The Mission Mindset: How Human Conversation Shapes Decisions

Today we’re sharing new joint research with Reddit, designed to help marketers understand how decisions are shaped in conversations hosted on the platform. 

The social media landscape is more fragmented and complex than ever. For brands, the challenge is clear: with dozens of platforms, formats, and user behaviours, how do you show up in a way that adds value to the user and drives results for the business? The answer lies in understanding people. As choice expands, people are taking an extra step before acting: they are checking, comparing, and looking for real, human signals they can trust. 

To better understand how this plays out in practice, we partnered with Reddit to study how people use the platform as they work through decisions. The research, spanning 6 Global markets (US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain), focuses on how Reddit users search for information, evaluate options, and build confidence before acting.

Key findings

The findings demonstrate the ways in which Reddit users don’t just consume  information, but actively validate it on the platform. For Reddit users, a validation layer exists between influence and action in which decisions are shaped by mindset rather than platform, with potential broader implications for conversation-based decision making. Key findings in the research include: 

• High-intent behavior is the norm: 72% of Reddit users come to the platform actively seeking information, and 64% arrive with a specific goal in mind.

• Reddit plays a direct role in decision-making: 66% of users say they use Reddit for pre-purchase research.

• Validation builds confidence: 63% of users report feeling more confident in decisions made based on Reddit interactions.

• There is a gap between exposure and action: While 55% of users come looking for solutions, only 22% are likely to engage with an ad that offers one. People are not rejecting information straight away, they are choosing how they validate it.

Gillian Collision, Head of Social at WPP Media, said: “This research gives marketers a clearer lens on a part of the decision journey on Reddit that is often hard to see, and previously challenging  to incorporate into marketing plans. By grounding behavioural shifts in real conversation and real intent, it helps move the discussion beyond channels and tactics to a deeper understanding of how consumer confidence is formed". The opportunity for brands on Reddit is to recognise where that confidence is formed. The potential for influence no longer ends at awareness but extends into the moments in which people are actively evaluating, questioning, and deciding. Showing up meaningfully in those moments is what defines the mission mindset for brands.

Rob Gaige, Head of Global Insights at Reddit, said: "People are coming to Reddit looking for real, human intelligence to pressure-test ideas and turn curiosity into confidence. As marketers, our job is no longer just about generating attention at the top of the funnel. It’s about showing up in moments where people are actively validating decisions and building confidence. Less 'look at me' and more 'I see you,' creating genuine connection at the moment consumers are navigating the decision journey."

For a full breakdown of the findings, methodology, and implications for brands, head over to the Reddit blog.