Reddit Ads: The Ultimate Guide

Looking for a straightforward guide to running Reddit Ads? This should be your ultimate resource guide.

Reddit is not your typical social media platform. It’s a place where millions of users gather to share and discuss their interests, passions, and opinions. It’s also a place where marketers can easily get banned (or mocked) if they don’t follow the rules.

Reddit has a low tolerance for self-promotion and spammy ads. But that doesn’t mean you can’t advertise your business on Reddit at all. You just need to do it the right way.

Reddit offers two types of ads: Managed ads and self-serve ads. Managed ads are for big brands with big budgets who want to reach a large audience with premium placements. Self-serve ads are for small businesses with small budgets who want to target a specific audience with flexible options.

In this blog post, we’ll focus on how to run self-serve ads on Reddit. We’ll show you how to set up your account, plan your campaign, create your ad, and measure your results.

What is Reddit Marketing?

Reddit is a website where you can find news and social media content that is ranked by votes from users. People from all over the world post different kinds of content (mostly links, but also original content), and other users can “upvote” or “downvote” them, making the most interesting content rise to the top.

It’s a place where you can join groups of people who share your interests. Reddit calls these groups subreddits, and they cover various topics, from niche hobbies to politics to thousands of other things people want to talk about.

Since it started in 2005, Reddit has become one of the most popular social media sites with millions of monthly active users. Its engaged, passionate community is just one of the reasons you should consider marketing on Reddit.

However, Reddit doesn’t like self-promotion, which makes marketing tricky, and it’s easy to break Reddit’s strict rules (including some unwritten ones). That means you need to take a more strategic approach that focuses on conversations and providing helpful or interesting content.

Before you start marketing on Reddit, you need to know some basics. Read Reddit’s page about self-promotion and learn what you can and can’t do. Then, check out the “Reddiquette” page and see Reddit’s main rules.

Some of these rules are:

1. Checking for duplicate content before you post to get more karma.
2. Sharing original sources when you post stories.
3. Being respectful when you talk to other users.
4. Reading the full guidelines for a community before you join.

You also need to understand why people use Reddit. According to Signity Solutions, Reddit users are looking for answers or entertainment. If you can offer either one, then it’s worth joining the conversation. Just don’t try and sell anything to anyone.

If you need some ideas, here are some ways you can avoid being too promotional, like:

1. Being active in the Reddit community.
2. Posting survey results.
3. Creating subreddits around your brand.
4. Adding relevant content.

Reddit is a huge site with thousands of subreddits. Each subreddit has its own rules, moderators, and culture. Whatever subreddit you join, take some time to get familiar with the sub’s rules and what’s acceptable.

Read more: Reddit Marketing Guide for Beginners

Reddit Ads Policies

Reddit has some rules for ads that you need to follow. They cover the quality, style, URLs, and landing pages of your ads. Here are the main points for each category.

Video Quality

Your video ads should be high quality in terms of sound, visuals, and text. Make sure your content is relevant and appropriate for a broad audience. Also, use the language that matches your target market.

Reddit allows media with mature ratings. But you have to follow the rating laws of each country where you show your ads. And you have to label your videos if they have “shocking, graphic, or profane content”.

Also, Reddit doesn’t allow videos that flash or strobe.

Reddit Ad Style

Reddit wants your ads to look professional and clear. Here are some tips to follow:

• Use high-quality images.
• Make sure your ads have no spelling mistakes and use proper grammar.
• Show non-English ads only to the right regions/countries.
• Don’t capitalize more than half of your text.
• Don’t use too many emojis and symbols.
• Don’t put personal information in your ads unless it’s required by law or a regulator.

Reddit Ad Quality

 Quality mainly means being honest and clear about what you’re advertising. This means:

• Not lying about the product, service, or brand
• Ads should avoid misleading headlines
• Advertisements can’t promote Reddit posts; the only exception is if you’re using managed ads

URL and Landing Policies

Like all of Reddit’s advertising rules, the main focus is on quality and consistency. Make sure your:

• The product appears on the landing page
• Landing page content follows Reddit’s content and advertising rules
• The language on the landing page matches the ads
• The landing page doesn’t spam users or use other shady marketing methods
• URL is the same as the landing page
• Not offering or linking limited/banned products on your landing page

Take a look at Reddit’s full advertising policy for more details! 

Why you should try Paid Advertising on Reddit

Reddit is a site that many marketers neglect, but with 52 million daily active users, and high levels of engagement, marketers should take notice of the site.

Besides, Reddit draws 450 million monthly active users and it offers over 150,000 communities. Reddit’s active users increase every year. It looks like Reddit is here to last, and the potential is enormous for those that nail their marketing.

It’s also popular among younger age groups, so it’s an excellent way to reach out to younger prospects.

All Types of Reddit Ads

Reddit offers two main kinds of ads for marketers.

• The first kind is promoted ads, which you can see at the top of subreddits.
• The second kind is display ads. Reddit also has other types of advertising, like video and carousel, which we will explain below.

Promoted Ads

These are the most popular types of ads on Reddit. With promoted ads, you can share more than just your posts. For example, you can share a customer story that connects to your brand. You can choose from CPM, CPC, or CPV ads, and you can bid for them through the Reddit Ads Dashboard.

Display Ads

Reddit targets display ads at bigger companies with larger budgets. These are not self-serve, and you need to contact Reddit’s sales team first. You need a minimum budget of $30,000.

Promoted Video

These are CPM and CPV bid types. They have an auto-play video and an optional call to action button.

Promoted Carousel Ads

Promoted Carousel ads let you use up to six images/gifs, and the bid types are CPM and CPC. Reddit shows these ads in users’ feeds.

Reddit also has takeover products for more visibility. You can see the complete requirements and features for each type of ad on Reddit.

How to start a Reddit advertising campaign effectively?

Creating a successful Reddit campaign may take some time, but with detailed step-by-step instructions, it can be a simple process. Follow these basic steps to get started, but be sure to double-check any unclear areas on Reddit.

1. Determine Your Target Audience

If you are unsure how to narrow down your niche, there are a few things you can do:

1. Develop a customer avatar or profile of your ideal customer. You can use your existing data to accomplish this.
2. Make a list of the traits and demographics that represent them. Start with the basics online for inspiration.
3. Understand your demographic’s pain points and how your products or services can assist them. Always keep your customer profile in mind when creating new marketing materials and reaching out to your typical customer.

2. Gather Your Materials

Before beginning your ad campaign, it is essential to have all of your supplies in order. In addition to having clear goals and a way to measure your results, you will need the following:

• Visuals
• Links to your destination
• Target keywords
• Ad trackers
• Payment methods
• Registration information
• Other creative content.

Take the time to ensure that everything is in order before beginning your Reddit marketing campaign.

3. Create your campaign

Once you have everything ready, it’s time to create your campaign:

1. Log in to ads.reddit.com using your usual Reddit login details, and you will be directed to the “Create Campaign” page.
2. In the “name” box, give your campaign a title.
3. Choose your preferred payment option. Reddit accepts credit cards for self-serve advertisers.
4. Choose your objective from the list. You can select from various options, such as building awareness, conversions, video views, or app installs.

4. Create Ad Group

Once you have created your campaign, it’s time to move on to creating your ad group. Here are a few steps to help you get started:

1. Segment your campaigns to make it easier to track performance. Reddit recommends experimenting with bidding for different campaigns due to its second-price auction model. You may want to consider segmenting your campaigns based on factors like device or location, and Reddit suggests giving each ad group a daily budget of $50.
2. It’s important to give your ad group a name that clearly reflects the ad’s target audience.
3. Select the placement for your ad, deciding whether you want it to appear in feeds or conversations. Feeds will allow your ad to appear in the home, popular, and community feeds, while conversation ads will appear during discussions on specific Reddit posts.
4. Once you have chosen your placement, you can define your target audience based on factors like location, communities, and devices. It’s important to carefully consider your targeting criteria to ensure that your ads are reaching the right people.
   
5. Set your schedule and budget. Reddit offers both daily and lifetime budget options, allowing you to specify a specific date range. You will also need to select your bid, keeping in mind that Reddit uses a second-price auction model for bidding and does not guarantee impressions. The number of impressions your ad receives will depend on factors like your targeting criteria, your bid, and overall Reddit traffic. By following these steps, you can create effective ad campaigns on Reddit that will reach your target audience and drive results for your business.

5. Create Ad Unit

After setting up your ad group, it’s time to create your Reddit ad.

Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Enter the Name of Your Ad: Choose a descriptive name for your ad that will make it easy to identify.
2. Add Third-Party Trackers: If you want to track the performance of your ad using third-party tools, Reddit allows you to add approved trackers such as Comscore, Appsflyer, and Adjust.
3. Add Impressions and Click Trackers: To track impressions and clicks on your ad, add the necessary trackers and macros.
4. Include Some Creatives: This is where you can add the visual elements of your ad, such as images or videos. You could also write a new blog post or promote an older one.
5. Create a Call-to-Action Button: A call-to-action (CTA) button is a great way to encourage users to take action, such as clicking on your ad or visiting your website. Choose a CTA that is clear and compelling.
6. Preview Your Ad: Before submitting your ad for review, make sure to preview it to ensure that everything looks good.
7. Review Your Ad: Once you have previewed your ad, click on the review button. This will allow you to check your ad and make any necessary edits before submitting it for approval.

Remember to follow Reddit’s advertising policies when creating your ad.

Once your ad is approved, it will start running on Reddit, and you can track its performance using the platform’s analytics tools.

Best Tips for Running Reddit Ads Effectively and Skyrocket Your Results

Reddit presents a huge opportunity for marketers and advertisers to reach a vast audience. However, it is widely known that advertising on this platform can be quite challenging.

Despite the challenges, it is still possible to achieve your marketing objectives on Reddit by following some essential strategies. These five tips will help you set up your Reddit ads for success and increase your chances of reaching your target audience effectively.

Utilize Reddit as a Research Tool

If you’re not sure which community to target with your Reddit ads, Reddit itself can be an invaluable tool for research. There are several functions beyond the search bar that can help you identify the right subreddits for your brand:

• r/findareddit: This subreddit is dedicated to helping users find their ideal communities. Here, you can ask questions about different communities and get expert responses from other Redditors.
• Third-party tools like Subreddit Finder allow you to search for keywords within communities, helping you identify which subreddits are most relevant to your brand and audience.

Engage With Your Targeted Community

It’s no secret that Redditors are skeptical of marketing efforts on the platform. To avoid having your campaign ignored, it’s essential to engage with your targeted community well in advance of sending any targeted Reddit ads to that particular group.

By building trust and goodwill within your micro-community, you can increase the likelihood of driving product sales. This involves taking the time to interact with users in a meaningful way, demonstrating your expertise, and being genuinely helpful to your audience.

Find a Niche Topic Relevant to Your Brand

To effectively promote your brand on Reddit, you need to identify a specific niche topic that relates to your product or service. This means finding a topic that not only aligns with your brand but also generates active discussions among followers of that topic.

By focusing on these subsets, you can increase your chances of connecting with users who are more likely to be interested in your Reddit ad, ultimately driving sales among these individuals.

Provide Immediate Value

To gain the trust and attention of Reddit users, it’s important to offer immediate value in your ads. This means clearly identifying the benefits your ad provides to your targeted community, demonstrating why your product or brand belongs in that specific community.

By communicating the value of your ad in a concise and compelling manner, you signal to viewers that you respect their time and understand their needs. This approach helps establish your expertise, build trust, and demonstrate your commitment to solving the pain points of your audience.

By addressing these pain points and providing immediate value, you can create a strong connection with your community and increase your chances of driving sales. Ultimately, this approach can have a significant impact on your bottom line, generating increased revenue and growth for your brand.

Enable Comments and Engage With Your Audience

On Reddit, the community is everything. To succeed with your Reddit ads, it’s crucial to engage with your targeted community in an authentic and transparent way. This means allowing comments on your ads and responding to your audience’s feedback and questions.

By engaging in genuine conversations with your audience, you can establish trust, promote transparency, and avoid being perceived as just another marketer out to make a quick buck. This approach can help increase the effectiveness of your ads and drive sales among your target audience.

Examples of Great Reddit Ads Campaigns

Old Spice Campaign

Old Spice’s successful campaign demonstrated the power of using humor to engage with a specific community. This highlights the importance of understanding your target audience when marketing.

Huel Campaign

Huel effectively marketed its brand to healthy Reddit users by using clever ad copy that spoke directly to their interests. By targeting this niche audience and using relevant imagery, the product was able to engage and capture the attention of its desired audience.

Reddit Ads FAQ

Conclusion

Reddit ads can be an excellent platform to increase your sales, but it’s important to approach it strategically. As we’ve discussed, understanding your Reddit community is essential. Simply creating ads and targeting members without understanding the nuances of the community is likely to fail.

To succeed, immerse yourself in the community and get to know the language, behaviors, and conversations of its members. Engage with users to show that you’re genuine and committed to the community’s values.

Once you’ve built that foundation of trust and authenticity, you can begin your Reddit marketing strategy. With a solid understanding of the community and a shared respect, you have a greater chance of being successful and seeing increased sales through Reddit advertising.