Reddit has officially opened its doors in Australia, marking the website’s entry into its fourth-largest market.
The new Australian operation will be led by country manager David Ray, who will join in the coming weeks from WooliesX, and has experience leading teams in Australia for Amazon, Twitter and Telstra.
The Australian business is managed by Reddit’s head of international, Tariq Mahmoud, and is already partnering with local entities, working with Australian-based moderators and communities, and establishing local brand partnerships.
The Australian Sales team is part of the global sales org, led by Reddit’s EVP and President Global Advertising, Harold Klaje.
The launch of the Australian office follows Reddit’s market entries in Canada in March 2021 and the United Kingdom in September 2020.
“We’ve been fortunate to experience strong organic growth from our Australian user base in recent years, and with this comes a significant opportunity to level-up our local offering in a more focussed and nuanced way,” said Reddit Chief Operating officer, Jen Wong. “From building out our highly engaged Australian communities to finding homes for local brands on the platform, this launch is just the beginning of our investment in the market and key to our wider international vision as we continue to scale Reddit at pace.”
With Australia now representing Reddit’s fourth-largest user base and growing 40 per cent year-on-year, the company says Australian brands are in a position to capitalise.
Unlike other social media platforms, Aussies on Reddit are connected by passions and interests, rather than demographics which makes the platform home to some of the most honest, authentic and passionate conversations on the internet.
“Reddit is a cultural phenomenon and a great platform for brands wishing to connect with customers, fans, and advocates who influence brand loyalty and purchase decisions,” said UM’s US Chief Digital Officer, Joshua Lowcock. “As an Australian expat living in New York, I have seen first-hand the success clients have had working with Reddit. Investing in a dedicated Australian presence and local approach to community and moderation will reinforce Reddit’s market position for locally-based brands and advertisers seeking to navigate the depth and breadth of the platform and unlock its immense value.”
There is also the opportunity to reach customers that can’t be found anywhere else. According to Reddit, 40 per cent of Reddit users in Australia are not on Twitter, 20 per cent are not on Facebook, 23 per cent are not on Instagram, 51 per cent are not on Snapchat and 70 per cent are not on TikTok.
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