Here's something that surprises people: ask ChatGPT for a recommendation and there's a good chance it's pulling from Reddit. Google leans on it too. You've seen "reddit" show up in your results more and more.
It makes sense. Reddit is real people giving real opinions, which is exactly what Google and the AIs both love to quote. So one genuinely helpful thread can get you mentioned in AI answers and showing up on Google, with no backlink in sight.
How to show up without being that guy:
- Find the threads where people ask about your category, or compare you to a competitor.
- Answer honestly and usefully, as yourself. One helpful comment beats ten salesy ones.
- Don't fake it. Planted reviews are obvious, and they backfire.
It's slow, and it's human. But right now it's some of the highest-leverage visibility going.