Reddit launches a suite of free growth tools for businesses

Reddit announced today that it’s launching a suite of tools, called Reddit Pro, to help businesses grow an organic presence on the platform. The launch comes as Reddit is readying its initial public offering (IPO). With this new suite of free tools, Reddit is likely seeking to add more brands it to its platform and possibly convert them into paying advertisers.

Reddit Pro is currently in its beta testing phase and gives businesses access to an interface with multiple tools. The suite of tools features AI-powered insights that surface trending topics and conversations that are relevant to specific brands. The purpose of the insights is to help businesses join conversations to connect with new and existing audiences. The insights will also help brands inform the way they appear on Reddit.

The suite also gives businesses access to publishing tools to help them draft and schedule their public posts. The company says the tools will give brands simple steps to start contributing to communities. Plus, the suite features performance analytics that can help businesses analyze the performance of their organic posts in order to make better decisions about their strategy. Businesses will be able to track their overall engagement and monthly progress in their Pro dashboard.

In addition to these tools, businesses can extend the reach of their posts by turning them into paid advertisements without having to leave the platform, the company says. To do so, businesses need to click the “promote” button on one of their posts.

Reddit says more than 200 businesses have started using Reddit Pro, including Taco Bell, Wendy’s, the NFL, The Wall Street Journal, Kate Somerville and Atlas Headrest. In early testing, Reddit found that brands using Reddit Pro generated 11 more posts and comments per month and saw a +35% increase in monthly upvotes of their organic content, on average.

“Through Reddit Pro, we’re connecting companies with communities in a mutually valuable way: unmatched insights and tools for enhanced participation from businesses, both organic and paid, which then drives more relevant and valuable experiences for our users,” said Reddit Chief Marketing and Consumer Experience Officer Roxy Young in the company’s announcement post.

Reddit Pro is available to businesses and organizations via a first-come, first-serve basis. The company plans to launch additional Reddit Pro features this year, but didn’t share details about what they may look like.