#1: Reddit citations in ChatGPT exploded +400% while Claude got locked out, here's what that means for marketers
A few weeks ago I started noticing my favourite forum popping up constantly in ChatGPT sources.
Looking for a graphics card? Reddit pops up as a source.
Looking for a new Apple device? Reddit pops up.
Best standing desk for a new employee? ..
(I’m a nerd)
Let’s try the following ↓
Ask ChatGPT for restaurant recommendations. Check for Reddit citations.
One of the top results shows a Reddit thread.
Now ask Claude the same thing.
See the difference?
Let’s specifically ask Claude to search Reddit.
0 results
Reddit made a choice in 2024. They gave Google and OpenAI access for about $60-70 million.
When Claude kept scraping anyway, Reddit sued them this June.
Now only the ones who pay their license fees get to quote Reddit discussions.
The rest? Locked out.
Sources: Search Engine Land | Reuters
That’s why Reddit keeps showing up in your ChatGPT answers
In May, Reddit became the second most cited domain in ChatGPT, right after Wikipedia.
Mentions jumped +400% since mid-May. Reddit now powers nearly 6 percent of all citations ChatGPT serves up.
This happened because OpenAI made that deal with Reddit. It gave ChatGPT live access to Reddit’s firehose of discussion.
Sources: Joshua Blyskal on LinkedIn | AP News
Why that matters if you're a brand
Reddit isn’t just another forum. It’s one of the few sources AI trusts enough to quote directly. And now it’s being fought over.
That makes Reddit a visibility engine. Not just for community building and direct visibility on Reddit, but for discovery.
If people are talking about your brand there, you’ll show up.
If they’re not, it’ll be increasingly more difficult.
You can’t optimise your way into an AI answer unless you're already part of the conversation. And Reddit is where that conversation is happening.
What Reddit visibility gets you
Done right, being on Reddit gets you:
Visibility in AI answers
Credibility from real people recommending you
Direct traffic from curious readers
This isn’t about link-dumping on a forum. It’s about your name coming up in real conversations, from people trying to solve actual problems.
Reddit hates marketers. That’s why it works.
If you’re there, it’s because someone thought you were worth mentioning.
How to take action
Build a Reddit strategy. There are roughly two ways to go about it:
Have your satisfied customers reply about you
Build up a (branded) profile yourself and give genuine advice
Only chime in if you’ve got something to add. Don’t use personal details, and use links to your website only if they answer a user's question.
In a next issue, I'll break down exactly how to build a Reddit strategy that actually works.
It’s not fast or flashy, it’s not a simple trick.
But do it well, and do it consistently? AI will find you.
Thanks for reading, see you in two weeks!
Luuk
Thoughts? Questions?
Send them to luuk@offbeatmarketing.nl or drop me a DM on LinkedIn.