The Reddit Comeback
Is Reddit the New Booktok for Discovering Your Next Read?
Has anyone here discovered a new book from a reddit thread? Lately if I google “Queer fantasy books recommendations” or something similar, the first hit tends to be reddit.
Personally, I’ve never been a big reddit user. It always felt clunky and too “techy” for me. But lately I’ve been finding myself on more threads whether it’s to learn about my new (to me) EV I bought a few months ago, finding a new book, or googling some random thought I have at 1am.
From a reader perspective, I think there’s a lot of discoverability here. Maybe reddit will become the new booktok when it comes to discovering your next read? And from a marketing perspective, I think there’s a lot of potential here to tap into niche communities.
💬 Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA)
In my day job as a digital marketing manager for the University of North Carolina Press, we’ve been leaning into Reddit AMAs. If you aren’t familiar, an AMA is essentially a digital town hall where someone says, “I know a lot about something, Ask Me Anything!”
We recently had an author go live on r/AskHistorians (a subreddit with over 2M readers). The engagement was almost instant: 100+ upvotes and dozens of thoughtful, deep-dive questions in just a few hours.
For certain authors—especially in nonfiction and academia—a successful reddit AMA is better than major media attention. Here’s why:
Instant Authority: You aren’t just selling something, you’re proving you are a leader in your field. It’s the ultimate “vibe check” for your expertise.
Organic Hype: When an author shares their AMA on Threads, Instagram, bluesky, etc. it doesn’t feel like an ad. It feels like an invitation to a conversation.
Connection: An op-ed in a major outlet might get you name recognition, but people often forget the author by the next article they scroll to. With an AMA, you’re opening a direct line of communication. Responding to a reader's specific question creates a memorable connection that a passive article just can't match.
Longevity: Unlike an Instagram Story that vanishes or a news cycle that moves on in 24 hours, reddit threads are searchable. People will be finding that author’s answers for years.
🤔 How Else Can Marketers, Authors, and Readers, Use Reddit
Imagine a Gay Romance author hosting an AMA in a trope-specific subreddit, or a Fantasy author doing a deep dive into their world-building for a community of dragon-obsessed readers. For example, I found this sub reddit for romance books with 698K readers and 13K weekly contributors. The potential for community-first marketing here is huge, but it requires authors to actually be part of the community, not just drop a link and run. I’m curious how else readers, authors, and publishers can use reddit to connect with these audiences and build community and trust.
💭What’s on My Mind?
For the Readers: Are you on reddit? Do you actually use it to find your next favorite book, or does the platform still feel a bit scary? Do you want to see more authors and publishers there, or is that invading reader spaces?
For the Authors: Have you ever considered an AMA? What’s stopping you from jumping into the subreddits? What type of content could you share here?
For the Industry Pros: How are we using reddit to reach niche audiences? Has anyone started to experiment with paid ads on reddit? How do we use reddit as a social listening tool?
Let me know in the comments what your thought are on reddit!