How to Use Reddit Search RSS in Google Sheets to Track Specific Topics

This post is inspired by a tip shared by Brian Kato on the GBP Roast Show on YouTube. Here is the link to the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXe1cuKL2jg

Follow Brian for more such interesting tips on Twitter: https://x.com/katobkato and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kato.brian

Monitoring discussions inside specific subreddits helps identify content ideas, customer pain points, and emerging trends. Instead of pulling every post from a subreddit, you can filter by keyword using Reddit’s built-in RSS search.

This guide explains how to use Reddit Search RSS and import it into Google Sheets.

Step 1: Understand Reddit RSS Structure

Reddit provides RSS feeds for subreddits and search results.

Basic subreddit RSS:

Search RSS format:

The search version allows topic filtering.

Step 2: Build a Topic-Specific RSS URL

Structure:

Example for r/perth and keyword landscaping:

Parameter breakdown:

• q= → search keyword

• restrict_sr=1 → limits search to that subreddit only

• sort=new → shows newest posts first

Optional time filters:

Example with weekly filter:

Step 3: Import the RSS Feed into Google Sheets

Open Google Sheets and use the IMPORTFEED function.

If your locale uses commas:

If your locale uses semicolons:

Formula structure:

• "items" → imports individual posts

• FALSE → excludes header row

• 20 → number of posts to import

Step 4: Track Multiple Keywords

You can monitor multiple topics using search operators.

OR logic:

Example:

Exact match phrase:

Encoded format (safer for Sheets):

Create separate tabs in Google Sheets for each keyword cluster to maintain clean tracking.

Step 5: What Data You Get

IMPORTFEED typically returns:

• Post title

• Author

• Published date

• URL

You can layer additional filtering using QUERY() or conditional formatting to identify:

• Recurring questions

• High-frequency complaints

• Content gaps

• Local demand signals

Step 6: Common Issues and Fixes

If the feed fails:

Add a limit parameter:

Example:

Always test the RSS URL in a browser before adding it to Sheets.

Practical Use Cases

This system allows teams to:

• Monitor brand mentions

• Identify local service demand

• Extract FAQ-style content ideas

• Detect seasonal spikes

• Track competitor discussions

It converts subreddit conversations into structured, filterable data without using the Reddit API.

Final Working Example

This setup enables automated, keyword-specific Reddit monitoring directly inside Google Sheets.