The Power of Reddit AMAs: A Case Study π
We recently wrapped up an AMA with Ethan Smith (CEO of Graphite) on r/AISEOforBeginners, and the results speak for themselves:
π The Numbers:
#1 most upvoted post of all time on the subreddit
12,000+ views (and organically growing)
110+ comments in a very niche topic (AEO)
40+ questions answered - every single one
For context, I've seen AMAs in subreddits 10x larger perform worse. The engagement here proves that quality > quantity when you provide real value.
Why is this still growing? Reddit's algorithm is pushing this thread to anyone researching AEO because Ethan delivered comprehensive, helpful answers. When Reddit sees high engagement and quality content, it keeps serving it to relevant users. This is organic reach at its finest.
What does the guest (Ethan) get from this?
β Increased Visibility & Brand Awareness - Boosts personal brand reach and Google Knowledge Graph presence. We're actively tracking how this AMA impacts Ethan's organic search visibility (will share results in my Skool community - link in comments).
β Trust & Credibility - By answering questions directly and transparently, you demonstrate expertise and authenticity.
Funny backstory: We actually connected with Ethan because someone on the subreddit claimed he was a "scam influencer." Ethan showed up, addressed every controversial question about his AEO expertise head-on, and we decided to organize this AMA to let him prove his knowledge. The community response? Overwhelmingly positive.
β Strategic Marketing - Ethan shared his research, case studies, and helpful Graphite articles throughout the thread. This adds credibility signals for search engines, creates valuable backlinks, and generates brand mentions - all important for AEO strategy (am I right, Ethan? π).
Key Takeaway: Reddit AMAs aren't just about one-time engagement. When done right, they become evergreen content that continues driving value months (or years) after the session ends. The algorithmic boost + SEO benefits make this one of the most underrated marketing tactics out there.
Want to learn how to leverage Reddit for your business? IΒ teach organic Reddit marketing strategies in my course and share detailed case studies in my Skool community. Link in comments.
#RedditMarketing
Quick Reddit tip before Black Friday: Post a deals roundup thread in your subreddit. These threads rank fast in Google and drive serious traffic.
I did this for crypto and SEO Black Friday deals - both ranking within 24 hours (see screenshots).
You'll thank me on November 28th when the traffic hits.
The subreddit I started as a teaching example for my students in my Organic Reddit Marketing course just hit 1,000 members in under 45 days. It's faster than any community I've built so far. Here's the framework that drove that growth:
1. Topic Selection: High-Demand + Trust Gap. AI SEO is evolving rapidly. People don't want a single influencer's take. They want multiple perspectives and real experiences. Communities fill that trust gap better than any blog post or YouTube video.
2. Aggressive Quality Control. Most AI SEO subreddits are flooded with spam, AI-generated posts, and self-promotion. I remove roughly 70% of submissions to maintain quality. Only genuine discussions and community-relevant content stays.
3. Strategic Naming Combined the core keyword "AI SEO" with the audience level "for Beginners" to maximize discoverability both on Reddit and in search.
4. Clear Community Standards
- Value-first content only
- Respectful engagement required
- Strict self-promotion guidelines enforced
5. Three-Phase Growth Strategy
- Phase 1 (Weeks 1-2): Post 3-5 times weekly, seed initial engagement
- Phase 2 (Weeks 2-4): Encourage user posts, collaborate with industry voices
- Phase 3 (Ongoing): Share guides and success stories, keep discussions active
Once a subreddit crosses 1,000 members, threads gain more algorithmic visibility on Reddit and start ranking in Google search results.
Next Steps:
1. Build reddit conversion funnels through welcome messages, sidebar widgets, and pinned guides
2. Maintain posting momentum to sustain growth
3. Create SEO-optimized threads specifically designed to rank in Google
π· I can tell which Reddit account is set to fail just by looking at the username. Can you?
I've been on Reddit since 2014, and I keep seeing the same mistakes. So here's a challenge for you:
Look at these 4 Reddit accounts on the image below.
Which one do you think will be MOST successful for marketing? And which one is getting banned first?
Drop your answer in the comments β I'm genuinely curious to see what you think. I'll share my take based on 11 years of Reddit experience below. π·
π· u/linkbuildingperson β 50/50 shot. The username screams "I'm here to sell link building services." Even if this person gives genuine, valuable advice, Redditors will assume there's an agenda. If they DM you? You already know what it's about. Trust = zero.
π· u/DallasFromThisSEOAgency β Set to fail. These corporate accounts exploded after 2023 when Reddit became the number 5 most-visited site. Here's the problem: Reddit isn't LinkedIn. Any recommendation from "Dallas" will be seen as biased. These accounts get downvoted into oblivion because they don't understand Reddiquette or the culture. I've seen maybe 2-3 exceptions. Most crash and burn.
π· u/PPCgurus β Extremely high-risk territory. Unless you're managing a corporate subreddit or responding to threads like "PPC Gurus spent $90K and got me zero leads," this account is a ticking time bomb. Overpromote once? Negative karma. Twice? Banned. Let's be honest, that's probably why it was created in the first place.
π· u/Sprinle-Donggle-0913 β The winner π· This is it. Classic Snoo avatar. Random, meaningless username. No corporate baggage. Redditors trust accounts like this. You still can't spam links, but with a smart strategy, you can mention your product organically, drive brand searches (hello, SEO benefits), and generate real leads without setting off alarm bells.
The bottom line? Reddit rewards authenticity and punishes anything that smells like marketing. The best "marketing account" doesn't look like a marketing account at all.
Do you use Reddit for marketing? Which of these 4 accounts looks like yours?
#redditmarketing
4 Reddit Posts Generated Me $10K+ in Revenue. Most People Do This Wrong and Get Banned.
Let me tell you what DOESN'T work:
β Posting links to your website
β Dropping affiliate links in comments
β Creating multiple fake accounts to upvote yourself
β Using ChatGPT-style "value posts" filled with fluff (Redditors will destroy you)
β Spamming DMs to people in discussions
All of these will get you banned or roasted.
Here's what actually worked:
1st Post: A genuine user story with a unique converting funnel.
I shared a long-form, authentic story that resonated with the community. The funnel was built naturally into the narrative - no hard sells, just value.
2nd Post: A simple, hyper-specific guide solving one problem.
I wrote a straightforward guide addressing one specific pain point in my niche. It was so helpful and well-received that it now ranks on Google for that keyword and generating organic traffic long after I posted it. Also ranked in reddit answers.
3rd Post: Genuine content + solution in comments.
A user posted quality content in my subreddit. I provided the solution in the comments with relevant links. Because it came from a trusted reddit user in a trusted reddit community (that I moderate), neither the mods nor Reddit's spam algorithms flagged it.
4th Post: A detailed travel guide to a specific destination.
I created a highly specific, helpful guide. When it started gaining traction and people found real value in it (you could see it in the upvotes), I added a non-promotional lead capture form at the end. The focus was always on delivering genuine help first.
The 3 things these posts had in common:
1. They were long-form but packed with value (upvotes don't lie)
2. They were posted in subreddits I moderate and control
3. Zero direct advertising or self-promotion. They focused entirely on providing genuine solutions. Sales funnel built in a different way.
Want to see the actual posts?
Like this post, follow me, and comment "REDDIT POSTS" and I'll share them with you.
I ignored Reddit for 3 years. Thought it is a temporary anomaly is search results.
I was wrong.
Will Reddit stay on top of Google forever with 1B+ monthly visits?
Probably not.
Reddit's dominance in search results does not feel algorithmic but driven by design, thanks to strategic partnerships with Google & others.
Many people acknowledge this and simply... ignore Reddit.
Big mistake.
You're missing one of the best opportunities right now to build momentum for your product, blog, or brand.
While Reddit ranks incredibly well, it's never been easier to build your subreddit community and drive engaged members.
In the past few months, I:
β‘οΈ Grew my Canadian crypto community to 1,600 members with 40K monthly views
β‘οΈ Built a GalΓ‘pagos Islands travel community to 300+ members with 20K monthly views
β‘οΈ Launched an AI SEO community to 200+ members in less than 2 weeks with 2,000+ views already
Here's the reality: Reddit may not keep this traffic forever.
But right now? Use the momentum to:
β Increase brand mentions
β Drive actual sales
β Build a genuine community (the most important part)
The window is open. Don't wait until it closes.
One tip to get you started: Your first 10 posts should be 100% value, 0% promotion. This builds trust that pays off massively later.
Like this post + report + comment "REDDIT" below and I'll send you my latest Reddit growth strategies.
Why the f*ck are you still ignoring Reddit?
I built a reddit community from 0β100 members in 10 days in quite commercial niche.
Got 2K+ views for some posts.
Landed a sponsor before hitting triple digits.
Zero ad spend.
Pure strategy.
Like + retweet, comment "REDDIT" and I'll send you the 9-step strategy I used.
I worked on this subreddit for just 10 days and already reached 100 members! Follow me on X - Iβll be sharing different strategies for growing your subreddit fast.
The ONE thing you should NOT automate
β¬οΈ β¬οΈ β¬οΈ
Reddit marketing π«π€
I automate a lot in my business. But after losing multiple accounts and countless hours, I'm here to tell you: don't automate Reddit posting.
I've been on Reddit since 2014, but only started Reddit marketing last year. Like many, I was tempted by the "automate everything" approach especially after many "Reddit automation" guides from influencers selling automation workflows.
Why Reddit automation fails:
1οΈβ£ Each subreddit is its own universe. Some communities are brutally sarcastic, others are radical about specific topics. While LLMs can generate thoughtful replies, they don't understand the nuanced culture. Result? Downvotes, suspicion, ban. Not to mention, Reddit users hate automated content.
2οΈβ£ Hyper-specific rules. Get banned for forgetting to mention your age in the title, not including a TLDR, or dozens of other micro-rules that vary by subreddit. AI doesn't catch these.
3οΈβ£ Reddit's AI detection is aggressive. They're constantly improving their spam filters because they don't want the platform flooded with AI content. Their algorithms are no joke.
4οΈβ£ Account suspension risk. Reddit's ToS explicitly prohibits automation. I lost multiple good accounts testing this.
5οΈβ£ Comment-to-post ratio tracking - Reddit flags accounts that only post links/promotions without genuine participation. Automation can't replicate natural browsing and spontaneous commenting.
6οΈβ£ Reddit also detects timing patterns (learned hard way). Humans don't post at exactly 9 AM every day. Automated scheduling creates unnatural patterns that trigger spam filters.
What about those "success stories"?
I researched every major Reddit automation tool and influencer course. Most couldn't share real examples of working accounts. It was always "pay me and it'll be easy." I did not test these.
The only person I found sharing publicly (shoutout to Wes Frank and his YouTube channel with his free automation guide for Reddit) had commenters reporting suspended accounts. Even his demo account stopped posting (not sure reason why but IMO it was not that successful even though the automation pattern worked well).
β‘οΈ I break down exactly what works (and what doesn't) in my free community. DM me "REDDIT" for access. β¬ οΈ
That's why I now have two dedicated Reddit marketers on my team who follow a strict manual approach. What actually works instead:
β Deep subreddit research before posting
β Authentic engagement that respects community culture
β Custom responses that match each subreddit's tone
β Strategic timing based on community activity patterns
β Building genuine karma through valuable contributions first
The bottom line: Reddit is one of the most powerful marketing channels when done right. But "done right" means respecting that Reddit users can smell automation from a mile away.
What's your experience with Reddit marketing? Have you tried automation?
π Want to grow your subreddit (community on reddit) with new members organically at no cost to you?
π Put your main keyword in the name.
While recording my Reddit marketing course (where I teach how to get leads, referral sales, and make money on Reddit the smart way), I created a test subreddit called "r/AISEOforBeginners" to demonstrate this strategy. I was simply targeting the "AI SEO" keyword.
It's been one week, and guess what?
When you search for "ai seo" on mobile Reddit, my community now appears as the 2nd suggestion!
How is this possible for a brand new subreddit?
The major key to success: Including "AI SEO" at the beginning of my subreddit name.
I was also able to outrank broader, more popular (by member count) similar subreddits using the rest of my methods.
Now I have 35 members just one week in, and it keeps growing. Join by the way!
Want to learn more Reddit marketing strategies? Comment REDDIT STRATEGIES and I'll send you the details.
β The most common Reddit marketing fails I see (with real examples from my tiny subreddit)
While recording my Reddit marketing course, I created a random subreddit called r/AISEOforBeginners as an example. Funny enough, I actually started working on it and got 6 organic members already (join by the way!).
I posted this thread that got some traction: "Do you charge for AI SEO as a separate service or include it in your current SEO package?" (see screenshot for a full post)
Being an SEO subreddit, of course SEO tool makers tried to promote their products. What's hilarious? Within 1 day in my extremely small subreddit, the two most common Reddit marketing mistakes happened.
π Example 1: Direct advertising with a link (see screenshot)
The worst possible thing you can do. You'll get banned from most subreddits almost instantly. Even worse, Reddit will mark your account as spammy and shadowban you. After that, even your legit posts go to mods first for "potentially spammy content" reviewβand most mods don't even check, they just remove and agree with Reddit's spam filters.
π Example 2: The "clever" fake conversation (see screenshot)
One guy posts a comment looking for a solution. Gets an upvote. Gets a fast reply recommending a tool.
This might work if done smartly, but I got curious as a mod. I checked their profiles:
1οΈβ£ Usernames looked like bot names (default Reddit suggestions when registering)
2οΈβ£ Karma was almost 0 or negative
β‘οΈ Clear indication these were burner accounts promoting their tool
Removed. Marked as spam. Most likely soon shadowbanned or banned by Reddit.
My subreddit is small, so I manually deleted these. In bigger communities, they'd be heavily downvoted and trigger automatic subreddit bans.
β What would actually work?
The user from Example 1 should have:
1οΈβ£ Shared a long story about understanding OP's concern and going through the same issues (empathy first)
2οΈβ£ Casually mentioned the brand in context: "I explained to my client that LLM tracking tools like [NAME OF THE TOOL YOU PROMOTE] cost extra that are not part of current SEO budget" (Notice: no link!)
3οΈβ£ Provided a real solution that thoughtfully helps OP solve their problem
In this case, the brand mention is organic and barely promotional. Most Reddit mods would let it go because the commenter provided genuine value.
Have you been guilty of these mistakes?
I definitely was when I started my Reddit marketing adventure. After losing 15 accounts, I learned the techniques to master Reddit marketing.
I share my insights and strategies in my Skool community - feel free to join (link below).
SEOs turned Reddit into an SEO playground. Google burned it down (at least they try).
It was simple in 2023. Just create a thread, include major keywords in the title and content, and that's it...
π« NOT ANYMORE.
Parasite SEO became a major problem for Google, so with each spam update they've been fighting against it. I've been seeing tons of different subreddits dominating the top Google positions for the past year.
I analyzed hundreds of keywords I'm personally interested in and tracked how Reddit changed the game in top Google rankings.
β‘οΈ So what are the ranking factors now?
Some are still SEO classics:
- Title optimization
- Keyword placement
- Content freshness
But some are strictly Reddit-specific with indirect influence:
- Number of NON-manipulated upvotes
- Age of the post
- Authority of the subreddit it's posted in
- A few other interesting patterns I've noticed
The algorithms have evolved. Reddit SEO in 2025 is a completely different game than it was in 2023.
Want the complete list of ranking factors for Reddit SEO?
β Like this post
β Follow me
β Comment "Reddit SEO" and I'll DM it over
30 days ago: 0 subreddit members.
Today: 200+ members and growing. 12 leads. 3 closed sales.
Zero paid ads. Zero existing audience. Just a strategic system.
Let me show you exactly how I built r/GalapagosTourism from scratch...
Everyone told me Reddit communities take years to build.
"You need 10K karma first." "Subreddits die without existing traffic." "Nobody joins new communities anymore."
I ignored all of it.
Here's what I did instead:
Week 1: Getting Into Home Feeds (Days 1-7) β Posted daily high-value content (island guides, wildlife tips) β Each post targeted Reddit's algorithm for home feed visibility β Focused on solving specific traveler problems β Responded to every interaction immediately
Week 2: Authority Building (Days 8-14) β Used secondary accounts to seed valuable discussions β Asked questions that I (and others) could answer with expertise β Created depth in comment threads to signal quality β Made sure every discussion provided real value
Week 3: Community Activation (Days 15-21) β Organic users started participating naturally β Real travelers began sharing their experiences β Discussions happened without me initiating them β Community started providing value to each other
Week 4: Momentum & Scale (Days 22-30) β Crossed 100+ members (credibility threshold) β Posts started getting indexed by Google β Set up conversion funnels (pinned resources, sidebar links) β Content now ranks in search results
The Numbers Behind The Growth:
β 30 total posts β 350+ published comments β 15-20 minutes daily time investment β $0 in advertising spend β 12 qualified lead inquiries β 3 booked consultation calls and closed sales ($1,500 revenue)
The Mistake Everyone Makes:
They try to promote on Reddit from the very start.
I built a community where promotion isn't necessary.
You don't need years to build a valuable reddit community.
You need: β A clear niche (specific problem you solve) β Consistent value delivery (1-2 quality posts daily) β Strategic patience (show up for 30 days minimum) β Authentic engagement (respond to everything) β Smart cross-promotion (add value in related communities)
Reddit isn't social media.
It's a search engine, a community hub, and an AI training ground.
Want the complete 30-day subreddit growth playbook?
(Day-by-day content calendar + post templates + moderation setup + promotion strategy)
β Like this post (helps other marketers discover this)
β Follow me (so I can DM you)
β Comment "30DAY" below and I'll DM you the full playbook
This post got 49k views from the reddit's home feed. Here's why controversial angles work better than 'staying in your lane.'
Everyone says to stay laser-focused on your niche. But I've found the opposite works better: find controversial angles in adjacent niches that trigger discussion.
I combined two topics that seem completely opposite - crypto and something else - topics most people would never put together. The friction between them is exactly what made it work.
The result? Massive debate in the comments, 150 new members to my community, and many converting into revshare referrals.
Sometimes a 'near-niche' audience beats a hyper-targeted one. They're curious, engaged, and ready to explore something new.
Want to see the actual post and the full breakdown of this strategy? It's available inside my Organic Reddit Marketing Skool community β¬οΈ