Reddit is a huge online community with millions of users, each with its own set of rules and norms. In the world of SEO (search engine optimization), building links is a strategy for improving your website’s ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs).
So, it’s natural for people to wonder if getting links from Reddit could benefit their SEO efforts.
Insights From The Article• Reddit offers many opportunities for link building and driving traffic to your website due to its active user base and diverse communities, but acquiring backlinks can be tricky. • Despite Reddit’s default ‘no-follow’ policy, these links still hold value for traffic generation, brand exposure, social proof, and community building. • Although challenging, obtaining valuable dofollow backlinks from Reddit is possible by understanding the community, engaging authentically, and creating high-quality content. |
Reddit and SEO
Reddit presents boundless chances to help you build links and drive traffic to your website, thanks to its millions of active users and thousands of communities covering nearly every imaginable topic or interest.
However, acquiring backlinks via Reddit is tricky because:
Anyone can get Reddit Backlinks
There are thousands of people trying to leverage Reddit’s large user base to build links like you. Hence, not all succeed.
Reddit Links are Marked as Nofollow by Default
You’re free to share or post interesting content, including links to own content, on Reddit. However, Reddit automatically marks each post as ‘nofollow.’
Do-follow vs. No-follow links.
Nofollow links don’t pass authority or link juice to the websites they’re linking to, which makes them less valuable than dofollow links.
Reddit does this to discourage folks from spamming the platform with paid links. It’s a way to keep things fair and prevent misuse by webmasters and third parties who might try to game the system.
For this reason, backlinks from Reddit don’t have much authority or weight.
Why NoFollow Links are Still Valuable
No-Follow links from Reddit might not have the same direct impact on search engine rankings as dofollow links, but they can still be a valuable approach for several reasons:
Traffic Generation
Even though No-Follow links don’t pass on link equity for SEO purposes, they can still drive traffic to your website. If your post on Reddit gains traction and attracts attention, users may click on the link to visit your site, increasing your overall traffic.
Brand Exposure
Posting valuable content on Reddit exposes your brand to a large and diverse audience. Even if users don’t click on your link immediately, they may remember your brand or content and seek it out later through direct searches or social media referrals.
Benefits of no-follow links.
Social Proof
Positive engagement on Reddit, such as upvotes, comments, and awards, can enhance your brand’s social proof and credibility.
When other users see that your content is well-received within the community, they may be more inclined to engage with your brand, leading to potential opportunities for collaboration or partnership.
Community Building and Networking
Participating in relevant Reddit communities allows you to connect with like-minded individuals, industry experts, and potential customers.
Building relationships within these communities can lead to valuable opportunities for collaboration and word-of-mouth referrals, all of which can positively impact your website’s visibility and authority over time.
DoFollow Link – The Backlink That Counts
People aren’t very committed to forum link building because most of the links on it are no-follow. However, if you are successful in getting a dofollow link from Reddit, due to its high Domain Authority (DA) and Page rank (PR), a dofollow link can give your site a great boost in terms of exposure and ranking.
Here’s the twist: not every backlink on Reddit has to stay a no-follow. A couple of Reddit algorithms can turn no-follows into do-follows, but only if you meet certain criteria and get upvoted enough times.
How To Get Dofollow Backlinks From Reddit
Here’s how you can gain valuable dofollow backlinks on Reddit.
Understand The Reddit Community
Redditors are mostly tech-savvy gen X and millennials. Here are some things to know about Reddit users:
- They are very active: Reddit users are very active and always either exploring the platform or creating new posts. Therefore, to stand out, you need to craft unique and original content.
- They are well-informed: Redditors are not going to be impressed with common knowledge that they probably already know. You need to share authoritative content and useful insights to get noticed.
- They can be outspoken about what they don’t like: If you’re not careful about what you say, you might end up getting downvoted and negative comments. To prevent this, ensure you’re sharing top-notch content and interacting with folks in a friendly and respectful manner.
Win The Upvote Game
On Reddit, it’s all about knowing the ropes. If you play your cards right, you’ll earn some serious appreciation from fellow Redditors and build trust. But to carve out your space on the platform, you’ve got to be an active member and collect those upvotes.
To do this, you’ve got to be active, participate, and earn recognition.
Find a Community Relevant to Your Niche
You can use Reddit’s search feature to find out which groups of people might be interested in what you’re sharing. You can search for general topics or get more specific with certain words and phrases.
The best way to do it is to start with broader topics and then get into the specifics. Search for general topics, as in the image above, to find all possible groups and communities that have a strong membership.
Then, filter and find all the relevant subreddit communities where you can join and interact.
Tip: Look for smaller, more niche-related communities and discussions that you can join. Search for popular questions that lack decent answers.
Another way to find relevant subreddits is by entering a query string on Google.
Type in “site:reddit.com “SEO”,” and you’ll find a bunch of subreddits and posts talking about SEO. This trick can uncover more subreddits related to our topic that you may not have come across while browsing Reddit itself.
Stay Active
Explore the whole Reddit link building process step by step. Explore the community, understand what your target audience likes (what they are upvoting or is gaining their attention), and the rules and regulations of each subreddit.
Engage with the community for a good while (atleast for a few weeks) before you start posting. Provide unique insights that have your first-hand experience and garner the upvotes and attention.
Build on your karma (A score that shows how much positive engagement your posts and comments have received from other users) before you start posting on Reddit.
After gaining enough recognition and authority in your niche on Reddit, you can proceed to the next step.
Creating a Subreddit
Creating subreddits allows you to curate and moderate discussions around topics that interest you. It is a way to build a community of like-minded individuals who share your interests or passions.
As the moderator, you have control over the rules, content, and direction of the subreddit, giving you a voice and influence within that community.
Having your own subreddit can help increase your visibility and credibility on Reddit, helping you attract more followers and opportunities for engagement.
To start your own subreddit, head to the Reddit homepage and click on the “Create Community” button.
When setting up your subreddit, you’ll be asked to input the subreddit name and select a community type. If you’re aiming to use it for link building, it’s likely best to make your subreddit public.
After establishing your community, you can include a description, set rules, define primary topics, and adjust various features of your subreddit.
Make Your Contributions Valuable
In case you don’t already get it, your contributions need to stand out for them to be taken seriously. Here’s how you can do that:
- Add something new to the conversation: Go through the thread to see what other users have already discussed in their comments. If you find that there’s nothing new you can contribute, find another thread for your comment.
- Make your post or comment context-relevant: Do not, I repeat, do not make the mistake of being irrelevant or adding links that have nothing to do with the discussion.
Irrelevant content can confuse or annoy other participants, potentially leading to downvotes, bans or removal of the post.
Contributing and earning Karma on Reddit.
- Avoid overly promotional content: Reddit communities value genuine and authentic engagement. They are wary of excessive self-promotion and may downvote your comment or Reddit posts because of this.
- Be natural with link placement: Only post links on Reddit if they provide genuine value to the conversation.
Add Keywords Strategically
The search feature on Reddit works by using keywords to find relevant content. Keywords play a crucial role in Reddit’s search function, as they help users discover the content they’re looking for.
Since Google sees Reddit as an authoritative site, it usually appears at the top of Google searches if there are relevant discussions in the forum.
Hence, the using right keywords in a strategic manner can help your contribution get recognized even faster through Google.
Repurpose Old Content For Reddit
If you’ve been blogging for some time, chances are you have a ton of older content that isn’t receiving the attention it once did.
Repurposing old content for Reddit can breathe new life into it. By sharing it on this platform, you are reaching an entirely new audience.
Given Reddit’s popularity, if your content is actually good, offers new knowledge, and has enough upvotes, those links eventually become do-follow backlinks.
Share Your Content
Sharing content from Reddit on social media platforms can be a great way to engage your audience and spark discussions. Whether it’s a funny meme, an informative article, or a thought-provoking discussion thread, Reddit content often resonates well with diverse audiences.
Track Your Progress
Make it a habit to frequently monitor the upvotes and downvotes your posts receive. Focus on the ones with the highest engagement to guide your future content creation. Avoid approaches that have gathered downvotes previously.
Is it Worth Getting Links on Reddit?
Not exactly. For your backlinks on Reddit to actually impact your SEO strategy, you need enough upvotes to convert your links to dofollow. Plus, moderators intentionally add a ‘nofollow’ attribute to links from new or low-karma accounts to deter spam.
Hence, if you want something valuable out of Reddit, your contributions need to be valuable. You have to work hard by regularly contributing unique, first-hand insights and becoming a trusted member by building a name for yourself.
Each subreddit has its own rules and guidelines, but engagement is key.
In my opinion, although you don’t need to invest in a professional for acquiring links on Reddit, it is simply not worth it. You’re better off acquiring high-quality links from authoritative sites by other means than depending on platforms like Reddit.
Earning backlinks on forums like Reddit vs. reputable websites, guest posts, etc.
Final Thoughts
Reddit is a vast online community teeming with millions of users, each with its own unique rules and guidelines. Obtaining backlinks is an especially important strategy for boosting your website’s visibility on SERPs.
While Reddit offers opportunities for link building and driving traffic to your site, acquiring valuable do-follow backlinks isn’t that simple.
Ultimately, while Reddit offers potential SEO benefits, acquiring worthy backlinks requires dedication, authenticity, and active participation within the community.
