New research conducted by Oklahoma Baptist University researchers in the Paul Dickinson School of Business in Oklahoma has delved into the emerging social media platform, Reddit. This study explores how the platform was able to carve a niche for itself in the digital space. Titled “Reddit: A Case Study of Persuasive Technology,” the work was done by Dr. Daryl D. Green, Dr. Jack McCann, Logan Coe, Bria Evert, Kalifa Ford, and Tyler Frank. This undergraduate research was published by the American Research Journal of Business and Management. The purpose of this research was to investigate Reddit as persuasive technology, as well as to analyze the future of this platform in today’s digital society.
The pandemic of 2020 forced millions of people to make greater use of social media platforms such as Reddit, which benefited greatly from this public exposure. The platform contains a total of 1.2 million communities which attract almost 164 million visitors each month. Reddit allows individuals to interact anonymously with and share their interests with strangers from all over the world. This social media platform appeals to a niche community. Undergraduate students do not normally engage in publishable research. Dr. Green, business professor, challenged his class. Dr. Green explains, “My business students were developing original case studies from emerging social media platforms. Our research team of faculty and students wanted to better understand the social media platforms like Reddit so that we can see possible applications in the business community.”
Dr. Green and his team highlighted the following critical points in this study:
- Successful online platforms must continue to reinvent themselves so that they can stay relevant to their demographics.
- Marketers must understand how to leverage persuasive technologies in order to communicate effectively with their customers.
- Building sustainable relationships with niche communities is essential in a digital economy.
In closing, Reddit is on the path to become one of the most influential social media/news websites throughout the world. This study of Reddit has significance for both researchers and practitioners, and broadens contemporary assumptions about strategic planning for social media platforms.
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