Why Reddit Has Taken Over Google Search Results

With 7.5 million blog posts published every day on the internet in 2024, it’s a tough competition to rank at the top of Google’s search engine result pages (SERPs). And it’s made even harder by their constant updates and partnerships that determine which pieces of content rank highly and are visible to searchers. 

While these changing updates aren’t anything new — and SEOs have long had to adapt their strategy in line with them — Google’s most recent moves have sparked both interest and concern among marketers and brands. Google has been increasingly favoring the Reddit domain in its SERPs, causing much controversy. In this article, we explore why this is happening, what it could mean for luxury brands, and whether they need to hop on the Reddit bandwagon.

Why Is Google Favoring Reddit in SERPs?

Google's latest updates prioritize authentic and people-first content, valuing real conversations and community-driven insights over traditional promotional content. Forums are a specialized place on the internet where this type of content is shared organically, with searchers actively seeking out these community-driven sources. When a user asks a question on a forum, their answers often provide authentic, diverse perspectives, as well as further validation from a wider community. As a result, major forums like Reddit and Quora are appearing more frequently at the top of search results.

However, it’s important to note that the favoring of these well-known forums isn’t just down to algorithmic tweaks. In fact, earlier this year, Google announced a strategic partnership with Reddit, which allows Google to gain real-time access to Reddit’s content.

This deal means two things. Firstly, Google is showing even more Reddit content. Secondly, Google has access to all of Reddit’s content to train its AI models, providing a better understanding of human conversations and writing styles. In exchange, Reddit has access to Google’s Vertex AI platform, helping them to improve search and create other  “capabilities”.

This deal has sparked debates regarding the authenticity and bias of search engine results. Critics argue that relying too heavily on Reddit data may skew search results towards anecdotal rather than authoritative information.

What Implications Does the Google-Reddit Partnership Have For Luxury Brands?

While this may impact various industries in unique ways, let’s zoom in more specifically on luxury brands. 

Reddit has many specific forums, known as subreddits, that can be particularly niche. Naturally, there will be Reddit communities of users discussing their thoughts and opinions on various luxury products and experiences. So, users searching for reviews about a luxury brand’s new product may then encounter Reddit threads from these communities, which have been highlighted in SERPs. In fact, it’s highly likely that Reddit reviews will show up on top, with Reddit showing up for 97.5% of product review queries on Google.

These candid discussions or reviews that take place on Reddit could significantly influence potential customers’ perceptions of the product before they’ve had a chance to visit the luxury brand’s own website or social media pages. 

This has its pros and cons for luxury brands. The pros are that the positive reviews on Reddit can be great endorsements for the brand and product, driving more orders. The cons are that negative reviews might be damaging, if not addressed promptly. 

The Google-Reddit deal may undermine the traditional SEO strategies that luxury brands meticulously craft, often resulting in them losing top spots in SERPs. Brands may find themselves navigating a terrain where consumer-generated content on Reddit holds substantial sway over customers, potentially overshadowing carefully curated brand messaging.

Should Luxury Brands Adapt Their SEO Strategy Accordingly?

With all of the changes to Google’s algorithms over the years, one thing has remained consistent: content always needs to be centered entirely around people. 

This latest change only highlights the need for brands to create people-first content and never compromise on delivering true value to their audiences. This requires a deep and thorough understanding of user intent and how they seek information online, which can differ greatly at every step of the customer journey. It serves as a reminder that search engine optimization (SEO) isn’t just about technical SEO, but also about creating content that helps and engages users.

So while planning your SEO strategy, it’s important to look beyond the basics like keyword optimization and aim to provide empathetic, compelling content that addresses your customer needs and appreciates the nuance of human search queries. Human-first elements like storytelling, unique perspectives, and expert insights contribute to traffic-driving content. 

How Can Luxury Brands Become Active on Reddit

While creating your own search engine optimized content is important, it might also be worth considering becoming active as a brand on Reddit. This might include:

• Active participation: Luxury brands can actively engage with Reddit communities that are relevant to their industry, sharing insights and responding to questions related to the brand or product. 

• Transparency and authenticity: Brands should prioritize genuine interactions on Reddit, such as responding to negative comments or reviews by acknowledging the feedback, then explaining the steps they’ll take to resolve the issue. 

• Community building: Brands could either create their own subreddits, or join existing ones specific to them. 

• Content sharing: While Reddit as a platform may be receiving disproportionate visibility in search results, it might be worth sharing content directly over there. Brands could share articles, tutorials, or user-generated content to be active on subreddits. 

• Reputation management: Just as brands monitor comments on other social media platforms related to the brand, they may look to do the same on Reddit. Social listening tools can be useful in tracking brand mentions and sentiment, allowing brands to promptly address comments where necessary. 

• Removing Reddit posts: If there’s a harmful post on Reddit about your brand that could be in violation of their content policies, it’s possible that you could get it taken down. You first need to flag the post then reach out to the moderators to explain the situation and request removal.

Do Luxury Brands Need a Full-Fledged Reddit Strategy?

While it’s important for brands to be aware of the potential impact that the Google-Reddit deal may have on their SEO strategies, the future and sustainability of the deal remains in question. 

Firstly, SEO professionals are raising concerns about the deal, specifically in relation to the growing rate of affiliate spam and scammers appearing on the platform, as well as the prioritization of forum content over credible content for medical information. 

In business terms, there’s a chance that the deal could be called off. Reddit has now announced a deal with openAI, a top competitor for Google. While it is speculative, it’s possible that Google might decide to deprioritize Reddit on the SERP as a consequence. 

While Block & Tam is preparing clients for change and closely monitoring the situation, we would advise luxury brands against any rash decisions or substantial changes to their SEO strategies. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our team of SEO experts.