n these days of AI search bots, you want your content to be cited. Thus, your content needs to be on the platforms where the AI bots look for information, like communities, forums, and social media. In my last article, I wrote about how social media has become one of the main sources of content for the AI search bots. However, there are other channels where you can compete with the big players. It’s called omni-channel marketing.

Throw that strategy out the window! Now you need to be everywhere!

“Over the last 12 months, ChatGPT’s U.S. referral traffic to websites jumped by 3,496 percent (U.K. up 5,950 percent), from 14 to 516 million,” according an article on the Search Engine Journal titled “ChatGPT Vs. Google At Every Stage Of The User Journey.”

In other words, AI search use is growing. Citing is rich in context. Referral traffic and conversions are increasing. Your content needs to be on as many channels as possible, especially online communities.

The top online communities are Reddit, Quora, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).

Here are the basics of Reddit:

• Subreddits – These are specialized forums focused on specific topics (e.g., r/selfstorage, r/selfstorageinvestors, and r/TalesFromSelfStorage).
• Posts And Comments – Users can post content like text, links, images, and videos. Other users can comment on these posts to create discussions.
• Asking Questions – Here’s an example: “Is the rent prorated if you move out in the middle?”
• Voting System – Upvotes and downvotes determine the visibility of a post. Popular posts rise to the top, while less popular ones sink.
• Karma – Users earn karma points through upvotes on their posts and comments, which can add credibility to their account.

By the way, the subreddit “r/selfstorage” has over 8,000 members, 17,000 weekly visitors, and 115 weekly contributions. Their description reads, “r/selfstorage is a community intended for helpful discussion, information, and advice about the self-storage industry. Operators, managers, employees, and customers are encouraged to contribute information, opinions, tips, and tricks. This is NOT a place to slander companies or persons.”

To get started, follow these seven tips.

1. Understand Reddit culture.
   Redditors value authenticity and community involvement. It’s essential to participate genuinely as an individual rather than as a corporate entity.
2. Choose the right subreddits.
   Identify subreddits relevant to the industry and local community. Follow and engage in these communities to understand their norms and interests before posting.
3. Read the rules.
   Each subreddit has its own rules. Make sure you understand them to avoid being banned or flagged as spam.
4. Create valuable content.
   Share useful insights, resources, or engaging content. Avoid blatant self-promotion. For instance, provide tips, answer questions, or share relevant news.
5. Engage with the community.
   Respond to comments on your posts, participate in discussions, answer questions, and upvote interesting content.
6. Use Reddit ads sparingly.
   To promote your products or services, consider using Reddit’s ad platform. However, don’t rely solely on ads; genuine interaction is crucial.
7. Monitor and adjust.
   Regularly monitor the performance of your posts and adjust your strategy based on what resonates with the community.

Conversely, here are several common mistakes to avoid.

• Skipping Subreddit Rules – Every subreddit has its own culture and posting guidelines. Ignoring them can quickly get your post removed or your account banned. Always check the “rules” section in the sidebar before posting.
• Overt Self‑Promotion – Redditors are quick to spot marketing disguised as “helpful” content. If most of your activity is linking to your own site, you’ll be flagged as a spammer. Follow the 90/10 rule of 90 percent genuine engagement and 10 percent self‑promotion.
• Low-Effort Posts or Comments – One-liners, vague questions, or link-only posts rarely do well. Reddit rewards thoughtful, well-formatted contributions.
• Not Engaging Beyond Your Own Posts – Only posting your own threads without commenting elsewhere limits visibility. Upvote, comment, and join discussions to build rapport.
• Ignoring Feedback – Downvotes and critical comments are signals, not just noise. Use them to refine your approach rather than getting defensive.
• Cross-Posting Without Context – Dumping the same link into multiple subreddits without tailoring it to each audience is spammy. Customize your title and intro for each community.
• Chasing Karma Over Value – Posting just for upvotes can lead to shallow content. Focus on adding genuine insight or entertainment.

• Evergreen Content – Answers remain searchable and can rank high on Google for years, continuing to bring traffic long after you post.
• Topic And User Following – You can follow topics relevant to your industry and connect with people who are interested in them.
• Built-In Distribution – Quora’s feed, email digests, and topic notifications push your answers to interested readers, even if you have no personal following.
• Advertising Options – Quora Ads allow precise targeting by topic, keyword, or audience intent.

Follow these tips to get started:

• Craft a strong, optimized, individual profile. Use a clear, friendly headshot. Add your role, business name, and a short, credibility-building bio. Include links to your website or key resources.
• Identify relevant topics. Search for topics your customers care about. Follow them to get notified of new questions. Focus on your niche expertise. Stick to your topic. Don’t start posting fake questions about things that have nothing to do with the industry.
• Answer with value first. Provide detailed, helpful, and non-promotional answers. Use examples, short paragraphs, and bullet points for readability. Subtly weave in your expertise and link to resources only when relevant.
• Be consistent. Aim for a few high-quality answers per week. Over time, this builds authority and trust. Do not disappear and then come back months later.
• Leverage evergreen potential. Focus on questions that will still be relevant months or years from now. These can keep driving traffic long after you post.
• Engage with the community. Upvote good answers, comment thoughtfully, and follow other experts. (You can also downvote stupid questions or bad answers.) This increases your visibility and credibility.
• Repurpose your content. Adapt your Quora answers into blog posts, LinkedIn articles, or email newsletters to maximize ROI.

Common mistakes to avoid include:

• Overt Self-Promotion – If you drop links to your site in every answer without adding real value, readers (and site moderation) will see this as spam, which will hurt your credibility. Be careful with this. I get people asking the same questions repeatedly, and if I copy and paste the same answer and link, the posts will be deleted.
• Neglecting Engagement – Don’t fail to upvote, comment, or follow other experts. Interaction boosts visibility and helps you learn what resonates with your audience.
• Expanding Too Soon – Don’t jump into paid ads or multiple topic areas before you have built a solid base of quality answers and followers.

When used properly, a small business owner can turn Quora into a steady stream of visibility, credibility, and leads. Personally, I used Quora regularly and got more traffic to my website from Quora than from the other social media networks.

What I’m seeing a lot lately are posts featuring an infographic or video, and then the text providing a detailed explanation.

Next time, I’ll dig deeper into X and how to use video in your online marketing.