Reddvisible’s Reddit Playbook: The New Framework For Digital Growth

The ground is shifting under our feet. For years, the digital growth playbook was straightforward: rank #1 on Google. But the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews has rewritten the rules of discoverability. Suddenly, the top search result is no longer the undisputed king. Instead, a new factor reigns supreme: consensus.

To unpack this new framework, we sat down with Ewen Finser, CEO of Reddvisible, the first marketing agency dedicated to Reddit. With a decade of experience building and scaling a media company with over 100 websites, Ewen saw the writing on the wall when Google's Helpful Content Update prioritized user-generated content (UGC). He pivoted to master the platform that has become the beating heart of online conversation and a primary data source for AI: Reddit.

Here is Ewen Finser’s playbook for navigating—and winning—in this new era of digital growth.

The Biggest Shift: From Ranking To Consensus

The most significant change for brands is the move away from a singular focus on ranking to a more holistic, consensus-based model. In a world dominated by LLMs, discoverability is no longer about owning one top spot; it's about being part of the conversation everywhere.

"It's no longer good enough to rank number one in Google and call it a day," Ewen explains. "That number one ranking is still valuable, but there's only about a 10-15% overlap between Google's top 10 results and what's actually showing up in the top citations for an LLM."

This new reality demands what Ewen calls a "surround sound" approach. Brands need a presence across all the platforms where LLMs are listening—YouTube, TikTok, blogs, and especially Reddit. This requires breaking down old organizational silos.

"A lot of brands are trapped in their old org charts where the SEO team did this and the affiliate team did this," Ewen says. "Now, it's really important to not only work cross-functionally but to attribute value cross-functionally." That glowing review your affiliate team secured in a top publication isn't just driving sales; it's a powerful citation that's training the AI to trust your brand.

Why Consensus Is The New Gold

To understand why consensus matters, you have to understand how an LLM answers a question. "It's kind of like it's dynamically generating the article in front of you," says Ewen. Instead of just retrieving a static webpage, an LLM synthesizes information from a vast library of sources to create a new, personalized answer.

Reddit is a uniquely powerful source in this process because it provides a near real-time stream of human sentiment. For any trending topic, there are thousands of fresh opinions on Reddit within hours.

Here's how this plays out for brands:

• Without Consensus: If an LLM finds only a few scattered or conflicting mentions of your product, it will default to an even-keeled, non-committal summary. "It will say something generic, like, 'Some users like Nike because they are fashionable... other users do not like them because they are expensive'," Ewen notes. This mixed-signal response doesn't inspire confidence or drive purchases.
• With Consensus: When you build a critical mass of positive sentiment across multiple Reddit threads, third-party blogs, and other sources, the LLM's conclusion changes dramatically. The summary shifts from "some users say" to "many users love this brand" or "top recommended." You've moved the needle from indifference to endorsement.

LLMs even create sections titled "What real users are saying," pulling directly from Reddit threads. Because Reddit is famously difficult to market on, this user-generated sentiment carries an implicit seal of approval that brands can't buy.

Should Your Brand Jump Right Into Reddit? (Spoiler: No)

Seeing Reddit's power, the first impulse for many brands is to create an account and start posting in relevant subreddits. According to Ewen, this is a recipe for disaster. 😱

"Brands will come to us after they've tried that and say, 'Oh, it didn't really work.'" The problem is that Reddit isn't a single entity; it's a collection of thousands of individual communities, or "confederations," each with its own human moderators and often arbitrary rules.

There are three filters your content must pass through:

1. Big Reddit: The platform's sitewide spam and manipulation filters.
2. The Moderation Queue: The human mods of each individual subreddit.
3. The Users: Redditors who can downvote your content into oblivion or call you out for being inauthentic.

"If you're going into certain communities as a brand, you're gonna get flamed," Ewen warns. "They just don't want you there."

The right approach is to start with a strategy, not a post. Ewen advises brands to at least claim their own subreddit (e.g., r/YourBrandName) to own the turf. But before engaging in other communities, you need a dedicated plan. This involves mapping out relevant subreddits, understanding their rules, and using authentic creator profiles—not a corporate account—to add value to conversations.

Most importantly, never feed the beast. "The number one mistake we see with brands is they see a negative thread and they want to go in and correct the sentiment," Ewen says. "The number one correlation for something ranking highly on Reddit is the number of comments and engagement. Some of those negative sentiments, it's best to just leave it alone." Instead of fighting a losing battle, the better strategy is to create new, positive content that can outrank the old negativity.

The Biggest Misconception: The AMA Silver Bullet

Many brands believe that hosting an "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) is the key to Reddit success. While it can generate a temporary buzz, it's not a sustainable growth strategy.

"You can do that once or twice, but it's not going to really move the needle, and it doesn't really nest within an SEO or AEO (AI Engine Optimization) strategy," Ewen points out. An AMA is a one-time PR event. A true Reddit strategy involves creating a library of durable, positive content that consistently shows up in high-intent buyer-journey searches (e.g., "Hubspot vs. Pipedrive Reddit") for months and years to come.

Rethinking Performance, Traffic, and Attribution

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In this new landscape, old attribution models are breaking down. LLM interfaces are largely click-less, and Reddit is notoriously hostile to tracking links. "We're in a challenging period for attribution," Ewen admits. "I don't think we're in this fog of war forever, but there is an early-mover advantage here."

Instead of focusing on last-click attribution, brands should measure success through:

• AI Visibility Tracking: Use new tools to monitor how your brand's sentiment and position change over time for key search prompts in platforms like ChatGPT.
• Classic Rank Tracking: Monitor where relevant Reddit threads are ranking on Google for your target keywords. Reddit results often take up 2-3 times the screen real estate of a normal search result.
• Community Growth: For brands that build their own branded or affinity-based subreddits, Reddit provides publisher insights and stats on views and engagement.

Ewen advises brands to think of this as an insurance policy. "We're going to wake up five years from now and be like, 'Oh, yeah, it's obvious this is the way we do business,'" he says. "What's the minimum level of investment you can make now to at least get those muscles moving and be able to move quickly when the environment changes?"

The Future: A "Flight To Quality"

Over the next 12 months, Ewen anticipates a significant "flight to quality." As LLMs become more sophisticated, they will get better at distinguishing high-quality, authentic content from low-effort spam.

"Reddit has positioned themselves as 'we are the humans'," Ewen says. "That's all predicated on them having original insights from real creators."

This means the value of authentic, in-depth user experiences will skyrocket. The future of Reddit marketing isn't about dropping brand mentions; it's about partnering with creators who have genuinely used your product and can share their real experiences with images, collateral, and credible stories. Building owned media assets, like a thriving brand- or affinity-based subreddit, will become an invaluable moat.

Who Should Be Knocking On Reddvisible's Door?

While any brand that sees Reddit appearing in its search results should be paying attention, Ewen says the ideal client is the upstart looking to challenge an industry giant.

"We love working with brands that have some brand awareness but are trying to go after the incumbents," he says. Verticals like B2B software, health and beauty, subscription services, and high-margin DTC products (like mattresses) are a great fit.

Why? "It's a great fit for Reddit because you're going to be able to out-swing your weight class. Between Reddit, UGC, and AI, there are these pathways that are open relative to traditional SEO, which may be blocked off to you." For Davids looking to take on Goliaths, Reddit is the ultimate slingshot.