Is Reddit Is Driving the Conversation in AI Search? What Does this Mean for Real Customer Journeys

The way people search — and make decisions — is shifting faster than ever. As someone who works hands-on with clients every day at We Do SEO, I’ve seen firsthand how the “messy middle” of search is being replaced by something new: instant, AI-driven answers.

And here’s the truth: conversions today aren’t happening because of slick ads or long-tail keyword plays. They’re happening when brands solve real problems in authentic, human-centered ways.

That’s why Reddit is suddenly everywhere in AI-powered search — not because it’s trendy, but because it represents how people actually want to find answers.

Why This Matters Now

In a recent webinar, How AI Search Can Drive Sales & Boost Conversions, Bartosz Góralewicz highlighted something every marketer and business owner needs to understand: the way search engines crawl and deliver results has exploded.

• 10 years ago: Google crawled ~2 pages per click.
• 6 months ago: 6 pages per click.
• Today: 18 pages per click.
• OpenAI? 1,500 pages for every single click.

At the same time, more than 60% of Google searches in 2024 ended with zero clicks because large language models (LLMs) now serve answers directly in search results.

As Cloudflare’s CEO put it, “People trust AI more and they’re just not following the footnotes anymore.”

What Reddit Really Shows Us

Here’s the part most people miss: Reddit itself isn’t the point — it’s the proof.

Reddit shows up in nearly 98% of product review searches because it delivers what traditional marketing content often lacks: authentic peer advice.

When someone Googles “iPhone 16 vs Samsung S25,” they don’t just want specs. They want to know what real users think — the glitches, the battery quirks, the things a glossy product page will never admit.

And AI platforms know this. According to Justin Turner of Reddit, Reddit is now the #1 most-cited domain across all major AI platforms — three times more than Wikipedia.

That’s because users don’t want to feel marketed to; they want to feel understood.

The Real Customer Journey

This shift isn’t about keywords — it’s about context.

Take Bartosz’s personal example: he bought a wool carpet, discovered using a Dyson would void the warranty, and suddenly found himself searching for “suction-only vacuum” recommendations.

Think about that. No keyword research tool is going to predict that exact scenario. But Reddit threads? They’re full of people who’ve had the same problem, sharing advice that feels human and trustworthy.

That’s the real journey customers are on today: moving from messy, specific questions → to authentic, peer-driven answers → to conversions.

My Take as an SEO Partner

At We Do SEO, we don’t just chase rankings — we build bridges between what people are really asking and the solutions our clients provide.

The rise of Reddit in AI search is a wake-up call:

• Brands need to create content that solves problems in plain language.
• Customer stories, FAQs, and contextual help matter more than ever.
• SEO isn’t about gaming algorithms; it’s about earning trust.

Whether it’s on Reddit, Google, or AI platforms, the winners will be the brands that show up with empathy, expertise, and answers that feel real.

Final thought: AI search may change the surface of how people find answers, but the foundation hasn’t changed — trust drives conversions. And that’s exactly where your SEO strategy needs to start.

Contact We Do SEO today!