Short answer
Reddit has started testing ads in its own search results pages with a selected group of advertisers. Ads are chosen partly by contextual relevance to the search query, on a surface the company describes as high in purchase intent. Markets, formats and pricing were not disclosed, so brands should first ask their account representative whether they are in the test.
Highlights
- Reddit is running the search ads test only with selected advertisers.
- The company says ads can be chosen by contextual relevance to the query; in its example, an "espresso station" search brings coffee bean and machine ads.
- Markets, ad formats, the pricing model and the length of the test were not disclosed.
2 min readAuthor: UNIT Journal EditorEditor-in-chief: Uğur Deniz İlhan
As Search Engine Journal reports, Reddit is testing ads in its own search results pages with selected advertisers. The company announced the test in a short newsroom post and said it will watch how users respond so it can refine the experience over time.
How are Reddit search ads chosen?
According to Reddit's post, the placements draw on the existing ad targeting in search results pages, and ads can appear based on several factors, including contextual relevance to the query. In the examples, a "home office setup" search can lead to ads for desks, office chairs and monitors, while "espresso station" can lead to ads for coffee beans, mugs and espresso machines. The example screens show ads as cards labelled "Ad" with a product image and a "Shop Now" button, sometimes placed between two posts.
What has Reddit not said?
The post does not say how advertisers were chosen, whether others can ask to join, which markets the test runs in, or which ad formats and pricing model it covers. The examples show only the mobile app, so it is unclear whether other surfaces are included. There is no end date and no timeline for adding advertisers.
The report adds that on an investor call in April, Reddit management said the company did not yet have ads in fast-growing surfaces such as search, and that weekly active uniques who search were up 30% year over year.
What should brands in Turkey do?
The test is limited to selected accounts for now, but preparing costs little for brands that target people searching on Reddit. Teams that tie budgets to measurable results through performance marketing can take these steps:
- Ask your Reddit account representative whether you are in the test and how search impressions will be separated in reporting.
- Check by hand which queries appear in Reddit searches for your product category, and keep your product catalogue data ready for card fields such as image and price.
- Tag Reddit traffic with separate UTM parameters and record today's baseline so you can compare old and new sources once search placements open up.
- Set aside a small test share without moving the main budget, and measure the result by sales or lead-form completions rather than clicks.
Frequently asked
- Can any advertiser join Reddit search ads?
- Not for now. Reddit is running the test only with selected advertisers and has not said how others can join. You can ask your Reddit representative whether your account is in the test.
Sources
- Search Engine Journal ·
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