How Rewardful is nailing the Reddit Marketing game: A deep dive into their playbook
See how Rewardful cracked Reddit marketing - how they stand out, why it works, and how you can do the same.
What is Rewardful?
Rewardful is a tool that enables startups and businesses to run affiliate and referral programs. It integrates with Stripe and other payment processors, allowing users to track referrals, manage commissions and automate payouts. It is one of the well-known affiliate marketing tool with clientele such as Beehiiv, Clay, Riverside, and more.
Why does Reddit matter for Rewardful’s marketing strategy?
Affiliate marketing tools are essential for most businesses, but it’s a crowded space. Most tools offer similar features, making it hard for users to decide which one to go with. That’s when people start looking for validation - real opinions, honest reviews, personal experience and trustworthy recommendations. And Reddit is packed with exactly that. It’s where users go to get unfiltered advice before making a decision.
Many of these posts show up on Google or AI search for high-traffic search terms. So, when someone looks up affiliate marketing tools, they often land on these threads and skim through to get a sense of what others are saying before making a call.
In a saturated market like this, standing out is more about building authority and trust. That’s exactly why Reddit is such a powerful channel for Rewardful. They understand this well, and you can see it in how they show up on Reddit. Their comments often rank at the top of relevant threads, subtly guiding users while building credibility. It’s a simple yet powerful way to drive high-intent traffic.
In this week’s article, we’ll break down exactly how Rewardful is using Reddit to stand out - what they’re doing, why it works, and how you can put these tactics to use for your own product.
Overview of Rewardful’s Reddit marketing strategy
Rewardful has been active on Reddit for over three years now. They’ve mainly focused on commenting i.e engaging in relevant discussions. Recently, they’ve added SEO-focused posts and AMAs into the mix.
The real takeaway from this deep dive is the consistency and thoughtfulness of their commenting strategy. While they use some templates to be efficient, they’re prepared to write high-effort replies when its needed. While multiple competitors jump into the same thread, Rewardful manages to stand out by sounding more helpful and authentic compared to other responses - often leading to many of their comments ranking at the top.
They mainly operate through two Reddit accounts:
CEO’s account – u/egibney: Usually responds to high-intent posts.
Brand account – u/Rewardful: More focused on low-intent threads, support-related posts, and general visibility.
They also seem to involve other team members and users in discussions - like u/tomas-lau, u/Enough_love945, and others.
While much of this looks genuine, we can’t completely rule out the possibility that some posts and replies are planted. It’s a bit of a grey area, but it’s still effective.
Now, let’s break down their commenting strategy and what sets it apart.
Commenting
1. Get your top boss involved
Most established brands leave Reddit to someone on the marketing team. Rewardful takes a more thoughtful approach of using its CEO's personal profile to engage in discussions. From the perspective of someone evaluating options, it signals that confidence and accountability from the top boss. Especially, the CEO offering to jump on a quick call to offer advice feels more personal and approachable. It’s also an effective way to remove friction and get high-intent users across the line.
Take away: The people landing on these posts are potential users evaluating options. It’s a chance to build visibility and trust - and there’s nothing more effective than having your top boss show up and speak directly to users.
2. Stand out from competition by going the extra mile
When you comment on a Reddit thread, chances are your competitors are doing the same. The real challenge isn’t just showing up - it’s standing out. While most competing brands simply name-drop their product, Rewardful takes it a step further.
2.1. In the example below - instead of just pitching, they offer something useful - like a free course on affiliate marketing - something that takes preparedness and can’t be easily replicated. It instantly builds authority over competition. It also serves as a lead magnet, pulling users into the funnel and giving a chance to nurture those leads.
2.2. In the example below, Rewardful doesn’t make a vague claim about being better - they back it up with sharp, relevant social proof. It’s a concrete example that’s hard to ignore and immediately builds credibility, making their comment stand out from the rest.
2.3. In the example below, Rewardful name-drops well-known customers as social proof that instantly builds credibility, making their comment stand out from the rest.
Take away: Plugging your product with vague claims won’t cut it. If you want to stand out, go the extra mile - offer something useful (lead magnets), and share real social proof or case studies. It sets you apart from the noise and builds strong credibility with potential users.
3. Demonstrate subject-matter expertise
Rewardful actively engages in relevant discussions in subreddits like r/affiliatemarketing and r/SaaS - places where their target audience hangs out. By showing up consistently, Rewardful builds authority and stays on top-of-mind of potential users irrespective of where they are in the funnel.
3.1. Rewardful comments on posts seeking advice with in-depth replies, showcasing their expertise in affiliate marketing and building authority in the process. They do this mainly through their brand account, which helps boost brand visibility, especially in threads where direct promotion isn’t appropriate.
3.2. Another way Rewardful builds authority is by pointing out niche features tailored for specific use cases in relevant discussions. It shows they understand the edge cases, making their product feel like a thoughtful, well-matched solution.
Take Away: Stay active out in subreddits where your audience hangs out. Engage in relevant discussions in your space with thoughtful, in-depth comments to build authority and brand awareness. Leverage your brand account to stay visible when direct promotion doesn’t fit.
4. Don’t hide from tough conversations - own them
It’s not always going to be smooth - there will be posts comparing tools, pointing out missing features, or even complaining. Rewardful doesn’t shy away from these. Instead, they engage directly, offering thoughtful counterpoints that are worth considering.
Take Away: Expect to face posts that challenge your position - comparisons, missing features or frustrated users. Be prepared with thoughtful responses that shift the perspective and highlight your strengths without being defensive.
5. Use your brand account to create more visibility and awareness
Rewardful uses its brand account to engage in high-traffic, viral threads - placing itself where the attention already is. It’s a smart way to boost brand visibility and awareness without having to directly promote.
Takeaway: Use your brand account to engage in viral posts within your target subreddits - even simple, low-effort comments will do. Consistently showing up keeps your brand visible and top of mind for your audience on Reddit.
6. Get your team and pro users to support you on Reddit
In several threads, Rewardful’s team and users join the conversation, either by supporting Rewardful’s main comment or adding an independent comment. This helps Rewardful stand out and appear more credible in a crowded, noisy thread.
Takeaway: Get your team and power users involved to support you in relevant threads - but keep it authentic - overdoing it can feel fake and may risk violating Reddit’s rules. When done right, a few well-placed responses can signal genuine support and adds a layer of credibility.
Posting
While Rewardful has mainly focused on commenting, they’ve recently started experimenting with SEO-focused posts and AMAs.
1. SEO focused posts
SEO-focused posts are designed to rank on Google and AI Search for high-intent keywords. Rewardful has targeted common search topics and created helpful, keyword-rich threads around them. Some of these posts already rank on the first page of Google - placing the brand right where potential users are actively looking for answers.
2. AMA
AMA (Ask Me Anything) is a great way to connect with potential users by sharing advice and expertise while building trust in a direct, open, and human way. Below is Rewardful’s first AMA, hosted by their CEO.
Rewardful’s approach to Reddit isn’t flashy, but it’s smart, consistent, and thoughtful. They’ve managed to build visibility and authority in a noisy, competitive space by consistently joining the right conversations and going a step further - whether it’s the CEO jumping in, a well-placed social proof, or very helpful advice. Rewardful’s commenting strategy is one of the best I’ve come across - and there’s a lot you can borrow from their playbook.
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