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Earlier this month, PRovoke Media wrote a in-depth story about social media platform Reddit which had recently, in March this year, unveiled new content moderation and analytics tools in an attempt to boost user engagement.
The new tools are aimed at simplifying content moderation and enhancing user engagement within its communities. One of the key features includes "post check," which allows users to verify whether their content aligns with a community's rules before posting. This helps prevent accidental rule violations, reducing the likelihood of post removals.
Additionally, if a post is removed, users will now receive a prompt suggesting alternative subreddits where they can repost their content, encouraging continued participation. Reddit is also implementing clearer community information which displays a community’s posting requirements, such as account age, prior to submission. This clarity aims to minimize confusion and increase the success rate of posts.
Together, these changes are designed to make Reddit more accessible for both new and experienced users, fostering a more engaging and responsible environment for discussions.
The changes also signal a potential new platform for brands to explore when it comes to communication and marketing efforts, something PRovoke Media explored in our initial article.
However, many industry experts PRovoke Media spoke to highlighted that marketing on a platform is very different from regular channels.
Shannen Tan, manager at Mutant, noted that Reddit is a "veritable gold mine" of consumer intelligence, with about 140,000 highly engaged communities tightly focused on every niche topic imaginable.
"Although Reddit is not given as much attention as Instagram or TikTok, it is one of the few social media platforms where there’s plenty of value in organic engagement."
True enough, according to the 2025 Digital Report by media intelligence firm Meltwater, active Reddit users in Singapore (on Android phones) open the Reddit App 116.9 times each month, the highest worldwide. Active Reddit users in Singapore (on Android phones) also spend an average of 3h 56min per month on the app.
"This is an opportunity for PR professionals looking to understand what audiences really think about their brands. Communication professionals do not need to trawl manually, as the more popular social listening platforms such as Meltwater and Brandwatch have Reddit API partnerships. This means users of such social listening platforms can readily analyse sentiments and trending themes in genuine conversations on Reddit," she said.
Saying that, Tan cautioned that Reddit is probably the most "cynical" and "PR-intolerant" audience you could choose to disseminate your message to.
"Redditors do not like prepared statements, boilerplates, or having products or services promoted to them. This goes against the ethos of Reddit communities–so much so that there is a specific subreddit, r/HailCorporate, to call out such attempts. If PR teams are looking for additional avenues to self-promote, this might not be the right place to do it. A good rule of thumb is to reflect on your objective: is it to publish, or is it to participate?"
That said, if there is a community that exists around your brand, having an official Reddit subreddit or having official accounts interacting with content in existing subreddit communities, are great ways to increase engagement and drive conversations around the brand, she said. "Being informal, authentic while value-adding to the communities are generally best practices to align with the community-driven ethos," she added.
Saying that, here are three things communicators need to keep in mind when navigating a user-led space such as Reddit.
1. Listen Before You Join
Some of the unique opportunities reddit offers communicators is the opportunity to reach and engage audiences who are highly passionate to the point of being experts in a specific area of interest or category, according to Daniel Young, group managing director, Consumer PR, social and influence Ogilvy PR AUNZ.
The subreddits are a collection of users that self-select to be part of the community, so posting in a sub means you're automatically reaching a very targeted and highly engaged audience, he added.
"Brands can create profiles and communities on Reddit but it’s important to ensure that these strategies are resourced adequately with experts who can engage authoritatively with the community. Brands that can effectively engage people in these niches and communities will benefit from a highly valuable feedback loop and increased brand advocacy," said Young.
Saying that, the critical steps here are to listen before you join and participate in a conversation. "Brands that try and deliver a heavily promotional or commercial message will fail and fail badly. Reddit is a place where users go to find their people and indulge in shared interests and experiences. Brands will succeed when they provide ways for users to express themselves in accordance with their passions and interests, and the cultural norms and behaviours that shape activity on the platform," he explained.
A good example of this is a campaign by the Australian Football League (AFL) who partnered with Reddit to create personalised AFL themed Reddit Avatars, which allowed fans to showcase their team colours on the platform in an authentic way. The campaign resulted in more than 700,000 users worldwide saving AFL-themed content to their Reddit profiles, according to Young.
2. Build Trust First
3. Leverage User-Generated Content
Lastly, it is important to remember that Reddit is not your typical media outlet. Instead, it thrives on user-generated content (UGC).
According to Hubspot, campaigns that leverage UGC are 9.8x more impactful than influencer content. 79% of people also say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions.
Additionally, Hubspot found that 31% of consumers say advertisements that feature UGC content are more memorable than traditional ads without it.
"We should encourage subreddit members to share their stories related to our brands as this will encourage a sense of community and belonging that traditional media simply can't match. Plus, with Reddit’s new analytics tools, we can measure how these posts perform and adjust our strategies on the fly," said Chan.
He added that subreddits on Reddit offer a treasure trove for brand engagement, each reflecting its own distinct culture and interests.
"We should be actively monitoring and join the conversations that resonate with our target audiences. Brands can also utilise AMAs (Ask Me Anything) and collaborate with subreddit KOLs (key-opinion-leaders) to enhance relatability," he said.
The new tools are aimed at simplifying content moderation and enhancing user engagement within its communities. One of the key features includes "post check," which allows users to verify whether their content aligns with a community's rules before posting. This helps prevent accidental rule violations, reducing the likelihood of post removals.
Additionally, if a post is removed, users will now receive a prompt suggesting alternative subreddits where they can repost their content, encouraging continued participation. Reddit is also implementing clearer community information which displays a community’s posting requirements, such as account age, prior to submission. This clarity aims to minimize confusion and increase the success rate of posts.
Together, these changes are designed to make Reddit more accessible for both new and experienced users, fostering a more engaging and responsible environment for discussions.
The changes also signal a potential new platform for brands to explore when it comes to communication and marketing efforts, something PRovoke Media explored in our initial article.
However, many industry experts PRovoke Media spoke to highlighted that marketing on a platform is very different from regular channels.
Shannen Tan, manager at Mutant, noted that Reddit is a "veritable gold mine" of consumer intelligence, with about 140,000 highly engaged communities tightly focused on every niche topic imaginable.
"Although Reddit is not given as much attention as Instagram or TikTok, it is one of the few social media platforms where there’s plenty of value in organic engagement."
True enough, according to the 2025 Digital Report by media intelligence firm Meltwater, active Reddit users in Singapore (on Android phones) open the Reddit App 116.9 times each month, the highest worldwide. Active Reddit users in Singapore (on Android phones) also spend an average of 3h 56min per month on the app.
"This is an opportunity for PR professionals looking to understand what audiences really think about their brands. Communication professionals do not need to trawl manually, as the more popular social listening platforms such as Meltwater and Brandwatch have Reddit API partnerships. This means users of such social listening platforms can readily analyse sentiments and trending themes in genuine conversations on Reddit," she said.
Saying that, Tan cautioned that Reddit is probably the most "cynical" and "PR-intolerant" audience you could choose to disseminate your message to.
"Redditors do not like prepared statements, boilerplates, or having products or services promoted to them. This goes against the ethos of Reddit communities–so much so that there is a specific subreddit, r/HailCorporate, to call out such attempts. If PR teams are looking for additional avenues to self-promote, this might not be the right place to do it. A good rule of thumb is to reflect on your objective: is it to publish, or is it to participate?"
That said, if there is a community that exists around your brand, having an official Reddit subreddit or having official accounts interacting with content in existing subreddit communities, are great ways to increase engagement and drive conversations around the brand, she said. "Being informal, authentic while value-adding to the communities are generally best practices to align with the community-driven ethos," she added.
Saying that, here are three things communicators need to keep in mind when navigating a user-led space such as Reddit.
1. Listen Before You Join
Some of the unique opportunities reddit offers communicators is the opportunity to reach and engage audiences who are highly passionate to the point of being experts in a specific area of interest or category, according to Daniel Young, group managing director, Consumer PR, social and influence Ogilvy PR AUNZ.
The subreddits are a collection of users that self-select to be part of the community, so posting in a sub means you're automatically reaching a very targeted and highly engaged audience, he added.
"Brands can create profiles and communities on Reddit but it’s important to ensure that these strategies are resourced adequately with experts who can engage authoritatively with the community. Brands that can effectively engage people in these niches and communities will benefit from a highly valuable feedback loop and increased brand advocacy," said Young.
Saying that, the critical steps here are to listen before you join and participate in a conversation. "Brands that try and deliver a heavily promotional or commercial message will fail and fail badly. Reddit is a place where users go to find their people and indulge in shared interests and experiences. Brands will succeed when they provide ways for users to express themselves in accordance with their passions and interests, and the cultural norms and behaviours that shape activity on the platform," he explained.
A good example of this is a campaign by the Australian Football League (AFL) who partnered with Reddit to create personalised AFL themed Reddit Avatars, which allowed fans to showcase their team colours on the platform in an authentic way. The campaign resulted in more than 700,000 users worldwide saving AFL-themed content to their Reddit profiles, according to Young.
2. Build Trust First
Trust is everything in today’s market. In fact, a recent survey done by Edelman found that 81% of consumers factor in a brand’s trustworthiness when making purchasing decisions.
"Reddit’s new moderation tools, like the “rules check” feature, help combat misinformation/fake news and create a safer environment. This is a golden opportunity for PR professionals to position our brands as transparent and community-minded. By showcasing our commitment to engaging responsibly, we can build stronger relationships with users who value integrity," said Aaron Chan, associate director for W Communications
He added that Reddit is a platform that thrives on authenticity. Hence, the messaging on the platform should reflect the community’s voice and avoid coming off as overly promotional. Being authentic and integrating user feedback into our strategy can help communicators connect more effectively with Reddit users and foster longterm trust.
Nichole Provatas, international head of integrated marketing at We added to his point by saying that trust on Reddit is earned, not bought—so brands must be transparent, informative, and responsive rather than overtly promotional. "Always go back to the core values of PR," he said, adding that unlike traditional social media, Reddit thrives on deep, interest-based communities rather than broad, algorithm-driven content feeds.
As such, PR teams should approach the platform with a community-first mindset, focusing on value-driven contributions rather than promotional content.
"Reddit’s new moderation tools, like the “rules check” feature, help combat misinformation/fake news and create a safer environment. This is a golden opportunity for PR professionals to position our brands as transparent and community-minded. By showcasing our commitment to engaging responsibly, we can build stronger relationships with users who value integrity," said Aaron Chan, associate director for W Communications
He added that Reddit is a platform that thrives on authenticity. Hence, the messaging on the platform should reflect the community’s voice and avoid coming off as overly promotional. Being authentic and integrating user feedback into our strategy can help communicators connect more effectively with Reddit users and foster longterm trust.
Nichole Provatas, international head of integrated marketing at We added to his point by saying that trust on Reddit is earned, not bought—so brands must be transparent, informative, and responsive rather than overtly promotional. "Always go back to the core values of PR," he said, adding that unlike traditional social media, Reddit thrives on deep, interest-based communities rather than broad, algorithm-driven content feeds.
As such, PR teams should approach the platform with a community-first mindset, focusing on value-driven contributions rather than promotional content.
3. Leverage User-Generated Content
Lastly, it is important to remember that Reddit is not your typical media outlet. Instead, it thrives on user-generated content (UGC).
According to Hubspot, campaigns that leverage UGC are 9.8x more impactful than influencer content. 79% of people also say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions.
Additionally, Hubspot found that 31% of consumers say advertisements that feature UGC content are more memorable than traditional ads without it.
"We should encourage subreddit members to share their stories related to our brands as this will encourage a sense of community and belonging that traditional media simply can't match. Plus, with Reddit’s new analytics tools, we can measure how these posts perform and adjust our strategies on the fly," said Chan.
He added that subreddits on Reddit offer a treasure trove for brand engagement, each reflecting its own distinct culture and interests.
"We should be actively monitoring and join the conversations that resonate with our target audiences. Brands can also utilise AMAs (Ask Me Anything) and collaborate with subreddit KOLs (key-opinion-leaders) to enhance relatability," he said.
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