The web forum reddit has quickly become one of the largest global, online communities, allowing users to create their own communities, connect with like-minded users and mold the site into something of their own. The unique atmosphere that the reddit platform has created makes it an invaluable resource for establishing thought leadership.
Thought leadership is a powerful tool for any brand. Thought leaders are informed experts in their field that people look to as a go-to resource on a particular topic. By using thought leadership to position your brand you will often notice a larger following, an increase in opportunities and leverage when it comes to shaping opinions. All three of those factors are valuable to any brand. So, how do you become a thought leader? Through providing valuable information to your followers and gaining credibility over time. Today we’ll discuss three steps to establish thought leadership on the popular web forum reddit.
Create a community. There are many ways to communicate information to your customers, but creating a community for them on reddit is another useful channel for voicing ideas. By creating a sub-reddit (what reddit considers to be niche communities) a brand can provide another level of customer service. Followers can post questions or comments that a brand can directly respond to. Not to mention, reddit is a think tank. What better place to get ideas or insight about your product than from customers who are happy to share their opinions? A brand that actively engages with its customers is much more likely to create happy customers and, more importantly, brand advocates.
Add to discussions. reddit is all about creating communities – there is truly something for everyone on the platform. Brands can use this to their advantage by finding a community, or multiple communities, that fit well with your area of expertise and start providing value. Part of thought leadership is about engaging with your following. By joining sub-reddits you can start to discover trends in the discussion. Now all you have to do is jump in and engage – start answering questions that you see posted, post original content that those redditers might find interesting and spark new conversations. Actively engaging with community members with interest in your field is a great way to gain new followers and also provide value without asking for anything in return.
Host an AMA. Hosting an Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) is like holding your own information session. This is a great resource for brands to show their expertise. Select key members of your organization to set an hour aside to answer any questions redditers have pertaining to a certain subject. The process is simple, most people post a subject line that reads “I am a [insert specialty here], ask me anything!” By saying what specialty your job role plays, redditers will be directed to ask questions related to that field. If you need more detailed guidance on how to host an AMA, you can find it here.
Reaching the status of thought leader takes an integrated approach across multiple platforms, but utilizing reddit’s think tank-like format is a great place to start. Brands can provide value to customers and potential customers at no cost, while simultaneously shaping their image as a thought leader – it’s the perfect win-win situation. Not to mention, brands can easily maximize their efforts by promoting reddit activity across other social platforms and encouraging followers to get involved.
