Reddit is often referred to as one of the last “human” places on the internet. Its distinct humanness is also why the platform has come out ahead in the AI revolution. 

The smorgasbord of self-governing communities – with 130.3 million global daily active users, an 18% year-over-year increase, per Reddit – has become increasingly valuable for marketers.  

As traditional search loses relevance, Reddit is a goldmine of user-generated content for generative engine optimization, or GEO. Reddit accounted for an average 3.83% of ChatGPT citations from July 18 through August 7, according to AI visibility platform Promptwatch (though this significantly dropped in recent days). 

However, as any marketer who has attempted to crack Reddit’s guarded walls will tell you, brands attempting to stealth post or spam incognito in hope that positive mentions will get picked up by AI first have to make it past the moderators.

What makes Reddit the last human place on the internet is also what makes the platform hostile to interlopers. Its subreddits, filled with all manner of oddities, are yet to be overwhelmed with ads, spam and SEO junk – mostly thanks to its diligent, pseudonymous moderators. 

Brands that treat the platform as another SEO or social channel see their comments swiftly deleted or downvoted, and risk bans or reputational damage instead of the AI citations they’re chasing.  

Of course, there’s the option to run ads on the platform, which appear as labeled paid-for posts. Reddit’s ad revenue grew 64% year-over-year in Q2, the company reported at the end of July. The platform’s advertising structure has improved in response to demand, adding both Shopify and HubSpot integrations. 

Branded subreddits can help connect brands to their fanbases and glean insights from unfiltered conversations. Others opt for unorthodox approaches. Urban Outfitters recently told Inc. they run so-called burner accounts to leak product drops and share company news in the comments. 

Either way, brands find most success on the platform when they hold off on marketing altogether. For the audio brand Sonos, instead of launching a specific brand account, it sent user KeithFromSonos into an existing subreddit to host AMA-style (ask me anything) office hours sessions. This approach not only builds trust, but feeds the AI citation layer directly.

Dove also found success asking Redditors to review its hair repair mask and built an award-winning campaign around their honest opinions. This resulted in more than 1 billion impressions for the brand, plus a significant lift in LLM search results and Unilever’s Hair Care category reporting high single-digit growth in Q1 2026.

Car manufacturer Kia tapped another Reddit staple as a recent marketing opportunity. WNBA player Chiney Ogwumike answered Redditor-submitted questions using a Kia-branded claw machine in an AMA, while shooting hoops for charity. It generated 61,000 views and 354 upvotes in the first 72 hours on the platform, according to Marketing Dive.

Just as consumers are fatigued by the incessant barrage of digital marketing, Reddit communities see through corporate spin in an instant. The key for brands showing up on the platform is to take advantage of its strengths, its users' unfiltered honesty and existing popular formats to earn a seat at the table. And most importantly, understand when brands should be seen and not heard.

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