Community forums have been around since the beginning of dial up internet, acting as an outlet for people to seek advice from like minded individuals. In 2005, Reddit came on the scene and has been a powerhouse social media platform ever since. But why focus on Reddit specifically? In March 2024, Google announced its latest core algorithm update, which now features forums as a sub category tab within the SERPs landscape. With this latest update pushing first hand, human created content, it’s more important than ever to ensure you and your brand are taking the necessary steps to being visible in this ever changing landscape.
Table of Contents:
- What is Reddit?
- How Do You Use Reddit?
- Why Is Reddit Becoming More Important in the SERPs Landscape?
- Have Google And Reddit Partnered Together?
- Are Forums Included On Every Google Search Now?
- Talk to Escaping Gravity to Help Navigate Organic SERPs Landscape
What is Reddit?
Reddit is a social media platform which thrives on human created content primarily in the form of reviews and personal opinions. How the platform works is through the use of ‘subreddits’. Each subreddit can be on a different theme or topic, for example technology and travel, to fashion and marketing. We are sure no matter the industry, there is a subreddit your expertise could contribute too.
With the rise of Reddit being so present within the latest Google Core Algorithm update (March 2024), now more than ever should we be exploring how we can be incorporating this platform into new and existing SEO strategies.
How Do You Use Reddit?
Individuals in the Reddit community are called Redditors. Each Redditor can submit their thoughts and opinions within a subreddit, which then can be upvoted by other community members if found to add value to the specific topic. The best way to explore Reddit is to get stuck into subreddits which you find interesting or relevant to your industry. The most important thing to remember is you want to be adding value and experience to build other members’ trust and not be seen as a spam account.
Much like Google with trust signals, showcasing experience, expertise, authority and trust is a sure way to communicate your authenticity on the forum platforms.
Why Is Reddit Becoming More Important in the SERPs Landscape?
The short answer is users actively seek out content from forum communities. With historic keyword data reiterating this finding, Google has taken this as a need to provide users with an easier way to access this type of content. While it may not always seem like the most likely place to source high quality answers, we believe it’s the human aspect to these platforms which users like. For a parallel example, we could relate Reddit and forums to Google reviews or review websites. Providing a large volume of users experiences daily, it’s easy to see why Google and other search engines quickly favour this content.
Have Google And Reddit Partnered Together?
Yes, the two platforms have always shared a relationship for many years, however as of February 2024, Google and Reddit have deepened their partnership. The further collaboration of these two platforms are to benefit a user, as they seek authentic and helpful information. We know Google prides itself on helpful content, and even saw in September 2023 a ‘Helpful Content Update’ following the rise of AI generated content being released.
Our takeaway from this is, Google likes first hand, genuine experiences which benefit a user. Having this in mind when creating content for your brand can only help to strengthen your positioning in the landscape. Not sure where to start? Reach out to our team today and we can discuss how SEO can play its role to enhance your search visibility.
Are Forums Included On Every Google Search Now?
No they’re not. Being a new tab rolled out on SERPs following Google’s latest Core Algorithm Update, it is still a trial and error whether forums appear for a specific query. But as the search engine update is still continuing to roll out (as of April 2024), we can only predict that more non-brand searches will begin to see an increase in Reddit and forum results. We know Google always tries to provide users with the best type of result to satisfy their search intent, whether that be:
- Videos
- Commercial landing pages
- Editorial or listicle content
- Local maps
- Recipes
- Forums
Alongside the increased presence of Reddit, the rise in video content within SERPs has also significantly grown. Providing users visual answers looks to be the most helpful method for a number of search queries. From ‘How to’, through to ‘What is’, videos can benefit all types of learners. It’s for this reason having a holistic approach towards content types, means that your organisation can be visible across different touchpoints of the customer journey.
Talk to Escaping Gravity to Help Navigate Organic SERPs Landscape
Organic search can be one of the most important channels when harnessing your website’s online presence. With a dynamic team, staying up to date with latest trends, updates and future considerations, allow us to see how we can help you reach your business goals. Personalising a unique SEO strategy, we want to be an extension of your team to help you expand. Get in touch and take your first step to partnering with your next SEO consultancy today.
