LinkedIn is typically the first port of call for B2B lead generation, but it’s not the only option: Reddit has become a valuable resource for marketers looking to experiment with new platforms.
Why Reddit is a Great Platform for Lead Generation
While the rise of AI has left many websites struggling for traffic, this isn’t the case for Reddit, which received a big search engine boost by Google last year.
As more of the web becomes flooded with AI-generated slop, Reddit stands out as a hub for industry experts and potential customers to discuss topics that are important to them. The platform is home to thousands of niche communities, and Reddit users are highly focused on seeking valuable, relevant information.
Despite these advantages, many organizations still overlook Reddit lead generation as a marketing tool, preferring to focus on more conventional platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook.
This presents a unique opportunity for early movers to capitalize on Reddit’s potential for B2B lead gen.
1. Define Your Objectives
While defining what you want to achieve is perhaps the most obvious step, it is also the most overlooked. It can be tempting to jump in headfirst, but just like with any other B2B marketing campaign, it’s important to have clear goals to work towards.
For successful B2B lead gen, you should have an ideal customer in mind. Some characteristics to consider include:
- The industry they work in
- Company size
- Job role
- Geographical location
You should also set specific Reddit lead generation objectives, such as:
- Driving traffic to your website
- Increasing conversions by getting people to sign up for your newsletter, register their interest in demos, or download your content
- Increasing engagement by getting people to comment on your posts
Having achievable goals to work towards will help to guide your B2B lead generation efforts.
2. Find Out Where Your Audience Is
Reddit is made up of over 100,000 active subreddits, which are essentially communities centered around specific topics. This makes it easy to find the audience you’re looking to connect with for your B2B lead generation campaign.
You can find the communities you’re looking for by typing keywords into Reddit’s search bar. For instance, if you are focusing on SaaS lead generation, typing “SaaS” into the search bar brings up a list of existing communities, each with thousands of members.
You can also use third-party tools such as FindAReddit to find specific subreddits based on the number of subscribers they have, how active they are, and how quickly they’re growing.
Each subreddit has its own set of rules in the sidebar. Make sure you follow these rules, otherwise your post is likely to get removed.
3. Spend Some Time Observing the Subreddits You’re Targeting
It can be tempting to jump headfirst into your B2B lead gen campaign and try to promote your products far and wide across Reddit right off the bat, but this will backfire.
Every subreddit has its own culture, and it’s important to take the time to understand it before trying to become a part of it.
Spending a few days reading the subreddit and analyzing popular posts will help you to understand the tone of the subreddit, and it will also help you to understand what kind of posts perform well.
4. Find Out Where Your Competitors Are Active
One way to find out where your audience might be for your B2B lead generation campaign is to find out where your competitors are hanging out on Reddit, and get inspired by learning from what kind of content they’re making.
Another option is to find out where other people are talking about your competitors. Using a social listening tool such as KWatch.io allows you to monitor Reddit and receive real-time alerts when your competitors are mentioned. This means you can jump into discussions and mention your own product if it’s relevant.
5. Establish Credibility and Build Relationships With Community Members
Hard sell tactics are unlikely to be effective for Reddit. To be successful, you need to think like a Redditor, not a B2B marketer. One of the best ways to do this is by shifting your focus from selling, to building community by offering value to other people.
Hosting an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on a relevant subreddit can be a highly effective way to get your audience to directly engage with your brand. It builds your authority and helps you build trust with your community, while also giving you the opportunity to subtly promote your services.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that starting discussions is the best way to gain credibility, but in many cases parting in discussions in comment sections can be just as effective. This can include:
- Providing thoughtful answers to questions to demonstrate your expertise
- Participating in discussions by sharing your own experiences to show your authenticity
Remember, authenticity is a key cornerstone of Reddit, so use conversational language and avoid anything that is overly promotional or sounds like it was generated by ChatGPT.
6. Amplify Your Reach With Reddit Ads
In 2024, Reddit launched its own Lead Gen Ads feature that is designed to generate quality leads for your business.
It lets you put your message right in the middle of your potential buyers’ conversations, and allows you to target users based on:
- Interests
- Geography
- Behavior
While it can be tempting to target subreddits with as many members as possible, the best approach is always to aim for a smaller but highly-targeted audience. Ideally, you should target problem-solving subreddits where business owners are already likely to be looking for solutions.
Reddit users appreciate value-driven content, so you could promote your AMAs via Reddit ads to increase your visibility and drive traffic. You could also promote free downloadable resources to increase your credibility, including:
- An industry-specific guide
- A free template
- A business success template
- An educational webinar
Engagement is at the heart of Reddit, so don’t forget to reply to comments on your sponsored posts.
7. Regularly Review and Optimize Your Performance
It’s important to review your performance and make adjustments regularly, just like you would with any other B2B marketing campaign.
Use Reddit’s reporting tools to analyze which ads and posts have generated the most engagement or leads. This will help you identify any bottlenecks so you can make improvements.
You should also track key performance indicators (KPIs) and link these back to the goals you set out in the first step. Examples of KPIs include:
- Conversion rates
- Cost per lead (CPL)
- Customer lifetime value (CLV)
- Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
The good news is, posting on Reddit is free, and the minimum daily ad spend is only $5. This means you can start a small campaign with a low daily budget, and scale it up gradually as you find out what works.
Now all that’s left to do is launch your first Reddit lead generation campaign.
