We Hired a Reddit Agency. Here's What We Wish We'd Known First.

You’ve decided Reddit matters. Now comes the harder question: do you build the capability in-house or hire an agency?

Both approaches work. Both have trade-offs. The right choice depends on your specific situation, not on general rules.

The Core Trade-Off

In-house: Trade time and learning curve for full ownership and control.

Agency: Trade money for speed and expertise.

Neither is universally better. It depends on which resources you have more of.

In-House Advantages

Full Ownership

Accounts you build are yours forever. Karma, history, relationships, all owned assets that appreciate over time.

When agencies relationships end, so does access to their accounts. In-house assets remain.

Deep Product Knowledge

Internal team members understand your product intimately. They can answer questions accurately, handle nuances, and represent the product authentically.

Cultural Alignment

Internal people share your company’s values and voice. Maintaining consistent brand representation is natural.

Lower Long-Term Cost

After initial investment in building capability, marginal cost drops significantly. Agencies charge ongoing fees indefinitely.

In-House Challenges

Time to Results

Building accounts from scratch takes 6-12 months minimum. New accounts need karma and history before they can participate effectively in professional subreddits.

Learning Curve

Reddit’s culture is unique. Marketing instincts that work elsewhere fail here. Understanding the common mistakes that kill credibility requires trial, error, and time.

Resource Commitment

Effective Reddit presence requires consistent participation. Someone needs to dedicate 5-10 hours weekly, ongoing.

Risk of Mistakes

Inexperienced teams make mistakes that can result in bans, damaged reputation, or wasted effort. The margin for error is slim.

Agency Advantages

Established Accounts

Good agencies bring accounts with years of history, substantial karma, and existing reputation. This accelerates everything.

Expertise

Agencies know Reddit culture, what works, what triggers bans, which subreddits matter. Expertise eliminates learning curve.

Faster Results

Established accounts can participate immediately in professional communities. Results come in months, not years.

Reduced Risk

Professional agencies have systems to avoid bans and mistakes. They’ve made the errors already so you don’t have to.

Agency Challenges

Cost

Quality Reddit agencies charge $3-10K monthly. That’s significant budget, especially for early-stage companies.

Authenticity Concerns

Even good agencies aren’t your team. They can study your product, but they don’t live it daily. This can affect authenticity of participation.

Dependency

When agency relationships end, the accounts and momentum go with them. You’re building on rented land.

Quality Variance

The agency market is immature. Quality varies enormously. Some agencies deliver; others do damage.

Decision Framework

Use this framework to choose your approach:

Hybrid Approaches

Some companies use hybrid strategies:

Agency Start, In-House Transition

Use an agency to establish presence and learn. After 6-12 months, transition to internal team with playbooks and lessons learned.

In-House Primary, Agency Supplement

Build core presence internally. Use agency for specific campaigns, launches, or to accelerate in specific subreddits.

Parallel Building

Use agency for immediate participation while building internal accounts. Internal accounts grow while agency delivers near-term results.

Evaluating Agencies

If you choose agency, evaluate carefully:

Questions to Ask

• How old are your accounts? (Should be years, not months)
• What’s your participation ratio? (Should be 10:1+ helpful vs. promotional)
• Can you share case studies with metrics?
• How do you maintain authenticity?
• What happens if an account gets banned?
• How do you report results?

Red Flags

• Promises of fast results (authentic Reddit is slow)
• Unwillingness to share account ages
• Heavy promotional ratio in example comments
• No clear process for maintaining authenticity
• No way to track or verify activity

Good Signs

• Accounts with 2+ years history
• Demonstrated expertise in your industry’s subreddits
• Clear processes and reporting
• Honest about timelines and limitations
• Focus on long-term presence over quick wins

Making In-House Work

If you choose in-house, set up for success:

Find the Right Person

Ideally someone who already uses Reddit personally. They understand the culture intuitively. They should read our Reddit marketing playbook as a foundation.

Allow Time for Account Building

Don’t expect results for 6 months. Budget for a year before evaluating.

Train on Reddit Culture

Document what works and doesn’t. Build institutional knowledge.

Create Clear Guidelines

What can they say? What topics to avoid? When to mention the product? Clear guidelines prevent mistakes.