How to Use Reddit For SEO Link Building [2024 Update]

‍Should You Use Reddit for SEO?

Yes, probably—but you should also know that Reddit backlinks aren’t exactly considered high-quality. This is so because of a few reasons: 

• Anyone can get Reddit backlinks: You won’t be the only one using Reddit to build backlinks. There are probably hundreds of people doing the same as you read this. That makes Reddit backlinks less valuable than those coming from more high-authority sites. 
• Reddit links are marked as nofollow by default: Nofollow links don’t pass authority to the websites they’re linking to, which makes them less valuable than dofollow links.
• Reddit backlinks might not have a lot of authority and link juice: Due to the above reasons, Reddit backlinks may not help your rankings in search engines as much as links from more authoritative sites. With that said, this might have changed after Google and Reddit struck the deal we talked about earlier. 
• Others can downvote your submissions or mark them as spam: Reddit users don't like promotional posts, so they may downvote yours or mark them as spam. If that happens, your posts and links may get removed or become as good as invisible to other users. 

Still, Reddit backlinks can and will be valuable for your business—especially if you consider that Reddit is now getting more exposure on Google than ever before.

Additionally, Reddit link building has some serious advantages over building links on other sites:

• Anyone can do it: This can also be a pro, as it implies you don't need special skills or expertise to build backlinks on Reddit. All you need is an account and some willpower.
• It's free: You can build backlinks on Reddit free of charge, making it an attractive option if you’re on a tight budget.
• No professional link building help needed: You don't need to hire professional link builders to build backlinks on Reddit. You can do it yourself with a little bit of effort and persistence. We’d still advise it, though, considering that (overly) promotional posts frequently get taken down and reported. If you don’t want to do it yourself, get want someone who can monitor them regularly and act accordingly.

Like most things in life, using Reddit for SEO has pros and cons. 

But if you do it right, it can only help your search engine optimization efforts—not hurt them. When you add to that that building links on Reddit is completely free, it becomes obvious that it would be a shame not to use the platform as part of your SEO strategy. 

But… Are You Allowed to Use Reddit for Link Building?

Actually, yes! Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that you are allowed to post links to your own content on Reddit. 

This is officially stated in Reddit’s guidelines on self-promotion. We highly suggest reading them before starting to use Reddit for SEO.

But, if you're looking for a quick recap, here are some key takeaways:

• Only 10% or less of your total postings and conversations on Reddit should link to your content.
• Even so, you should only post your links in subreddits that allow you to do so. Make sure to read the subreddit-specific rules before posting.
• Finally, you shouldn’t ask other people to upvote your content. This is considered vote cheating and manipulation. Reddit wants your upvotes (and downvotes) to be 100% organic.

If you want to use Reddit for link building for a long time, we suggest sticking to these rules as much as possible.

Also, make sure you know your way around Reddit in the first place.

Before You Start Building Links, Learn the Reddit Terminology

Reddit is quite different from other social media platforms and forums you may have used before. It even has its own terminology, and getting familiar with it in advance will help you get results faster. 

So, here are a few Reddit-specific terms you should know: 

• Subreddit: A specific forum or community on Reddit dedicated to a particular topic or interest, indicated by “/r/” in its name. Each subreddit has its own set of rules and guidelines, such as forbidding text-only posts or offensive language.
• Upvote: Equivalent to "likes" on other social media platforms; a way for users to show that they like or agree with a particular post or comment. Upvoted posts or comments get more visibility. 
• Downvote: The opposite of “upvote.” Downvoted posts become less visible on specific subreddits and the site as a whole.
• Karma: A measure of a user's reputation or popularity on Reddit. It’s calculated based on the number of upvotes and downvotes on users' posts and comments.
• OP: “Original poster;" the person who made the original post in a subreddit or thread.
• Repost: A post that has been made before in the same subreddit or on Reddit in general. Reposts are generally discouraged on Reddit, as users prefer to see new and original content.
• Reddiquette: The informal rules and guidelines for how to behave on Reddit.
• Shadow-ban: A ban that’s not visible to the user. It implies that the user's content is not visible to others and that the user probably is not aware of this. Shadow-bans are used to discourage spamming or other inappropriate behavior on Reddit.

These terms will come in handy when you start using Reddit for SEO but also for marketing in general. For example, the more upvotes you get, the more likely it is that your content will get seen by the right people.

Understanding The Reddit Community

If you want to use Reddit for SEO, you must understand its community first. 

As we’ve mentioned, Reddit is different from most other social media platforms. If you’re using it for the first time, it may be helpful to understand how its users differ from communities on other platforms before you start building links.

So, here are some key things to know about Reddit users:

• They are very active. Hundreds of new posts are made every day, so it may be difficult to stand out from the crowd. To get noticed, you'll need to create unique and original posts.
• They are savvy and well-informed. You won’t impress them by sharing common knowledge or information they can easily find elsewhere. They expect to see truly unique content. 
• They want casual conversations. This implies you may want to rethink using the platform if you have a more serious or formal brand.  
• They can be very critical if they don't like what they see. If you're not careful, you could receive a lot of negative feedback and downvotes on your posts. To avoid this, make sure you're offering high-quality content and engaging with users in a respectful and helpful way. And do NOT be overly promotional; Reddit users can be very unforgiving when it comes to unsolicited, sneaky ads.

Of course, the best way to learn about the Reddit community is to become a part of it. Don’t be afraid to jump straight in and learn as you go. 

How To Use Reddit for SEO Link Building In 2024

Finally, let’s see how you can build Reddit backlinks in 2024.

 1. Create A Reddit Account

First things first, you need to create a Reddit account to be able to post and gain users’ trust. 

Go to the Reddit website and click “Join Reddit.” This will open a sign-up window where you can enter your email. From there, you’ll be able to enter your desired username and password. 

Reddit will warn you that you won’t be able to change your username later, so make sure you think your decision through.

Considering you’ll use Reddit to build links, we suggest you enter your real name or a username that people associate you with online. This will help you gain trust. 

However, we’ve noticed that many people who actively use Reddit for SEO tend to create multiple fake accounts—i.e., accounts with made-up nicknames and backgrounds. They use one account to post, and other accounts to create traction on that post, usually by upvoting it and commenting on it. 

We’re not fans of this strategy. It makes the search results even worse than they already are. Plus it’s shady. Plus it's against Reddit's guidelines on self-promotion.

But there you go, we guess; do with the above information as you will.

2. Make Your Reddit Profile Trustworthy

Once you’ve created your account, you’ll be able to edit your profile and add more details about yourself. You can take this opportunity to further establish your credibility.

We suggest you:

• Write a trustworthy bio section – Mention your education, work experience, and relevant achievements but be casual about how you present this info. Remember: you’re on Reddit, not LinkedIn.
• Connect your social profiles – Especially the ones you use for business purposes.
• Add a photo of yourself – Replace your avatar with a real photo, or at least an image that better represents what you do.

3. Be An Active User From The Get Go

Think of your first 30 days on the platform as a test run. But it’s not just about you testing Reddit — it’s also about Reddit testing you. 

You want to convince the moderators and users that you’re on Reddit to add value to the conversations and not just to post links or promote your business. 

(And, hopefully, that’s the truth anyway.)

So, you probably want to focus on publishing valuable content and avoid posting links or overly promotional posts during your first month on the platform. This will help you build Karma, i.e., your user reputation. 

Also, you want to post comments regularly in order to position yourself as an active Reddit user and get the algorithms working in your favor. Like most other social networks, Reddit values consistency. 

4. Choose Relevant Subreddits 

The platform hosts thousands of subreddits covering just about every topic you can imagine. So, you’ll surely find one that fits your niche and goals, but this may take some trial and error.  

One way to find relevant subreddits is to simply enter your keywords in the Reddit search bar and see what comes up.

Alternatively, you can enter the following query string into Google and find more relevant results that way: 

• site:reddit.com “target keyword” 

For example, if we google “site:reddit.com “link building”,” we’ll find multiple subreddits and posts mentioning this specific keyword. This may help us find additional suitable subreddits that we wouldn’t discover on the platform:

The third option is to use specialized tools like NewsWhip to monitor relevant posts across all subreddits. This is the easiest, but also the costliest strategy out of the three. But to each their own; choose an approach that best suits your needs.

Some SEOs also advise deliberately searching for not-so-active subreddits, as this indicates that the moderators are not hugely active, either. This decreases the chances of your post getting taken down, but it also decreases your visibility. So, it’s a matter of which trade-offs you’re willing to make.

5. Create Your Own Subreddit For Posting Links

If you can't find a relevant-enough subreddit, you can always create your own. In fact, doing so can be an excellent way to build a community of like-minded individuals who are genuinely interested in your content.

To create a subreddit, visit the Reddit homepage and click the "Create Community" button. 

You'll be prompted to enter the subreddit name and choose a community type. You’ll probably want to make your subreddit public if you’re using it for link building purposes.

Once you’ve created your community, you’ll be able to add a description, rules, and primary topics, and tweak other features of your subreddit.

All that’s left to do is start posting! 

6. Post Relevant Links In Moderation

If you post too many links or spam the site with promotional content, you could get a lot of negative feedback or even get banned from Reddit.

To avoid this, post only relevant links that add value to the conversation. Focus on providing helpful information or resources rather than just promoting your own content. 

A good rule of thumb is to make one promotional post (or include one backlink to your site) per 15 pure-value posts.

Also, keep in mind that some subreddits don’t allow text-only posts, so you may need to prepare visuals in advance. If you need more guidance on how to publish posts on Reddit, we suggest checking out this 1-minute tutorial: 

8. Make Your Reddit Posts Valuable

“Value” became a marketing buzzword. So here’s exactly what we mean when we say you should make your Reddit posts valuable: 

• Add something new to the conversation: Read the entire thread to see what others have already mentioned in their comments. If you don’t feel like you have anything else to add, maybe you should choose to comment on another thread.
• Make your posts context-relevant: Again, you want to carefully read through the entire thread to get a sense of what the users are talking about. 
• Don’t post links in your first sentence: Otherwise, your posts will scream “promo” and probably earn you tons of downvotes. Try to weave your links into the middle of your posts instead.
• Make your posts easy to understand: This will help other users recognize the value of your post more quickly. Bullet points and stylized text can help you emphasize the most important parts of your comments.
• Add links naturally: Don’t force links into your posts just for the sake of linking. Add them only if they’re relevant.
• Mention your sources: Never, ever plagiarize other people without giving them due credit. The Reddit community is unforgiving when it comes to plagiarism. (Among other things.)

9. Track Your Success

Last but not least, try to regularly check which of your posts are getting the most downvotes and upvotes. 

From there, you want to zero in on your most popular posts and try to create more similar content in the future, while avoiding posts that got you downvoted in the past. It’s not rocket science, but it can make or break your efforts on the platform.

Can I Promote Affiliate Links On Reddit?

Reddit doesn’t allow posting affiliate links, and doing so can get you banned from the platform. 

Still, that doesn’t mean that you can’t use Reddit for affiliate marketing. You just need a more creative approach.

For example, you can post a link to a blog post with affiliate links in it rather than blatantly posting the links on the platform.

Want To Build High-Quality Backlinks Instead? We Can Help.

While building links on Reddit has its advantages, it’s not a good strategy for getting higher search engine rankings or driving consistent traffic to your site. You’ll need a more sophisticated link building strategy to do so. 

Our link building company can help you develop one and get placements in high-authority publications like Forbes, Southern Living, and many others. Schedule your free consultation today to learn more about how we can help. No strings attached.