New survey data shows that traditional search engines (like Google and Bing) are still the most used and trusted sources for advice and information online. However, trust in Reddit is increasing, especially among users of younger generations.
If you’ve used a search engine to seek advice, get step-by-step instructions, or discover social news within the last few years, you’re probably no stranger to Reddit’s red robot logo (whether or not you’ve ever perused the platform).
In fact, SISTRIX’s SEO monitoring tool shows that the social media forum became the second-largest website in Google’s U.S. search results in April 2025. And with more than 1.2 billion global users reading, posting, and commenting on a variety of topics, Reddit often appears on (or tops) search engine results pages.
The platform’s growing command of the SERP has caused businesses to pause, reevaluate, and adopt new strategies, including Reddit SEO and other ranking tactics. But how real users feel about Reddit matters, potentially more than whether or not it’s surfacing on the SERP.
Using data from a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults, Siege Media analyzed Reddit sentiment, user trust, and how Reddit shapes up in the era of AI. Our report examines where sentiment and trust are moving, and what this may mean for your content and SEO strategies moving forward.
Key Takeaways
- 37% of American adults trust search engines (e.g., Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, etc.) the most when looking for advice or information online — making them the top-ranked source overall in our study.
- Almost 1 in 5 adults (18%) use Reddit to find information or answers to questions a few times a week.
- There’s been a net positive (19%) change in opinion of the site over the past two years among Americans who have heard of Reddit.
- Of U.S. adults who have heard of Reddit, 40% at least somewhat trust the Reddit results they see when using search engines.
- About 1 in 10 adults (11%) who’ve heard of Reddit expect to rely on Reddit more to find information in the next year.
Search Engines Are Still the Most Trusted Sources for Online Information and Advice
Traditional search is not dead — it’s still necessary to a successful marketing strategy. More than one-third (37%) of U.S. adults still trust search engines like Google and Bing the most when looking for advice or information online.
Even across generations, search engines remain the most trusted sources. Additionally, the percentage of people who agree with this sentiment decreases across each generation. While 45% of baby boomers trust search engines the most, only 29% of Gen Z individuals agree.
As age decreases, content consumption fractures across traditional SERPs, community platforms like Reddit, and AI search engines (compared to the one to two main advice or information platforms older generations typically use).
Though many users agree that search engines are the most trusted sources for advice or information online, the younger generation’s shift in trust indicates a need to invest in hybrid strategies that aim to place content on SERPs, in forums, and across LLMs.
“Visibility and trust are no longer won with on-site content alone; they’re earned by showing up credibly everywhere people are searching, discussing, and fact-checking.”
Tess Halpren
Senior Director, Digital PR at Siege Media
Digital Natives: Turning the Tide on Reddit Sentiment
From medical misinformation and the echo chamber effect on social media to a 2025 crackdown on upvoting violent content, Reddit’s content moderators and moderation tools have been the subject of numerous discussions on many subreddits and in external communities.
Despite the number of users who range from skeptical to accepting of the platform’s moderation strategies, the data shows a net positive (19%) change in opinion of the site over the past two years among Americans who have heard of Reddit.
To better understand these users and this change in opinion, we also surveyed how much they trust the Reddit results they see when using search engines. Our data reveals that this burgeoning trust in Reddit is led by Gen Z individuals, with millennials trailing close behind:
| Trust in Reddit SERP Results, by Generation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen Z | Millennials | Gen X | Baby Boomers | All U.S. Adults |
| 58% | 52% | 32% | 22% | 40% |
To be fair, there has also been a net negative (12%) change in Reddit sentiment over the same time period (potentially due to the growth of “AI slop” on the platform), while 37% also say their opinion on how much they trust the forum’s results on the SERP hasn’t changed.
Despite this, digital natives are paving the way for Reddit SEO and hybrid strategies. By placing trust in a community-based forum, these generations signal that these platforms matter to them. If that’s the case, they should matter to you, too.
“The more your content strategy is dialed in for different information sources (e.g., Reddit and LLMs), the more you can own the narrative of your competitive advantage.”
Sarah Pfledderer
Director, Content Marketing at Siege Media
Reddit Is Still Used In the Era of AI Search
Even in a world of AI overviews and LLM search, Reddit (and other forums) still matter. While the generative AI boom keeps us on our toes, it has yet to truly overrule community-based platforms. In fact:
- About 1 in 10 (11%) users expect to rely on Reddit more to find information in the next year.
- Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) adult Reddit users use the platform to find information and answers to questions at least a few times a week.
Also, there’s almost an identical percentage of users who trust Reddit (5%) and AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini (6%) the most when looking for advice or information online. While these percentages are low, they’re expected to become more pervasive as technology expands and users search for both accurate and human-generated information.
So prioritizing one over the other — namely, LLM search over Reddit SEO — could hurt your long-term strategy (even as AI tools surge in relevance).
“Traditional SEO alone can’t protect a brand from being outranked, out-recommended, or overshadowed by competitors who are actively shaping conversations in LLM responses and community platforms. Ignoring LLMs and forums isn’t just a missed opportunity; it’s a long-term relevance risk.”
Tess Halpren
Senior Director, Digital PR at Siege Media
Invest in a Hybrid Content Strategy
Improved Reddit sentiment is not a threat — it’s an opportunity. If user sentiment for this social media forum continues trending upward, you’ll want to be prominent and accessible across its many subreddits — from product recommendations and reviews to advice columns and news aggregations.
And as Reddit and Google’s partnership expands, so does the ability to increase your visibility across both traditional SERPs and human-led conversations and communities.
By adopting a hybrid strategy, you can drive powerful strategies that help your content land where your audience is most engaged.
Reach out to discover how you can harness the growing power of Reddit sentiment and create a strategy that works for you.
Methodology
Siege Media conducted this study using survey data collected via a nationally representative online survey of more than 2,000 US adults over the age of 18 between November 20th and November 24th, 2025.
The core measurement of this study was Reddit sentiment, which was assessed by asking respondents to indicate their use and level of trust in Reddit as an information source. These responses were segmented and analyzed across demographic variables to identify patterns in how different population groups view and utilize Reddit.
