people seeking information that searchers append the word “Reddit” to searches to surface content directly from Reddit and avoid Google’s search results altogether.

Conversations on Reddit are also useful for training large language models because of the diversity of content topics, as a deep source of conversational data written in multiple forms of writing.

Structured Reddit Content

Content that is on the web is said to be unstructured data. Machines need to process unstructured data to remove the irrelevant bits like navigation and extract the main content. It also has to make sense of the upvoted and downvoted content.

Structured data however is data that’s already sorted into its component parts so that there is no ambiguity about the data.

Google now has access to all of that data in real-time and in a structured format that will make it easier for Google to make sense of the information and use it more efficiently, with what Google describes as “enhanced signals” that will help Google to display it in more useful ways.

The announcement by both Google and Reddit state that one of Google’s intentions is to show more content from Reddit.

Google explained how they will use the content:

“Over the years, we’ve seen that people increasingly use Google to search for helpful content on Reddit to find product recommendations, travel advice and much more. We know people find this information useful, so we’re developing ways to make it even easier to access across Google products. This partnership will facilitate more content-forward displays of Reddit information that will make our products more helpful for our users and make it easier to participate in Reddit communities and conversations.”

Another component of the deal mentioned by both Google and Reddit is that the partnership will help people participate in Reddit conversations.

Reddit posted:

“Our work with Google will make it easier for people to find, discover, and engage in content and communities on Reddit that are most relevant to them.”

Read Google’s announcement:

An expanded partnership with Reddit

Featured Image by Shutterstock/Jemastock

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Dec 6 2023
Reddit Recap For 2023: Top Trends And Updates For Advertisers via @sejournal, @kristileilani

Reddit, a diverse social media community for sharing news, highlighted the most engaging trends of 2023 in its annual Reddit Recap.

While it continued to host various interests, including business and marketing, the year marked a significant rise in subreddits dedicated to knowledge and serious discussions, presenting a valuable opportunity for marketers.

Reddit Recap 2023Screenshot from Reddit, December 2023

Top Trending Subreddits And Communities

Remarkably, subreddits like r/todayilearned and r/NoStupidQuestions saw a surge in viewership, climbing to the 25th and 18th most-viewed spots, respectively.

This upward trend signifies a growing interest in learning and intellectual curiosity among Reddit users.

Additionally, r/Damnthatsinteresting, which explores various fascinating topics, rose 26 places to become the 13th most-viewed. These shifts indicate a user base that values informative and thought-provoking content to spark discussion.

This aspect of Reddit demonstrates its role as a space for serious, informed conversation, a trait highly appealing to marketers aiming to engage with a thoughtful and engaged audience.

The 2023 Reddit Recap For Advertisers

Over the past few months, Reddit has introduced several significant updates to enhance its advertising capabilities and user experience. Here’s a summary of the key developments:

  • Reddit launched new ad formats within Conversation Placement, namely Carousel Ads and Product Ads.
    • These formats, used in over 60,000 campaigns, aim to engage users effectively within conversation threads.
    • Carousel Ads have been updated to include up to six images or GIFs, each with a clickable link, leading to a 44% increase in click-through rate.
  • Reddit emphasizes its role in product recommendations, with 94% of users engaging with recommendation content.
  • The introduction of Product Ads complements users’ shopping journeys, allowing brands to target users actively seeking product advice.
  • Reddit updated its Reddit Ads Formula program, introducing the Boost 2.0 Certification Program to educate advertisers on maximizing success on the platform.
    • This program, launched in June 2022, has already seen participation from over 5,800 individuals from various countries.
  • Reddit has made several updates to its search function, particularly on mobile apps. These include a new media tab for easier access to videos, GIFs, and images, a simplified search results page, and improved screen reader compatibility.
  • Reddit introduced Contextual Keyword Targeting and Keyword Suggestions, using machine learning to improve ad relevance, increase click-through rates, and lower cost per action for advertisers.
  • Reddit is experimenting with an “Official” label next to the usernames of organization profiles to increase transparency and authentic engagement.
  • Reddit launched Contextual Keyword Targeting for ads placed in relevant discussions and Product Ads for integrating brand products into user conversations, targeting users ready to make purchases.
  • Reddit introduced features for easier content sharing, including updated link previews for text posts, direct sharing to Instagram Stories, a custom share sheet, and one-tap screenshot sharing.
  • Reddit rolled out a new toolbox for publishers to display Reddit content externally, featuring predictable post heights, community showcases, and interactive displays of upvotes and comments.
  • Reddit expanded its Independent Agency Program, adding partners like Horizon Media, PMG, and Wpromote.
    • Reddit also renewed its partnership with Tinuiti, offering benefits such as advertiser incentives and enhanced measurement tools.

These updates reflect Reddit’s commitment to enhancing user experience and providing effective advertising solutions, leveraging its unique community-driven platform.

Why Marketers Should Consider Reddit Marketing

For marketers, these trends on Reddit offer a unique opportunity.

reddit recap 2023 experienceScreenshot from Reddit, December 2023

The platform’s shift towards knowledge and serious discourse suggests a user base that is engaged, informed, and potentially more receptive to content that aligns with these interests.

Marketing strategies that leverage educational content or align with thought-provoking discussions can resonate deeply with this audience.

Moreover, the rise in viewership of these knowledge-driven subreddits indicates a growing segment of users keen on learning and exploring new ideas.

This demographic is invaluable for marketers seeking to introduce innovative products or concepts or to engage in meaningful brand storytelling.

Conclusion

Reddit’s 2023 trends highlight an emerging focus on knowledge and serious discourse, presenting a ripe landscape for marketers.

By tapping into this engaged, intellectually curious audience, marketers can find new ways to connect with consumers, particularly those who value informative and thoughtful content.

Reddit’s evolution into a platform for learning and in-depth discussions marks it as an essential part of any modern digital marketing strategy.

Featured image: gguy/Shutterstock

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Jul 7 2023
43 Best Subreddits For Marketing Professionals via @sejournal, @kristileilani

Reddit is a social network comprised of smaller communities, also known as subreddits. Subreddits are created and moderated by Reddit users to focus on specific areas of interest.

Reddit has 57 million daily active users participating in over 100k subreddits containing 13 billion posts and comments, according to Reddit, Inc.

If you are searching for an answer to a question or discussion about the latest news in your industry, subreddits are the place to be.

In this article, I’ll share some of the best subreddits to make your work and life easier.

How To Join And Participate In Subreddits

Once you have a Reddit account, you can join and participate in subreddits. There are a few things to keep in mind before you get started.

  • Complete your Reddit profile. You should add links to your other profiles, including Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr, Spotify, SoundCloud, Linktree, Patreon, Cameo, Substack, Kickstarter, etc.
  • Reddit has a karma system, where you receive points when people vote on your comments and posts. Some subreddits require members to have a minimum number of karma points before posting.
  • Every subreddit is moderated by Redditors and has its own set of rules. You’ll find these rules in the subreddit’s sidebar or the pinned post on the group – or both. Breaking subreddit rules can result in a warning or removal from the subreddit, depending on the moderator and the severity of the offense.
  • When posting to subreddits, note that some will allow you to post text, links, videos, and photos. Others may limit you to text–only.
  • Some subreddits have separate chat groups on platforms like Discord, Telegram, or WhatsApp – the ones that do typically have them listed in the sidebar.
  • You can find related subreddits in the sidebar if you like a particular subreddit.

When evaluating a subreddit to join, you want to see that the community is active and that posts receive responses from other Redditors.

And unless your goal is to spam a subreddit (which it shouldn’t be), you want to see that the moderators of the subreddit keep it spam–free.

To help you get started, here are some great subreddits for marketing professionals.

SEO Subreddits

Tech SEOScreenshot from Reddit, May 2023

To get started, look at some subreddits on search engine optimization where you’ll sometimes find answers and insights from John Mueller, Danny Sullivan, Gary Illyes, and other well–known names in search.

  1. r/SEO – General SEO discussion with 217k members.
  2. r/bigseo – A community for SEOs with 96.2k members.
  3. r/TechSEO – The “…tech nerd side of SEO” with 19.1k members.

Social Media Subreddits

Mastodon SubredditScreenshot from Reddit, May 2023
  1. r/Instagram – An unofficial community for discussing all things Instagram with 266k members.
  2. r/Mastodon – An unofficial community for discussing all things Mastodon with 27.1k members.
  3. r/reddit – An official community with 132k members.
  4. r/Twitter – An unofficial community for discussing all things Twitter with 126k members.
  5. r/youtube – An unofficial community for discussing all things YouTube with 713k members.
  6. r/socialmedia – A place for social media marketers to discuss the latest social media news, developments, and tactics with 216k members.

Product Subreddits

Google SubredditScreenshot from Reddit, May 2023
  1. r/duckduckgo – Official community for the privacy–focused internet browser with 73.2k members.
  2. r/google – Unofficial community for Google product users with 2.1 million members.
  3. r/SEMrush – Official community for Semrush users with 3.1k members. As an added bonus, all moderators are Semrush employees!
  4. r/Wordpress – Unofficial community for WordPress users with 179k members.

Marketing Subreddits

Advertising subredditScreenshot from Reddit, May 2023
  1. r/marketing – A community for marketing and advertising professionals to discuss all aspects of marketing with 470k members.
  2. r/content_marketing – A subreddit for content marketers and creators to explore content marketing strategy and tools with 104k members.
  3. r/advertising – A community for advertisers, copywriters, and affiliates with 153k members.
  4. r/Affiliatemarketing – A subreddit for affiliate marketers to discuss ads, SEO, email, and affiliate promotions with 125k members.
  5. r/PPC – A community to discuss paid advertising across Google, Facebook, and other digital advertising platforms with 135k members.

Technology Subreddits

Tech News subredditScreenshot from Reddit, May 2023
  1. r/Technology – A large community with ongoing discussions about creating and using technology with 13.9 million members.
  2. r/technews – A subreddit with interesting news about technology with 631k members.
  3. r/techsupport – Have an issue with technology? Discuss with 1.9 million members.
  4. r/privacy – Exploring technology, privacy, and freedom in the digital world with 1.3 million members.

Development Subreddits

Devt subredditScreenshot from Reddit, May 2023
  1. r/programming – A large subreddit for computer programming with 5.2 million members.
  2. r/learnprogramming – Another large subreddit for those who want to learn to program or improve their skills with 3.7 million members.
  3. r/web_design – A community of web designers with 712k members.
  4. r/webdev – A subreddit covering all aspects of web development with 1.5 million members.
  5. r/userexperience – A place discussing the art of UX with 104k members.
  6. r/css – Explore Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) with 108k members.
  7. r/javascript – Learn and discuss JavaScript programming with 2.3 million members.
  8. r/PHP – The latest news about PHP programming and its ecosystem with 154k members.
  9. r/Python – Get fresh news about Python programming with 1.1 million members.

Business Subreddits

Startups subredditScreenshot from Reddit, May 2023
  1. r/smallbusiness – A subreddit for anyone starting, owning, and growing a small business with 1.1 million members.
  2. r/Entrepreneur – A community for advice on side hustles, small businesses, venture–backed startups, lemonade stands, 1–person–grinds, and most forms of revenue generation with 2 million members.
  3. r/startups – Find resources and advice for starting and scaling a startup with 1.2 million members.
  4. r/GrowthHacking – A place to share your growth hacking questions, experiments, and strategy with 33k members.
  5. r/SaaS – A subreddit for software-as-a-service business owners to discuss the latest SaaS news and strategy with 46k members.

Work & Career Subreddits

Jobs subredditScreenshot from Reddit, May 2023
  1. r/careerguidance – A community for discussing career–related issues like job interviews, networking, salary negotiations, and office politics with 1.6 million members.
  2. r/jobs – A subreddit where job seekers can share their successes and struggles, as well as get advice on things like interviews, resumes, references, and networking, with 1.2 million members.
  3. r/motivation – A great community to explore if you are looking for motivational quotes, videos, and stories to help you stay on track with personal and professional goals, with 331k members.
  4. r/productivity – Find tips and advice on increasing productivity through time management, proper prioritization of tasks, and productivity tools with 1.5 million members.
  5. r/passive_income – A community committed to earning income outside of their 9–5 ,with 331k members.

Bonus Subreddits

Aww subredditScreenshot from Reddit, May 2023
  1. r/UpliftingNews – Take a break from the mainstream news and explore all the good in the world with 18.9 million members.
  2. r/aww – A subreddit with aww–inspiring content (think puppies, babies, etc.) with 33.5 million members.

Conclusion

No matter what you want to learn or discuss, you can find a subreddit to match your interests.

Use the Reddit search to discover more subreddit communities, or look up your favorite Reddit users to see which subreddits they post in or comment on most.

More resources: 

Featured Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

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Jun 14 2023
Popular Reddit Communities Support These App Developers In Prolonged Protest via @sejournal, @kristileilani

What began as a planned two-day event for popular Reddit communities to protest planned changes that will put an end to popular Reddit apps has turned into an indefinite standoff between Reddit moderators and executives.

Hundreds of subreddits maintained private status beyond the end of the Reddit boycott and planned to do so indefinitely. A leaked memo from Reddit CEO Steve Huffman confirmed that the platform intends to proceed with plans to limit API access to paying customers.

The options discussed with Reddit app developers have left them with no other choice but to shut down tools that thousands of Redditors have benefited from for decades.

Meanwhile, Reddit reportedly could go public this year, valued at an estimated $15 billion, as Huffman maintains focused on profitability in the comments of a recent AMA.

Popular Reddit Communities Support These App Developers In Prolonged ProtestScreenshot from Reddit, June 2023

The following are messages from the people behind some of the top Reddit apps offering insight into why they are being forced to shut down.

Monthly Cost For Reddit API Access: $2 Million

According to a post from Christian Selig, creator of Apollo for Reddit for iOS, with over 170k ratings in the App Store, access to the Reddit API would cost $2 million monthly.

The price they gave was $0.24 for 1,000 API calls. I quickly inputted this in my app, and saw that it was not far off Twitter’s outstandingly high API prices, at $12,000, and with my current usage would cost almost $2 million dollars per month, or over $20 million per year. That is not an exaggeration, that is just multiplying the 7 billion requests Apollo made last month by the price per request.

While Selig appreciates the support of subreddits boycotting the API changes, Apollo plans to shut down on June 30.

Rumored discussions between the popular app developer and Reddit led to one of Huffman’s most downvoted comments on Reddit on the API changes.

Popular Reddit Communities Support These App Developers In Prolonged ProtestScreenshot from Reddit, June 2023

API Changes Block App Developers From Earning Ad Revenue

In addition to paying for access to the Reddit API, app developers would lose the opportunity to generate ad revenue within their apps.

A post from the Reddit is Fun (RIF) app about its impending demise, with over 445k ratings in the Play Store, explains this.

As part of this they are blocking ads in third-party apps, which make up the majority of RIF’s revenue. So they want to force a paid subscription model onto RIF’s users. Meanwhile Reddit’s official app still continues to make the vast majority of its money from ads.

Huffman acknowledged RIF and Apollo as popular apps shutting down in the memo leaked by Verge.

While the two biggest third-party apps, Apollo and RIF, along with a couple others, have said they plan to shut down at the end of the month, we are still in conversation with some of the others.

RIF also thanked Redditors for their support during the Reddit boycott. Long-time users expressed their thanks and sadness.

Been using this app for 10 years. Can’t believe it’s coming to an end. Back then, there was no official reddit app (actually thought this was the official one at first), but even when reddit did release their app, I never even thought about switching, cause this app is literally perfect.

Thank you to everyone who was involved in creating this wonderful app.

No More Free Reddit Apps

Apps like Relay for Reddit for Android, with over 72k ratings in the Play Store, will no longer be able to offer a free version for users.

TLDR – There’s no possibility to continue the free version of Relay; a monthly subscription price of $3 (or less) might be achievable.

The Future Of Reddit Remains Unclear

Unlike other social networks, Reddit is known for its strong community. Reddit app developers have the support of their users and the moderators of thousands of subreddits.

How long will hundreds of popular Reddit communities remain private? And how will a prolonged Reddit boycott affect Reddit’s organic search traffic and ad revenue? We will monitor the data and keep you updated.

Popular Reddit Communities Support These App Developers In Prolonged ProtestScreenshot from Semrush, June 2023

Featured image: Ira Lichi/Shutterstock

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Jun 12 2023
Is Reddit Down? Why Your Favorite Subreddits Went Private via @sejournal, @kristileilani

Thousands of popular subreddits joined the Reddit boycott from June 12 – 14 in response to planned changes to the Reddit API.

Reddit laid out its vision for the future of the Reddit API in April, which included implementing a premium pricing structure to access it.

These changes could ruin third-party apps users rely on for a valuable Reddit experience, such as those moderators use to keep subreddits safe for members from harmful content and spam.

Sending A Message To Save Third-Party Apps

In a post from r/Save3rdPartyApps, moderators listed their demands, alternative communities to join, a list of participating subreddits, and directions on how to make your subreddit private.

The demands for Reddit to consider regarding the API included the following:

  • Allow third-party apps to run their ads and provide a revenue share model to make them sustainable. This includes bringing API pricing down and giving apps time to adjust.
  • Improve the Reddit API by adding features like image uploads, chat, notifications, and increasing rate limits.
  • Better communicate and consult with disabled communities. The changes negatively impact accessibility apps for blind users. Clarify how accessibility exemptions are granted.
  • Compensate developers of accessibility apps that provide an alternative to Reddit’s inaccessible official app.
  • Allow third-party apps access to NSFW content as long as they implement appropriate age verification and moderation systems. Reddit currently only allows this in their official apps.

According to a post from r/ModCoord, over 28k moderators from almost 8k subreddits are participating. Some communities, like r/Science and r/todayilearned, have over 30 million members each.

Subreddits, including r/bigSEO, displayed messages like the following to let members know what was happening. John Mueller, Google Search Analyst, commented supporting the protest and called Reddit’s pricing and communication about the API changes “disappointing.”

private subredditScreenshot from Reddit, June 2023

Subreddit moderators posted bulletins to their Reddit communities, websites, and other social platforms to state their intent to support third-party apps.

Is Reddit Down? Why Your Favorite Subreddits Went PrivateScreenshot from Reddit/Internet Archives, June 2023
Is Reddit Down? Why Your Favorite Subreddits Went PrivateScreenshot from AskHistorians.com, June 2023

Some subreddits chose different ways to show support without being completely inaccessible, like r/games, that decided to go into restricted mode instead.

Is Reddit Down Too?

In addition to participating subreddits closing their doors, portions of Reddit went down during the first morning of the protest, with tens of thousands of users in the United States reporting outages via DownDetector.

is reddit downScreenshot from Reddit/DownDetector, June 2023

Addressing Concerns About Reddit API Changes

An attempt from Reddit CEO Steve Huffman to address the community’s concerns over API changes a few days before the protest did not prevent moderators from carrying out the plans for a shutdown.

In the post, Huffman stated that Reddit needed to become a self-sustaining business and could no longer subsidize high data usage by commercial third-party apps.

He shared the following points about what moderators and developers could expect.

  • Free API access remains at 100 queries/minute for OAuth clients and ten queries/minute for non-OAuth clients. This covers 90% of apps.
  • Premium API access for higher usage will cost $0.24 per 1000 API calls (under $1/month for typical apps). Some apps, like Apollo, have decided this pricing doesn’t work for them.
  • Mod tools like RES and Toolbox will continue to have free API access. Pushshift access will be restored for verified mods.
  • Mod bots providing free value to users will continue to have API access.
  • The Developer Platform beta offers tools for mod tools, games, and features.
  • Access to NSFW content via the API will be limited on July 5 to provide “guardrails.”
  • Non-commercial accessibility apps will continue to have free API access.

Huffman acknowledged the moderators’ frustrations and said he respected the communities that took action to highlight their needs, including going private.

Moving Forward

The Reddit boycott, sparked by the proposed changes to Reddit’s API and the subsequent pricing model, demonstrated the profound interconnectedness of Reddit’s ecosystem, in which third-party applications play a pivotal role.

It also revealed a potential problem with Reddit’s business strategy: the exclusion of key stakeholders, namely third-party developers and community moderators, from decision-making processes.

The proposed changes pose a significant challenge to Reddit, threatening its essence as a democratic and accessible platform. The demands made by moderators during the protest indicate an urgent need for Reddit to reevaluate its strategies concerning third-party apps, considering the viability of these apps and the communities they serve.

Despite assurances from the CEO of Reddit that most apps would not be affected and specific beneficial changes would be implemented, the widespread dissatisfaction and protest actions suggest a communication and trust gap between Reddit’s management and its user base.

This situation underscores the importance of transparent and inclusive decision-making in tech companies, particularly those providing community interaction platforms.

As Reddit navigates the choppy waters of these changes, it will need to consider the interdependencies of its ecosystem carefully. Reddit’s future will likely depend on its ability to balance commercial viability and preserve the democratic and open nature that has defined the platform.

Ultimately, the event underscores that community-driven platforms like Reddit are powered by more than just algorithms and APIs – they are powered by people, their needs, their creativity, and their desire for a shared digital space.

Featured image: Boumen Japet/Shutterstock

Ecommerce MGMT 0 Comments
May 11 2023
Reddit Marketing: A Guide To Getting It Right via @sejournal, @closedloop

When you think of social media marketing, the minds of most practitioners will generally go to sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and – more recently – TikTok.

But off that beaten path is Reddit, a surprisingly large, robust, and intriguing social media platform that could offer marketers an interesting place to share their message. Provided you’re willing to play by the rules, that is.

What Is Reddit?

You’ve probably at least heard of Reddit. But to most non-“Redditors,” it can be shrouded in some mystery.

So what is it, really?

Referred to as the “front page of the internet,” Reddit is a social news and discussion platform that has become a major player in the digital marketing landscape with 430 million monthly active users.

It is a site where users can share content, engage in discussions, and vote on the quality of content.

One of the most important things to understand is that Reddit is divided into thousands of “subreddits,” each focused on a specific topic. These subreddits cover almost every topic imaginable – from technology and gaming to cooking and fashion – attracting people from all walks of life.

One of the most interesting elements of Reddit is its upvoting and downvoting system for content. The system allows users to vote on the quality of content. “Upvoting” a post or comment means that a user finds it useful, interesting, or valuable – downvoting indicates the opposite.

This system provides a level of transparency and authenticity that is hard to find on other platforms. It gives users a say in what content (paid and organic alike) rises to the top or falls to the bottom of the forum.

To learn more, read this excellent guide about the ins and outs of Reddit.

What Is Reddit’s Target Market?

The target market of Reddit is diverse and varied, encompassing a wide range of interests and demographics.

Reddit’s user base includes people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds, united by shared interests and passions.

Reddit also has a strong international presence, with users worldwide engaging in discussions and sharing content.

The common thread among Reddit’s target market is their passion for content and the desire to engage with like-minded individuals.

Is Reddit Good For Promoting A Business?

Reddit can be a great place for businesses to advertise, provided that they do so effectively.

One of the biggest advantages of advertising on Reddit is the platform’s massive user base, diversity of interests, and pockets of niche communities. This means businesses can target their ads to specific subreddits, ensuring that their content reaches a highly engaged and relevant audience.

By creating valuable and relevant content, engaging with the audience, and targeting the right subreddits, businesses can leverage Reddit’s massive reach and involved user base to achieve their marketing goals.

For digital marketers, understanding each subreddit’s nuances and target audience is crucial to creating effective campaigns that resonate with the target market.

The Challenges Of Marketing On Reddit

Unlike more advertising-oriented social platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn, Reddit is not a place you want to wander into as a new marketer without understanding some of its potential pitfalls.

  • Content – One of the biggest challenges for businesses is creating content that resonates with Reddit’s user base, which is known for being highly discerning and critical of low-quality content. You can’t simply repurpose content from channels like Facebook and Twitter and find success –  you need to think audience-first.
  • Critique – Reddit’s users can be highly opinionated and vocal about their beliefs, which can lead to negative backlash if a campaign is perceived as tone-deaf or insensitive.
  • Nuance – Each subreddit on Reddit has its own unique culture and set of rules, which can make it challenging for digital marketers to create effective campaigns that resonate with the platform’s users.
  • Tools – Seasoned social media marketers may find the advertising tools Reddit offers lacking compared to the larger channels. Unfortunately, Reddit doesn’t provide the same level of automation, conversion tracking, and analytics as Facebook. Still, you can execute campaigns at any stage of the funnel.

Reddit Marketing Best Practices

Set Clear Objectives And KPIs

Before launching your paid advertising campaign on Reddit, setting clear objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) is crucial.

Are you looking to generate website traffic, increase brand awareness, or drive sales? Once you have a clear objective, you can set KPIs that align with your goals, such as click-through rates (CTRs), conversion rates, or return on ad spend (ROAS).

Choose The Right Ad Format

Reddit offers various ad formats, including sponsored posts, display ads, and video ads. Each ad format has unique strengths and weaknesses, so choosing the format that aligns with your campaign’s goals and target audience is essential.

For example, if you’re looking to drive brand awareness, display ads may be more effective, while if you’re looking to generate leads or sales, sponsored posts may be a better fit.

Develop Content That Resonates

Reddit’s user base is highly discerning and can quickly spot low-quality content.

Well-crafted advertising content can generate upvotes, increase engagement, and drive traffic, leads, and sales. If your content rubs users the wrong way, they won’t be shy about letting you know it.

Advertisers who create authentic, high-quality content can build brand awareness and loyalty on Reddit, translating into a more positive brand perception and customer retention.

Creating quality content on Reddit means:

  • Researching the target audience – Study the target audience and the subreddits where they are most active. This will help you understand their needs, interests, and preferences and create content that resonates with them. Take time to understand the tone and voice of each subreddit and use it to inform your content development.
  • Providing value – Make sure that your content provides value to the audience. This could include educational content, behind-the-scenes stories, or using humor to connect with the audience. The key is to create useful, entertaining, or informative content that resonates with the target audience.
  • Following the rules and guidelines – Each subreddit on Reddit has its own set of rules and guidelines, so it’s important to read and understand them before creating content. Violating the rules can lead to negative feedback or even getting banned from the subreddit, which can hurt a brand’s reputation and credibility.
  • Engaging with the audience – Responding to comments, answering questions, and participating in discussions related to the content can increase engagement and build trust and loyalty with the audience. It can also provide valuable insights into their needs and preferences, informing future content development.
  • Using eye-catching visuals – High-quality visuals relevant to the content can increase the likelihood of generating engagement and upvotes. Ensure the visuals are eye-catching and supportive of the message you want to convey.

Target The Right Subreddits

Just as with organic content, targeting the right subreddits is crucial for the success of your paid advertising campaign on Reddit.

Start by researching relevant subreddits using tools like Redditlist or Subreddit Stats.

Reddit also offers various targeting options, including location, interest, and device type, which can help you reach the right audience.

You can increase the likelihood of generating high-quality leads and sales by targeting the right subreddits and using the right targeting options.

Continually Optimize Your Campaign

Regularly monitoring and optimizing your paid advertising campaign on Reddit is critical to its success. Use Reddit’s built-in analytics to track your campaign’s progress and adjust your strategy based on the data.

This can include tweaking your targeting, adjusting your messaging, or changing the visuals to better resonate with your target audience.

Additionally, consider testing different ad formats, targeting options, and messaging to identify what works best for your target audience.

By continually optimizing your campaign, you can ensure you get the most out of your investment and achieve your marketing goals.

Top Brands Using Reddit For Marketing

In addition to the thousands of advertisers across the globe, Reddit’s potential has attracted several major brands, including the likes of Uber, HP, Ulta, Adidas, and Universal Studios.

Personally, I like the HP and Adidas examples for two different reasons.

HP

HP “dipped its toes” into Reddit to help drive subscriptions for its ink replacement service.

This is a great example of a major company taking the leap into the lower part of the funnel!

HP ad on RedditScreenshot from Reddit, February 2023

Adidas

Adidas used a popular Reddit concept called an “AMA” (Ask Me Anything), where its apparel experts answered community questions about its new line of running shoes.

This was a great example of providing relevant and valuable information and masterful use of Reddit’s content trends.

Adidas ad on RedditScreenshot from Reddit, February 2023

Takeaways

Advertising on Reddit is more challenging than doing so on more traditional social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. It requires more prep work, an intimate understanding of the target audience, and content tailored to the nuance of the platform.

Some advertisers might easily dismiss those requirements as too high of a barrier to entry. And that’s ok.

However, advertisers looking to engage with a supremely passionate, demographically diverse audience will find them on Reddit.

And with a little due diligence, these advertisers can create content that drives not just results, but the respect, appreciation, and loyalty of valuable customers.

More resources:

Featured Image: Nicescene/Shutterstock

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Apr 21 2023
Reddit Follows Twitter’s Lead, Announces Paid Access To Data API  via @sejournal, @kristileilani

Reddit announced this week updated terms for developer tools and services, paid access to the Reddit Data API, and more native moderation tools.

While the Reddit blog explained the changes as part of creating a healthy ecosystem, the New York Times reported that paid API access would stop large companies from using Reddit content to train large language models (LLMs) for free.

Updated documentation confirms that developers can only use Reddit content for LLM training with prior approval from Reddit and that it constitutes commercial access.

Bard cannot confirm if Google included Reddit content in its training data as part of the publicly available datasets “likely used.”

Reddit Follows Twitter’s Lead, Announces Paid Access To Data API Screenshot from Google Bard, April 2023

ChatGPT cannot share a specific list of sources, but Reddit may be one of them.

Reddit Follows Twitter’s Lead, Announces Paid Access To Data API Screenshot from ChatGPT, April 2023

Bing AI confirms that Microsoft uses multiple data sources, including the Bing index and algorithm with OpenAI GPT models.

Reddit Follows Twitter’s Lead, Announces Paid Access To Data API Screenshot from Bing, April 2023

Considering that ChatGPT may have used Reddit data, one could assume that Microsoft may have too, via its partnership with OpenAI.

How Much Will Access To The Reddit Data API?

According to the updated developer terms – effective June 19, 2023 – Reddit will charge for what it deems as commercial access and use of the API:

  • If a monetized business or service connects with the API, it is considered commercial access.
  • If a business or service generates revenue, directly or indirectly, from any Reddit data or derived data.

The following are specific examples of monetized services from Reddit’s Developer Platform page:

  • Services that generate revenue from ads and paywalls.
  • Search engines that generate revenue from ads.
  • Services that charge users for access to research or data.
  • Services for which users pay subscription fees.
  • Services included in another product upsell.
  • Services that publish Reddit content on monetized websites and apps.
  • Services that use Reddit data for training models.

Researchers who use the API for non-commercial purposes may continue to do so if they agree not to release sensitive Reddit data or products built using Reddit content. Access to large volumes of data may incur a fee to cover costs associated with bulk access to the API.

Christopher Slowe, CTO of Reddit, commented on a Machine Learning subreddit discussion about the news, writing:

“We are excited about LLM and ML research and overall very proud of the role that Reddit has played in that work over the years. So, while we do need to do more to ensure that our users’ data is being shared in a responsible manner, we are not looking to inhibit academic research or make money from researchers.”

Developers must also acknowledge that user content on Reddit belongs to the users and is subject to the user’s specified rights and usage restrictions. The user agreement confirms that users retain the rights to their content, but they also grant Reddit a royalty-free license to use it.

Reddit will share pricing details as soon as they are finalized.

Reddit assured moderators that API changes will not affect tools that assist in enforcing subreddit rules and removing content that violates Reddit policies.

Moderators are encouraged to follow the Mod News subreddit to stay updated about the latest developments in moderation tools. Reddit reportedly strives to maintain stricter community moderation to keep advertisers happy.

Will Reddit Data API Social Media Management Tools?

If you use any third-party tool to post on Reddit, search for posts on Reddit, or create analytics reports for your Reddit account, there are three ways this could impact you.

  • You may need more access to Reddit features through some third-party services.
  • You may have to start paying for some third-party services that once offered free pricing plans to absorb the increased cost of accessing the Reddit Data API.
  • You may have to pay more than you already are for some third-party services.

We will see the impact once Reddit releases API pricing details. Platforms that integrate with Reddit include Zapier, HootSuite, IFTTT, Feedly, Vista Social, Tray.io, and Social Rise. These platforms allow users to get valuable insights into Reddit engagement.

Reddit Follows Twitter’s Lead, Announces Paid Access To Data API Screenshot from Social Rise, April 2023

As for what kind of increase you could expect if your social media management tool passes the cost to its users: For third-party services with over a million users, it could be as little as an extra dollar per month per user. For services with fewer users, it could be much more.

Related News: How Changes to Twitter API Disrupted Popular Services

Two weeks after users began circulating images implying enterprise pricing for the Twitter API, Twitter officially updated its website with pricing plans for premium access to Twitter API v2.

It allows developers to build applications that retrieve and analyze data from Twitter – allowing these tools to search for Tweets on a specific topic, discover influencers, and create analytics reports about a Twitter account’s audience and engagement.

The API also allows applications to post updates to Twitter, which lets social media management tools schedule and post Tweets to an account.

Twitter offers three pricing options for API v2.

Reddit Follows Twitter’s Lead, Announces Paid Access To Data API Screenshot from Twitter, April 2023

Twitter invited users who need more data to apply for enterprise API access via a Google Form.

Enterprise APIs offer real-time coverage of public Tweets with specific operators and rules, advanced search filtering, full historical access to archived Tweets, and account activity by particular users (tweets, replies, follows, likes, blocks, etc.).

Twitter does not list pricing for enterprise-level Twitter API access on its website. A Tweet shared by Wired suggests a $42,000 – $210,000 monthly price range.

According to users in private Twitter developer communities who have contacted the platform for more information, it does not offer any plans between Basic (at $100 per month) and Enterprise.

Twitter also depreciated previous versions of the API, including Standard (v1.1), Essential (v2), Elevated (v2), and Premium API access tiers.

Increased costs and depreciated access impacted the following services that relied on the Twitter API.

  • Life-saving weather alerts from several National Weather Service accounts were limited.
  • IFTTT, an automation service with 18 million users, ran into issues with API changes made at the beginning of April.
  • Feedly, a news reader service that integrated AI features in 2020 for over 18 million users, retired Twitter features and began exploring integrations with Mastodon.
  • Flipboard, a news aggregation service with 145 million users, announced that Twitter feeds would remain broken and that Mastodon would be in its future.
  • HootSuite, a social media management tool with 18 million users, stopped offering free plans to users who manage Twitter and other social profiles.

We contacted the makers of several popular social media management tools for comment. So far, they’ve hesitated to comment as they work with Twitter on custom solutions.

Elon Musk, Twitter (Now X Corp) CEO, said paid API access would reduce bot abuse.

He also suggested Microsoft’s refusal to pay Twitter API fees could lead to a lawsuit over allegedly “ripping off the Twitter database” and “selling our [Twitter] data to others.”

GitHub, Microsoft, and OpenAI face a class action lawsuit in San Francisco, California, for allegedly leveraging user-generated content submitted, violating several open-source licensing guidelines. Microsoft, GitHub, and OpenAI have asked to have the lawsuit dismissed.

The same firm also filed a class action lawsuit against Sta­bil­ity AI, DeviantArt, and Mid­jour­ney for using Stable Diffusion, accused of using copyrighted art in its training data.

SEJ will follow developments as other companies with large repositories of public data and conversation will do in the future in response to AI companies using them for training data. 

Featured image: Dennis Diatel/Shutterstock

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