Reddit for Local SEO

Here's something I never thought I'd write:

Reddit threads are showing up in local search results. And they're winning.

Search "best plumber in [your city]". There's a decent chance a Reddit thread from r/[yourcity] is sitting on page one.

A Reddit thread where some random person asked for recommendations four years ago.

Not a directory where you can update your listing. Not a review site you can influence with new 5 star ratings.

A locked thread that could recommend businesses that have gone downhill or out of business.

Potential customers are reading them.

Why this is happening

Google made a deal with Reddit in early 2024 — access to Reddit's data for AI training.

Coincidence or not, Reddit visibility exploded right after.

Reddit threads represent "authentic" user-generated content. Real people asking real questions and getting real answers.

In a world of AI-generated SEO content, that's differentiated content.

Then there is the fact that Google and other AI LLMs used this data to train on. A built in bias exists.

What this means for you

If people are discussing your industry / product / service on your local subreddit, the threads are showing up in search.

Even if they are not, you need to know what they're saying because Reddit influences buying decisions.

1. Are you being recommended?
2. Are competitors being recommended?
3. Is anyone saying anything negative about you?

This isn't about gaming Reddit. Most subreddits are heavily moderated.

Shilling backfires quickly. It’s about awareness of where your brand is being mentioned.

So you can form a plan to leverage Reddit as a part of your Local SEO efforts.

The right way to approach it:

1. Monitor your local subreddit. Set up alerts or just check weekly. Know when your business or industry comes up. AI Agents are great for this.
2. Participate genuinely. If someone asks for recommendations and you can add value (not just "hire me!"), do it. Redditors can smell marketing from a mile away, so be helpful first.
3. Encourage happy customers to share. You can't ask for Reddit posts like you ask for reviews. But you can mention "we'd love it if you shared your experience with the community" and let them decide where.
4. Build presence over time. Having a legitimate account with history matters. A brand-new account recommending your own business gets nuked.
5. Build a subreddit for your brand. If you are already on Reddit and are comfortable with it, but don’t want customers going to a general subreddit, consider launching a subreddit for your brand. You can use it to announce new things, share advice, and support customers.
6. Build a subreddit for your niche. If your niche or category of business is not well represented on Reddit (or you have a new / unique angle), then launch your own subreddit. Seed it with catchy and thought provoking posts to attract members.

This approach ensures you know what’s being said about your brand. It also provides ample opportunity for Google to include threads in the search results featuring your brand.

The uncomfortable part:

You can't control Reddit like you control your GBP or your website. Even with your own brand subreddits.

If someone has a bad experience and posts about it, that thread might outrank the other good things said about you when people search your brand.

You can control whether or not your brand will show up on Reddit. You can also influence your brand appearing inside Reddit results Google is showing in local search results.

So you need to keep an eye on what’s being said about your brand on Reddit.

And start treating it like an extension of your brand and content publishing efforts.

Talk soon, Garrett

P.S. — Search "[your industry] + [your city] + Reddit" right now. See what comes up. That's what your potential customers are seeing too. Do the same "[your industry] + [your city]” search on Reddit too.