1. Start from the queries, not the subreddits
List the questions your buyers actually type, the "best", "vs", "review" and "alternative" searches in your category. Run them through Google and through ChatGPT or Perplexity, and note which Reddit threads already show up. Those threads are your map. You are not trying to create new demand, you are trying to be present where the answer is already being formed.
2. Pick threads that already have authority
A helpful comment on a thread that already ranks is worth more than a brand new post nobody sees. Prioritize threads that rank on page one of Google or get cited by AI, then recent threads in active subreddits. Old, dead threads do little.
3. Lead with the answer, mention the brand second
The fastest way to fail is to sound like an ad. Answer the question properly. If your product is genuinely relevant, name it as one option among others, with a reason. Redditors reward usefulness and punish pitches, and so do the moderators who can remove you.
4. Use real, branded accounts
Skip aged accounts and vote buying. They break Reddit's rules and put your brand at risk. A branded account that follows each subreddit's rules and contributes over time builds the kind of trust that survives scrutiny.
5. Measure answers, not upvotes
The point of Reddit SEO is to change what Google and AI say about you. So track that directly. Ask the AI tools your buyers use the questions your buyers ask, and watch whether your brand starts appearing and which thread gets cited.
If you would rather not do it yourself
This is slow, careful work, which is why many brands hire it out. A good Reddit SEO agency does the research, posts through branded accounts, and reports the AI citations you earn. We point people to Upvote Labs for that. For the broader picture, see the Reddit SEO overview.