What Are Reddit Ads?
Reddit Ads is the platform's official advertising system. It allows businesses to create promoted posts that appear in users' feeds, targeting audiences by subreddit, interest, location, device, and other criteria. Ad formats include promoted posts, video ads, carousel ads, and conversation ads.
Reddit's ad platform has evolved significantly, now offering features like conversion tracking, retargeting, and automated bidding. Ads are marked as "Promoted" and appear alongside organic content in feeds.
Why It Matters for Marketers
Reddit Ads offer highly targeted reach at relatively low CPMs compared to platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn. The ability to target specific subreddits means you can reach very niche audiences with precision.
However, Reddit users are notoriously skeptical of advertising. Ads that feel inauthentic or irrelevant get downvoted and criticized in the comments. The most effective Reddit ads look and feel like organic content — educational, helpful, or genuinely interesting.
Reddit Ads work best when combined with organic Reddit marketing efforts. An ad from a brand that's already known and respected in a community performs significantly better than one from a stranger.
Examples
- A B2B SaaS company targets r/startups and r/SaaS with a promoted post offering a free guide, achieving a $2 CPL.
- A brand runs conversation ads that encourage genuine discussion about a common problem their product solves.
- A startup uses Reddit Ads for retargeting visitors who previously engaged with their organic Reddit content.