Why Reddit shouldn’t be overlooked as a rich source of insights for marketers

Marketers and strategists spend millions each year on surveys, focus groups and trend reports, but some of the most authentic insights into consumer behaviour are already out there, freely shared on Reddit.

With half a billion active users, Reddit is the internet’s largest focus group that never ends. It’s where people can fall down rabbit holes (a.k.a. Reddit threads), diving deep into whatever topic they are searching for.

From getting into the granularities of what makes up the best skincare routine ('r/SkincareAddiction', 4.8M users discuss ingredient efficacy), to troubleshooting a new piece of tech (3.3M users help each other fix software bugs on 'r/techsupport'), to crowdsourcing the best and worst examples of customer service from brands ('r/CustomerService' has been around for 15 years, with 40K weekly users posting about good and bad brand interactions), the conversations are unfiltered, candid and often years ahead of mainstream research.

The discovery channel

While other platforms primarily serve content through algorithmic curation, training users on the doomscroll and passive consumption, Reddit requires active discovery. You have to seek. You have to contribute. Versus the likes of Instagram and TikTok, the community is engaged, not anaesthetised.

On top of that, Reddit is a rare pocket of the internet where users don’t feel compelled (nor have to) to manage and craft their personal brand. The anonymity on the platform strips away the social performance layer and leaves behind something rare in marketing: honesty. This makes Reddit an unparalleled source of cultural and category insight. It shows you the why behind behaviours, not just the what.

Instead of simply knowing a product is popular, you can surface the belief system underneath. Take for example, 'r/BuyItForLife' where you can uncover that durability isn't a feature, but an emerging value structure, or 'r/Frugal' which maps the specific logic behind budget-conscious decisions, not just the outcome.

With Reddit’s recent announcement introducing its community intelligence tool, sourcing this insight is going to become even easier. But the advantage was always there; you just had to be willing to dig into the rabbit holes where others weren't looking.

And its influence extends far beyond the platform.

According to Semrush, Reddit is now the leading source cited in AI-generated responses across tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity. That means the way people talk about your category on Reddit is increasingly shaping the way AI explains it to others.

In effect, Reddit isn’t just reflecting consumer sentiment, it’s training the systems that are redefining discovery itself. So, when an AI assistant recommends a specific brand of coffee, it's likely drawing from thousands of nuanced discussions in 'r/Coffee' about taste profiles and brewing methods.

The brand opportunity

Smart brands are already putting this to work. By mapping the subreddits relevant to their categories, they’re surfacing unmet needs, identifying moments of frustration, and spotting new cultural trends before they hit the mainstream. It’s a way to supplement, and sometimes replace, expensive, slower research methods with a constant stream of consumer truth.

A beauty brand might monitor the 7.2M community 'r/MakeupAddiction' to discover emerging trends in ingredient preferences or identify common pain points with existing products. A gaming company could track 'r/gaming' or specific game subreddits to gauge player sentiment, gather feedback on new releases, and even identify unexpected ways players are interacting with their games.

But the real gems are often found in the most hidden places. A premium pet food brand finds anxieties about diet and behaviour in 'r/dogs' that never surface in traditional focus groups. A QSR brand discovers the tension between the ideal meal prep routine and its weeknight reality in 'r/mealprepsunday'.

It's not just cheaper or faster than traditional research; it's truer. The insight is unsolicited, unperformed, and unfiltered.

That said, using Reddit for insight requires sensitivity.

Communities can sense when they’re being “mined” for data. The best approaches balance listening with participation: adding value to conversations, sharing expertise, and building goodwill. Done right, brands not only gain powerful insight; they also earn credibility in the spaces shaping the future of consumer decision-making.

Video game company Activision Blizzard is one brand who has nailed this. It has an official subreddit 'r/Blizzard' where fans go to discuss topics such as new releases, old classics and company news. This complements other unofficial threads dedicated to its video games and ultimately allows the brand to both participate and listen to what fans have to say.

For marketers and strategists, the takeaway is clear. If you’re not looking at Reddit, you’re missing the sharpest, most authentic lens into how people really think, feel and act. It’s not just another platform; it’s the world’s most dynamic research panel, and increasingly, the foundation of how cultural and commercial truths are defined.

This article was written by Agalia Tan, senior planner at We Are Social.