Why Generative AI Loves Reddit, and What Brands Can Learn from It
I was once tasked with making a negative Reddit post about a small business disappear from search results. At the time, several targeted Google searches for this company would surface a negative Reddit post as the number one result. It took me about five minutes of research to realize that my goal was out of reach. We were early into our SEO strategy, and even with years of work, there likely wouldn’t have been a path to outrank Reddit. Its massive domain authority and steady stream of new user-generated content give it visibility that most small to mid-sized company websites cannot match.
That was when I first got curious about Reddit’s role in optimization of online visibility, which now has an added dimension: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). GEO is the discipline of writing content that’s crawlable and usable by large language models. You may also have heard the acronym AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) describing very similar practices. No matter what you call it, today’s reality remains: If I ask ChatGPT what people say about that company, that pesky old Reddit thread returns.
Why Generative AI Loves Reddit
All this to say–Generative AI loves Reddit. SEM Rush published a study in July of 2025 stating that Reddit accounts for 40.1% of citations in AI-generated responses, beating Wikipedia, YouTube, and Google results combined.
Granted, Reddit’s visibility in AI outputs and Google rankings dipped shortly after that, following a change in Google’s indexing parameters, which caused about 57.8% of Reddit’s keywords to fall outside the top 20 results. But visibility is ever-evolving, and even a drastic dip doesn’t change the fact that Reddit is deeply embedded in how large language models learn and respond.
This isn’t because Reddit provides the best or the most accurate answers. It’s because Reddit’s structure aligns with what AI rewards:
- Conversational phrasing, closely matching how users ask questions
- Freshness, due to constant updates, replies, edits
- Specificity, rooted in real user experience and detail
- Authenticity, user voices rather than marketing speak
Reddit’s footprint in Google’s results grew 191% year over year in 2024, and it appears in nearly 97.5% of product-review-related queries, taking up two-thirds of the “Discussions & Forums” results. For generative AI, this makes Reddit a gold mine. AI models are trained to predict what a “useful, human-sounding” answer looks like. The community’s constant dialogue, its blend of advice and lived experience, and its ability to capture the gray areas of a topic all make it a perfect fit.
Brands now need to act on getting credible engagement on Reddit, making sure discussions about their industry reflect expertise and authenticity. If your brand is showing up in these conversations—or better yet, contributing to them—it increases the odds you’ll be referenced in AI responses.
But here’s the kicker: Earning credibility on Reddit isn’t easy.
Why Brands Struggle to Earn Credibility on Reddit
One of the most important things a brand needs to know about posting on Reddit is that you can’t fake it. Reddit’s users are famously skeptical of overt marketing, and attempts to insert branded messages without real transparency are often met with backlash. To gain traction, a brand’s presence must feel participatory, not promotional.
Common Reddit pitfalls for brands:
- No self-promotion rules in many subreddits
- Moderators remove posts with marketing tone or embedded links
- New accounts lack “karma”, a community trust signal
- Comment threads penalize corporate voice or defensive replies
- If a brand conversation turns negative, Reddit becomes a shadow competitor you can’t easily control
Not to mention, if AI is pulling your brand into the conversation, you need to know what it’s saying. Yet AI visibility tools often disagree on brand mentions, creating inconsistent reporting and confusion.
To do this Reddit thing right, Search Engine Land recommends a crawl → walk → run approach. Start by listening, then contribute sparingly and transparently, and only scale engagement once you’ve earned credibility. In short, use Reddit as a listening tool before you treat it as a channel.
Meanwhile, there are a few things you can implement immediately into your GEO or AEO strategy.
GEO Takeaways Businesses Can Learn from Reddit
The takeaway for brands isn’t to chase Reddit rankings; it’s to internalize the principles that make Reddit thrive. Reddit is a fascinating case study in what the future of visibility looks like. Generative AI rewards the same traits that make Reddit discussions so powerful. Here’s how brands can translate those traits into their own content strategy:
- Listen first. Use Reddit to understand how your audience actually talks about your space. Track recurring questions and phrasing which are the foundation of generative search.
- Mirror real language. Write in the conversational tone customers use. Avoid corporate phrasing that signals “ad.”
- Be specific. Share detailed examples, case studies, or behind-the-scenes stories. Generic content gets ignored.
- Stay current. Update evergreen pieces with new insights or customer feedback to signal relevance.
- Feature authentic voices. Incorporate real customer quotes or community perspectives to humanize authority.
It almost feels like a full circle moment. The future of content belongs to those who sound less like marketers and more like the people they’re trying to reach. And wasn’t that the goal all along? Whether the acronym is SEO, AEO, or GEO, the evolution has always pointed in the same direction: Quality content endures.
