The GoPro subreddit, /r/GoPro, has over 30,000 subscribers and is essentially an ongoing virtual conference for GoPro users. GoPro fans use the community to share original photos and video, how-to guides, GoPro announcements, and support questions. GoPro employees can sit in the back of the room and learn about their customers, jump into the conversation to provide value, or step onstage when they want to address the audience. This type of access is only available to companies that take the initiative to foster a community for their fans and GoPro has shown how reddit can be used as a platform for community.
Why we love /r/GoPro
The GoPro subreddit shows marketers and businesses the power of creating a branded subreddit community.
Here are the main reasons why /r/GoPro has grown and continues to be a thriving community:
The subreddit is dedicated to a company and their products. All discussions are limited to GoPro. This provides a forum of targeted conversations for GoPro users and GoPro employees. If you are interested in learning about GoPro or discussing their products, the subreddit provides a targeted forum of like-minded people.
/r/GoPro has a branded design. When you visit the subreddit you can tell it is the official subreddit for GoPro. The familiar design adds validation to the community and encourages users to submit higher quality content. Never underestimate the power of branding.
GoPro employees monitor the subreddit and respond to comments. The participation and monitoring of the surbeddit by GoPro employees greatly enhances the value of the community.
Here are examples of Jim Geduldick (the Cinema, Broadcast & Photo Marketing Manager of GoPro) engaging /r/GoPro:
Bonus: read this article about how GoPro immediately responded to a reddit post in their subreddit community regarding a DCMA notice they filed against another website.
The subreddit is moderated by GoPro fans, not employees. The community does not require heavy maintenance by GoPro staff. GoPro doesn’t have to spend resources on daily maintenance but their contribution to the subreddit is important.
GoPro makes important announcements in the subreddit. The subreddit is always clued in on what’s going on with GoPro and the info typically comes directly from GoPro. This action by GoPro is important because it adds even more credibility to the subreddit. We know the moderators of /r/GoPro appreciate this action because they typically ‘sticky’ announcements made my GoPro employees.
But we already have a forum
GoPro has another fan-based discussion community called GoPro Fanatics. Some companies may think since they already have a forum they do not need a subreddit, but the GoPro subreddit proves that both can exist and thrive. This is especially true for any company that has a large customer base that is internet savvy.
Remember that reddit is growing and certain percentage of your customers are already on the platform. Additionally, a certain percentage of your customers will create a reddit account just to interact with you. If you are not sure about how many customers will use your subreddit, simply ask them in an email or promote your subreddit and see how many users subscribe.
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
More marketers and companies should be looking to build subreddit communities like /r/GoPro. A subreddit is an easy way to give your customers a platform for community, which is a valuable asset for your brand. Even if you have another discussion forum, a subreddit can can still provide value if your fans are using reddit.
