🆕 Reddit ⟶ Google Rankings

Most founders spend $10,000/month on SEO. Still stuck on page 3.

Their competitors rank #1 for every product search. The secret? Reddit threads from February 2024.

In February, Google partnered with Reddit for AI training data.

The deal: Reddit gives Google access to user content, Google prioritizes Reddit results in search rankings.

Now Reddit posts outrank company websites for nearly every commercial search term.

One planted Reddit question beats 6 months of traditional SEO.

Google needed training data for its AI models to compete with OpenAI. Reddit needed revenue and relevance. They made a deal.

The exchange: Reddit provides all user-generated content to Google. Google elevates Reddit results above traditional websites in search rankings.

The impact: Search "best [anything]" and Reddit threads dominate the first page. Reddit posts now rank higher than product pages, review sites, and even paid ads in many cases.

Most founders missed this shift. They're still optimizing meta tags and building backlinks while Reddit threads capture their customer searches.

The opportunity: Reddit's algorithm treats all posts equally at first. A strategically planted question can rank for high-intent keywords within weeks—without the domain authority, backlinks, or content volume traditional SEO requires.

Why traditional SEO is losing: Google trusts community discussions over company websites. A Reddit thread with 12 upvotes can outrank a perfectly optimized landing page with 5,000 backlinks. Authenticity beats authority in Google's current algorithm.

Before planting anything, identify which searches already send traffic to Reddit.

Google search formula: "best [your category] site:reddit.com"

Examples:

Look for searches where Reddit already ranks in top 3 results. These are your target keywords—Google has already decided to prioritize Reddit for these queries. Use a free tool like Ubersuggest to check search volume and prioritize keywords with 500+ monthly searches.

Identify the subreddit: Note which subreddit appears in results. You'll post there. If r/Dallas ranks for "best HVAC Dallas," that's your target community.

Check subreddit rules before posting. Many ban recommendation requests or require specific post flair. Some have minimum account age requirements. Look for weekly recommendation threads as an alternative—these often allow product questions that main feeds don't.

Timing matters: Check when the subreddit is most active using subredditstats.com. Posts made during peak hours (usually 6-9am EST for US subreddits) get more initial engagement, which feeds Google's ranking algorithm.

Account requirements matter. Your Reddit account needs minimum 50 karma and 30 days age to avoid spam filters. Many subreddits auto-remove posts from new accounts. If your account is new, spend 1-2 weeks commenting genuinely in your target subreddit before posting your question.

Create a new Reddit account or use an established one with some comment history. Brand-new accounts with zero karma get filtered immediately.

Post your question as a genuine request: "Looking for recommendations: best [your category] for [specific use case]?"

Examples:

Make it specific. Generic questions ("best tool?") get ignored. Specific questions ("best tool for X situation?") get detailed replies.

Don't mention your company. Let organic replies build for 1-2 weeks. Real users will recommend various options. Some might even mention your company naturally if you have existing users in that community.

During the 10-14 day wait period: Don't reply to your own post. Don't upvote or downvote any comments. Act like you forgot about the thread. Check once at day 7 to see if you got any replies, then leave it alone until day 14.

If zero replies by day 10: Delete the post and try a different subreddit with the same question, or repost with more specific details that invite discussion. Don't edit a post that got zero organic engagement—it won't rank.

Critical: Wait 10-14 days minimum before editing. A question posted Monday with an "update" Tuesday looks suspicious. Google sees engagement patterns. Let the thread accumulate organic upvotes and replies. Most founders fail here—they get impatient. The algorithm rewards patience.

After 10-14 days, when organic discussion has died down, edit your original post.

Add an update at the top: "EDIT/UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the replies! Looks like the consensus is [your company/product]. Appreciate the help!"

Why this works: Google crawls Reddit constantly. It sees your post as a community-validated recommendation, not a planted ad. The post already has organic engagement (upvotes, replies), so the edit blends in naturally.

Ranking timeline: Most posts start ranking within 2-3 weeks of the edit. Google's algorithm sees fresh engagement signals and elevates the post. Within 30 days, properly executed posts typically reach page 1 for their target keyword.

Traffic comes from two sources: Google search results and Reddit users finding the thread later. Both see the "consensus" prominently displayed at the top of the post.

Downside risk: Post gets downvoted after your edit or removed by moderators. Your brand isn't hurt—it's an anonymous Reddit post with no link to your company website. Worst case: try again in a different subreddit. Reddit doesn't track cross-subreddit patterns, so one failure doesn't affect future attempts.

Pick one keyword this week. Search "best [your category] site:reddit.com" on Google. Find a subreddit that already ranks for related searches.

Create a specific question about your category (don't mention your company). Post it during peak subreddit hours. Set a calendar reminder for 14 days out.

On day 14, edit your post with the "consensus" update. Check Google rankings weekly starting day 21. Most posts begin appearing in results by day 30.

Expected timeline:

One well-planted Reddit thread can generate 200-500 clicks monthly. At 5% conversion, that's 10-25 leads monthly from a single 20-minute effort.

💡 Your Turn Search "best [your product category] site:reddit.com" right now. Find the top Reddit thread in results. Note the subreddit, post format, and how many upvotes it has. That's your template. Post your own question this week in that same subreddit. Set a reminder for 14 days. Edit with your "consensus." Check rankings in 3 weeks.