Why Smart Brands Are Suddenly Spending on Reddit

Reddit is quietly becoming performance marketing’s best-kept secret and smart brands know it.
Cassidy Abadi
October 31, 2025
•
5 minutes

How Reddit Quietly Became the Hottest Platform for Paid Ads

While every brand chases TikTok trends and fights Meta’s algorithms, another platform has been quietly taking over the digital conversation: Reddit.

Once known for memes, niche threads, and internet debates, Reddit is now one of the most promising emerging platforms in performance marketing. With 1.2 billion monthly users and more than 2 million active communities, it’s no longer just a forum; it’s a goldmine for brands seeking real engagement, not just impressions.

Why Reddit’s Moment Has Arrived

Reddit’s rise has been slow, steady, and powerful. Unlike other platforms that peak and fade, its community-first model has helped it become one of the top three most visited sites in the UK, sitting just behind Google and Facebook¹.

After nearly two decades online, Reddit has finally hit its stride, reporting its first ever profit as a public company². But what’s really fuelling its rise isn’t just revenue, it’s relevance.

As privacy changes reshape digital marketing and third-party cookies phase out, advertisers are shifting towards contextual targeting, reaching people through shared interests rather than personal data. And that’s exactly where Reddit excels³.

Its unique structured communities, built around passions, hobbies, and conversations, give brands a way to reach highly engaged audiences based on what they genuinely care about.

What Makes Reddit Ads Different

Reddit’s power lies in its people. Each subreddit is a ready-made micro-community of users who live and breathe specific topics, from crypto to skincare to coffee brewing.

Instead of chasing generic demographics, advertisers can join live conversations with audiences already talking about their niche.

Here’s why marketers are paying attention:

  • Community-first targeting: Advertise within subreddits where your ideal customers are active.
  • Engagement over impressions: Redditors spend more time per visit than Facebook users, leading to deeper exposure and higher-quality interactions⁴.
  • Low CPCs: The average cost per click is around $0.80, giving strong reach at affordable prices⁵.
  • Authentic tone: Ads that sound human and conversational consistently outperform polished, corporate-style content⁶.

It’s not about shouting louder; it’s about showing up in the right place, in the right way, with authenticity.

How Brands Are Winning on Reddit

  1. Target the right communities
    Successful brands are identifying niche Reddit communities that mirror their audiences.
    A fintech app might engage with users in personal finance forums, while a skincare brand could thrive in beauty and skincare discussions where consumers actively seek advice. Relevance drives higher engagement and trust⁴.
  2. Speak the language
    According to Hex Digital (2024), Reddit campaigns written in a conversational, authentic tone saw stronger click-through rates than ads repurposed from Meta or Google⁵.
    Humour, transparency, and directness outperform polished, overly branded messaging. Redditors value honesty above aesthetics.
  3. Build credibility through interaction
    Brands are using Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions or responding directly in comment threads to humanise their image. This open dialogue helps establish expertise and builds loyalty faster than traditional social ads⁶.
  4. Test, track, and learn
    Reddit’s Ad Manager mirrors Meta’s setup, making campaign creation straightforward. Marketers can track results through the Reddit Pixel, add UTM parameters, and integrate GA4 reporting for full transparency⁷.
    Testing different ad formats such as link ads, videos, and carousels allows brands to find what resonates within each subreddit community.
    Brands that treat Reddit as a space to contribute rather than just advertise see stronger long-term results.

What This Means for Brands

Reddit isn’t a replacement for Meta or Google; it’s an untapped layer in the paid media mix.

For brands, the opportunity is clear:

  • Use Reddit to reach audiences traditional targeting can’t.
  • Focus on community-driven value, not one-way selling.
  • Stay human. The platform rewards honesty and authenticity.

What to avoid: Copy-pasting your usual ad formats. Redditors are quick to reject anything that feels out of touch or overly promotional.

Reddit is built for brands willing to listen, learn, and speak like real people.

Bravada’s Take

At Bravada, we help brands turn Reddit’s communities into performance powerhouses.

Our data-led, creative-first approach blends audience insight with authentic storytelling, helping your message reach the right people, in the right conversations, at the right time.

Want to explore Reddit for your next paid campaign?
Email hello@bravada-uk.com and let’s make your brand part of the conversation.

Sources

  1. Hex Digital (2024) – Is Advertising on Reddit Worth It?
  2. Medium (2024) – The Rise of Reddit.
  3. Hex Digital (2024) – Reddit Ads and the Post-Cookie World.
  4. Hex Digital (2024) – User Engagement Stats.
  5. Marketing Nerd (2024) – Reddit Ads Review.
  6. Hex Digital (2024) – Ad Creative Testing on Reddit.
  7. Marketing Nerd (2024) – Setting Up Reddit Ads.

‍