Harnessing Reddit during a crisis

With Reddit continuing to grow in reach and influence, here are 5 tips for making it work for you as a crisis communications resource:

Make sure you’re using it as an early warning system

Reddit is often where issues break first, so you need to be listening to what is being said there. From product failures to whistleblower allegations, users turn to Reddit to break news, get the inside line and speculate. Crises that begin in niche subreddits can rapidly spill into mainstream platforms and news coverage. Regular monitoring of relevant subreddits is essential and can give crisis teams a crucial head start. As with all social media channels, you’ll need to invest time in researching which are the most credible and fruitful communities and individuals to follow. It’s always important to be as specific as possible about who your target audience is.

Use it to identify and counter disinformation

Reddit is fertile ground for organic rumours and coordinated misinformation. False claims, especially when presented in threads, can gain credibility through upvotes and community reinforcement. By monitoring Reddit proactively, communicators can detect misleading narratives early and assess how they’re spreading so that they can shape factual responses to help counteract the spread of disinformation across channels.

Proactively addressing inaccuracies, either directly through Reddit (e.g. via Ask Me Anything - or verified accounts) or externally through official statements and media briefings, can prevent disinformation from taking hold across more mainstream channels.

Communities shape the narrative, so exercise caution before engaging

As with all social media, Reddit demands and rewards authenticity. Each subreddit is a unique ecosystem with its own rules and moderators. Engaging effectively requires an understanding of context (e.g. what tone is appropriate, what content is allowed and who holds influence). Poorly judged posts or tone-deaf messaging can be downvoted into invisibility, or go viral for the wrong reasons.

Leverage trusted third parties for sharing information

This is a proven tactic for crisis communicators and Reddit is no different. If you have trusted relationships with credible third parties who are prepared to share your information, then leverage these where appropriate to help ensure your messages cut through with target communities.

Consider using Reddit ads to target your messaging, but be clear on your goals

There are examples of paid Reddit adverts being used effectively to target information during crises, albeit primarily as part of public health efforts. Given the channel’s emphasis on authenticity, then there are some factors to keep in mind before committing spend to ads as part of your response efforts:

• Targeting: It's important to target ads to relevant subreddits and demographics to ensure the information reaches the intended audience.
• Transparency: Ads should be clearly labeled as such and avoid misleading language. 
• Engagement: Ads should encourage engagement and interaction, allowing users to ask questions and request further clarification

All in, this makes Reddit a high-risk, high-opportunity space for crisis engagement, but an invaluable source of intelligence gathering to help you develop situational awareness and plan your next move.

Other useful resources:

• Do we need to be on the latest digital channel?
• How to prepare for a crisis on TikTok
• A step-by-step guide to auditing owned social for large businesses