As Reddit continues to rise in popularity, especially among Gen Z and highly engaged communities, it has also become a prime marketing channel for brands to connect with customers in meaningful ways.
In this blog, we cover what Reddit is, how it works, its audience, how brands can leverage Reddit as part of their marketing strategy, advertising on Reddit and future predictions.
Introduction to Reddit
Reddit, often referred to as "The Front Page of the Internet," has grown exponentially in terms of user base and user engagement. It’s a platform where users, known as Redditors, congregate in communities to share ideas, ask questions and discuss interests ranging from niche hobbies to global news events.
What is Reddit? An Overview of the Platform's Structure
Reddit is a forum-based social media platform designed for users to post content, such as links, images, text posts or videos, about a wide range of topics. The platform’s most distinctive feature is its organisation into subreddits, which are specialised communities dedicated to specific themes, topics or interests. Each subreddit is moderated by users (known as moderators or mods) who enforce rules and ensure the content stays relevant to its niche.
- User Engagement: Reddit’s success hinges on user-driven engagement, using upvotes and downvotes to rank content. Content that receives positive feedback, in the form of upvotes, rises in visibility. This system means that the most engaging content naturally finds its way to the platform’s front page.
- Moderation: Subreddit moderators curate their community’s content, ensuring a focus on quality discussions, which helps maintain the platform’s reputation for authentic conversations.
- Why This Matters for Brands: The unique structure of Reddit allows brands to engage with users in a highly targeted and authentic environment. The platform's highly engaged users often spend more time on the site than on other platforms like Facebook, giving marketers opportunities to foster meaningful connections.
Why Reddit’s Popularity is Soaring
Reddit's rise is driven by several key factors:
Migration from Facebook and X (formerly Twitter): With privacy concerns and increasing ad saturation on platforms like Facebook, many users are moving to alternative spaces like Reddit. This shift presents a unique opportunity for brands to connect with more discerning, privacy-conscious users.
Google's Strategic Partnership with Reddit: Google’s partnership with Reddit, including a significant $60 million deal, has positioned Reddit as a major player in search results. With Reddit threads now appearing in Google search results, particularly for queries like "best car insurance UK," it has never been more important for brands to invest in Reddit marketing. As we discussed in our Paid Media Trends 2025 blog, this data-sharing deal further solidifies Reddit’s growing visibility in Google's ecosystem, making it a crucial platform for modern marketing strategies.
Appeal to Gen Z: With a focus on anonymity and privacy, Reddit attracts younger audiences, including Gen Z, who are increasingly moving away from platforms where personal data is extensively tracked. This demographic’s desire for privacy makes Reddit an ideal platform for brands aiming to build authentic relationships with users.
Increased Visibility Across Other Platforms: As influencers and creators from platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok repurpose content from Reddit, the platform is experiencing increased cross-platform visibility, expanding its user base and reach.
What Reddit Offers Brands: Low-Cost, High Engagement, and Consumer Insights
Reddit offers several unique advantages for marketers:
- Cost-Effective Advertising: With cost-per-click (CPC) rates typically lower than platforms like Facebook and Google, Reddit provides a more affordable option for brands, especially those with modest budgets.
- High Engagement Rates: Reddit’s average session length is over 14 minutes, which, while lower than TikTok, shows that users are engaged with content in a more educational or discussion-based format.
- Targeting Capabilities: Reddit allows brands to target users based on keywords, interests, and specific communities (subreddits). This precision enables highly relevant ads that align with a brand’s audience, enhancing campaign effectiveness.
- Authentic Engagement: Unlike many other platforms, Reddit's less-saturated advertising environment allows brands to engage more organically. With numerous subreddits still ad-free, there are opportunities to connect with users directly in highly engaged, niche communities.
- Consumer Insights: Reddit is a treasure trove of unfiltered insights, where users openly discuss preferences, pain points, and trends. Brands can leverage this to better understand their audience, build trust, and position themselves as thought leaders in their industry.
Advertising on Reddit: Formats, Targeting, and Campaign Strategy
Reddit’s advertising platform has many ad format types, making it an attractive paid social channel for marketers.
Reddit Ad Formats:
- Text Ads: Simple, effective ads that blend seamlessly into Reddit’s natural content flow.
- Video Ads: Engaging ads that allow for more storytelling and creativity.
- Carousel Ads: Multiple images or videos within a single ad, perfect for showcasing products or services.
- Conversation Ads: Reddit’s unique take on interactive ads, enabling users to engage in a direct conversation with the brand.
Targeting Capabilities:
- Keyword Targeting: Reach users searching for specific terms or topics.
- Interest Targeting: Engage users based on their behaviours or interests within specific subreddits.
- Community Targeting: Target specific subreddits to hone in on users with highly relevant interests e.g. r/Mortgageadviceuk, r/personalfinance, r/legaladvice, r/homeowners, r/UK_food, r/Beauty etc.
- Location and Demographics: Tailor campaigns based on geographical location, user activity and more.
- Custom Audiences: You can also build custom audiences such as custom lists, website retargeting, lookalikes and engagement retargeting.
Brand Safety:
Brands can control where their ads appear by excluding specific subreddits or keywords to avoid association with potentially harmful or controversial content.
Optimisation and Reporting:
Reddit provides real-time insights, allowing marketers to A/B test campaigns, optimise targeting and track performance metrics like clicks, conversions and engagement.
Opportunities for Brands on Reddit: Leverage the Power of Niche Communities
Reddit’s targeting options and cost-effective nature offer distinct opportunities for brands:
- Building Brand Loyalty: By participating in niche subreddits, brands can foster authentic connections with users, providing valuable content and becoming trusted voices in specific areas.
- High-Engagement Campaigns: With its higher-than-average time spent per session, Reddit provides brands the opportunity to create campaigns that genuinely resonate with their target audience.
- Market Research: Reddit is a goldmine for unfiltered customer feedback, allowing brands to fine-tune their products or services based on community discussions.
Reddit Marketing Predictions
Looking forward, Reddit will continue to grow and evolve. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Increased Competition: As Reddit’s popularity grows, so too will competition from other platforms like TikTok and Discord. Brands will need to work harder to create unique, engaging content.
Increased Personalisation: Reddit may refine its algorithms to offer more personalised experiences without losing its sense of community and authenticity.
AI Integration: Expect more AI-powered tools for content moderation and user recommendations, enhancing both user and brand experiences.
More Advanced Ad Options: With an eye on increasing revenue, Reddit is expected to roll out more advanced advertising options, including interactive ads and more detailed analytics, to attract marketers.
Struggling to reach the right audience with your marketing? Our specialist team can help you reach and engage your target audience through Reddit and Reddit Ads. Get in touch to find out how.
