COMMUNICATIONS INTELLIGENCE February 1, 2026
Media Intelligence

Media Monitoring on Reddit: The Complete Guide for PR Professionals

By Alexandra Reed, Media Intelligence Director | February 1, 2026
Media monitoring team
Modern PR teams are integrating Reddit monitoring into their media intelligence workflows.

For communications professionals, Reddit represents both opportunity and risk. With over 50 million daily active users discussing everything from product reviews to corporate controversies, the platform has become essential for comprehensive media monitoring. This guide provides a systematic approach to Reddit monitoring for PR teams.

Key Insight: According to our analysis, 67% of brand-related controversies that reached mainstream media showed early signals on Reddit—often 24-48 hours before appearing on Twitter or news sites. Effective Reddit monitoring provides a critical early warning advantage.

Why Reddit Monitoring Is Non-Negotiable

Traditional media monitoring focused on news outlets and Twitter. But the media landscape has shifted. Reddit now plays a crucial role in the information ecosystem:

  • Source for journalists: Reporters increasingly source stories from Reddit discussions
  • Sentiment indicator: Community reactions predict broader public response
  • Viral origin: Many viral stories originate in Reddit communities
  • Authentic voice: Anonymous discussions reveal unfiltered opinions

Building Your Reddit Monitoring Framework

Step 1: Map Relevant Communities

Category Subreddit Examples Monitoring Priority
Industry-specific r/technology, r/finance, r/healthcare High
Consumer complaints r/mildlyinfuriating, r/assholedesign High
News/current events r/news, r/worldnews Medium-High
Employee discussions r/antiwork, company-specific subs Medium
Geographic City/country subreddits Varies

Step 2: Define Monitoring Keywords

Essential Keywords to Track

  • Company name and common misspellings
  • Product/service names
  • Executive names (CEO, C-suite)
  • Competitor names (for share of voice)
  • Industry-specific terms
  • Campaign hashtags/slogans
  • Crisis-related terms ("recall," "lawsuit," "scandal")

Step 3: Establish Baseline Metrics

Before you can detect anomalies, you need to understand normal patterns:

  • Average daily/weekly mention volume
  • Typical sentiment distribution
  • Common discussion themes
  • Peak activity times
  • Engagement rates (upvotes, comments)

Key Metrics for Reddit Monitoring

Metric What It Measures Alert Threshold
Mention Volume Frequency of brand discussion 3x+ above baseline
Sentiment Score Positive/negative tone 20%+ shift from baseline
Engagement Velocity Speed of upvotes/comments Rapid acceleration
Cross-posting Same content in multiple subs 3+ subreddits
Media Mentions Journalist references to Reddit Any instance

Automate Your Reddit Monitoring

Stop manually scrolling through subreddits. Use AI-powered semantic search to monitor brand mentions, track sentiment, and detect issues across Reddit instantly.

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Real-Time vs. Periodic Monitoring

Real-Time Monitoring (Recommended for)

  • Brand name mentions
  • Executive names
  • Active crisis situations
  • Product launches

Periodic Monitoring (Daily/Weekly)

  • Industry trends
  • Competitor activity
  • Sentiment analysis reports
  • Emerging topics

Integrating Reddit into Your Media Workflow

  1. Morning brief: Include top Reddit mentions in daily media summary
  2. Alert system: Push notifications for threshold breaches
  3. Weekly analysis: Sentiment trends and theme analysis
  4. Crisis protocol: Escalation procedures when issues detected
  5. Reporting: Include Reddit metrics in media reports to leadership

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should we check Reddit for brand mentions?

For most brands, real-time monitoring of brand name is recommended, with comprehensive subreddit scanning done 2-3 times daily. During active campaigns or potential crisis situations, increase to continuous monitoring.

Can we track Reddit sentiment over time?

Yes. Modern monitoring tools provide sentiment analysis that can be tracked longitudinally. This helps identify gradual shifts in brand perception that might not trigger immediate alerts but indicate trends. Semantic search tools can aggregate this data efficiently.

How do we monitor competitor mentions on Reddit?

Apply the same keyword and subreddit monitoring approach to competitor brands. This provides share of voice data and competitive intelligence about their reputation and customer sentiment.

Should we include Reddit monitoring in client reports?

Absolutely. Reddit data provides insights that traditional media monitoring misses. Include mention volume, sentiment analysis, key themes, and notable posts in regular reporting. It demonstrates comprehensive monitoring and often reveals issues before other channels.