How to advertise on reddit?

Reddit ads can be if you do them right—and a money pit if you don’t. Here’s a clear, no-fluff walkthrough so you can decide if Reddit is worth it and how to run ads without getting roasted.

1. Know what Reddit​

Reddit users:

  • Hate obvious marketing
  • Love authenticity, transparency, and value
  • Will call you out publicly if you’re spammy
Think of Reddit ads as conversation starters, not sales banners.

2. Create a Reddit Ads account​

  1. Go to Reddit Ads (ads.reddit.com)
  2. Sign in or create an account
  3. Set up billing + business info
That’s your ad dashboard.

3. Choose the right ad objective​

Reddit gives you a few main goals:

  • Traffic – drive clicks (best for beginners)
  • Conversions – sales, signups (needs Reddit Pixel)
  • Brand Awareness – reach + impressions
  • Video Views – for explainer or story ads
If you’re new: start with Traffic.

4. Pick your targeting (this is where Reddit shines)​

A. Subreddit targeting ( most powerful)​

Target specific subreddits where your audience hangs out.

Example:

  • r/ecommerce
  • r/smallbusiness
  • r/Entrepreneur
  • r/startups
You can target multiple subreddits per ad group.

B. Interest targeting​

Broader but less precise (marketing, tech, finance, etc.).

C. Location, device, OS​

Useful if you’re local or B2B.

5. Choose ad format​

Best-performing Reddit ad formats:​

  • Text Ads (look like posts → high trust)
  • Image Ads (simple, native-looking)
  • Video Ads (work well for storytelling)
Avoid overly polished “corporate” creatives.

6. Write Reddit-friendly ad copy (VERY important)​

What works:​

  • Honest tone
  • Clear value
  • Slightly casual, human language
Example (good):

We help brands fix bad online reviews (Trustpilot, Google).
Free audit no pitch unless we can help.
Click to expand...
What fails:
❌ “Guaranteed review removal!”
❌ Hard selling
❌ Buzzwords

7. Set budget & bidding​

  • Minimum: ~$5/day per ad group
  • Start small: $10–$20/day
  • Use automatic bidding at first
Let data run for 3–5 days before touching anything.

8. Landing page matters (a LOT)​

Reddit users click but bounce fast if:

  • Page looks scammy
  • Claims are exaggerated
  • No transparency
Best practices:

  • Clear headline
  • Proof (case studies, testimonials)
  • Soft CTA (free audit, consultation)

9. Monitor comments (don’t ignore them)​

Reddit ads allow comments.

  • Respond politely
  • Be transparent
  • Don’t delete criticism unless it’s abusive
Engaging well = more trust + better performance.

10. Advanced (optional but powerful)​

  • Install Reddit Pixel for retargeting
  • Run AMA-style ads (“Ask me anything”)
  • Test ads that openly acknowledge skepticism:

    “Yes, Reddit hates ads. Here’s why this one might be useful.”
    Click to expand...

When Reddit ads are a GOOD idea​

✅ B2B services
✅ Niche communities
✅ Thought leadership
✅ SaaS, marketing, tech, reputation management

When they’re NOT​

❌ Dropshipping junk
❌ Aggressive sales funnels
❌ Fake promises

If you want, I can:

  • Create sample Reddit ad copy for your reputation management service
  • Suggest specific subreddits to target
  • Help you avoid getting banned or flamed
Just tell me your goal (leads, traffic, brand, etc.).
 
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I've also had success with posting on Reddit by making sure my content blends in with the community, and I completely agree that building karma is crucial before sharing links. Has anyone tried using Reddit's native promotional options, such as sponsored posts, and if so, how do they compare to buying posts from sellers in the marketplace? Additionally, what are some effective strategies for increasing karma quickly, without coming across as spammy or insincere?
 
NicolasPeltz said:
Posting links directly, especially at the end of posts, often triggers reddit’s spam filter, new accounts should avoid links and keep them only in the profile bio, building karma is important too spend time commenting and reach at least 50-100 karma before posting, focus on giving real value with no promotion, because helpful posts naturally drive people to check your profile.
Click to expand...
I bet on the staart the bot triigers on any link, not only the one at the end
 
Reddit is definitely tough. I managed to grow a company account by taking it slow, posting genuinely useful content first, engaging in comments, and avoiding links early on. Once the account had some history and karma, adding links felt much safer. Rushing it almost always gets you flagged.
 
NexusQuirk said:
Reddit is definitely tough. I managed to grow a company account by taking it slow, posting genuinely useful content first, engaging in comments, and avoiding links early on. Once the account had some history and karma, adding links felt much safer. Rushing it almost always gets you flagged.
Click to expand...
So hve you posted or have you commented there?
 
Hey Vektor T13,

Yeah, Reddit can be a tough nut to crack, no doubt. The key is to blend in with the community. You gotta be more of a regular user first before you start dropping links. It’s like a bar, not a billboard, you feel me?

Here's what worked for me:
1. **Lurk & Learn:** Spend some time just hanging out in the subs you're targeting. Understand what flies and what gets shot down. Each sub's got its own vibe.
2. **Contribute First:** Be genuinely helpful before you think about promoting anything. Answer questions, offer insights, share non-promotional content. Build some karma.
3. **Soft Sell:** Once you’re established, introduce your stuff subtly. Like, instead of linking directly to your product, share a case study or a personal story that involves your service.
4. **Use Multiple Accounts:** Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Create several accounts and grow them simultaneously. If one gets burned, you're not back to square one.
5. **Test with Ads:** Reddit's ad platform isn't perfect, but it's getting better. Test with small budgets to see what angle works for your niche. It’s like FB Ads but less competitive.
6. **Stay Under the Radar:** Avoid being overly promotional. Redditors can smell a marketer from a mile away and downvote into oblivion.

It's a slow grind, but if you get it right, the traffic can be bankable. Good luck with it!
 
I've had similar experiences with buying posts on Reddit, and it's great to hear that some sellers can deliver quality results. Praetserge, thanks for sharing your experience and offering to PM the seller link - I'd also love to know more about the sellers you've worked with. Vektor T13, your tip about testing community-style headlines is spot on, as it really helps to blend in with the subreddit's tone. Has anyone had success with using UTM links in their Reddit posts, or is it generally better to stick with regular links? Additionally, what are some strategies for building karma quickly and safely, without triggering Reddit's spam filter?
 
to advertise on reddit, set up an account at ads.reddit.com to create campaigns with objectives like
traffic or conversions, then target specific communities (subreddits) or users by interest, keywords, and
demographics using tailored image, video, or text ads, remembering to adhere to each subreddit's
rules and offer genuine value to connect with the community.
 
Start small, add value, do not repeat the same content, do not dm with offers, do not make any offers unless it's allowed. Add value, an experience on an insight that is new and interesting and let people contact you if they need more info, do not initiate any sale messages, just create interest and wait.
 
ZombieAds said:
Use Reddit Ads to target specific subreddits or interests, write native-sounding copy, and test small budgets before scaling.
Click to expand...
Just stated above it is preferrably not to use Reddit ads (since thhe thing is diffrent) and advertise through posts/comments
 
REddit is much tricky now but its a gold mine i have worked on it and got some really good results but for sure its slow and time taking process.
 
Mango Proxy said:
Someone should make a detailed guide on how to promote a brand on Reddit. For example, the top 10 strategies.;)
Click to expand...
I reckon 10 is too much.

Based on conversation here, I come to conclusion everyone using almost the same - post something useful or funny, then post target ad.
Repeat.

Still not 100% sure though.
 
beeptech said:
Reddit is complete different platform its intent based non commercial and commercially moved target audience which can be used to get customer and create user based
Click to expand...
So may you share your case, as you said earlier?
 
Vektor T13 said:
Hello there, everyone!

IMO reddit is one of the hardest oprion to be advertised on. I don't mean fully ad posts, comparison threads etc

Simple, useful article and the links at the end would do things. But Reddit bot has high antispam/antiad (whatever it is) mechanism. It is quite stressing, though - even meaningful posts are being rejected.


So a question to you - have you been able to create your company account there? How did you grow it?
Click to expand...
I’ve also run ads on Reddit. The ads were approved and ran fairly smoothly; however, the performance didn’t meet expectations, so we temporarily paused our Reddit ad campaigns.
 
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