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Reddit Ad Types in 2025: A Comprehensive Guide

Why Advertise on Reddit?

Reddit is where the internet goes to have real conversations, dive deep into their interests, and to get honest advice from other human beings. With over 97 million daily active users (according to Reddit’s Third Quarter 2024 platform metrics), it’s a goldmine of engaged audiences. Unlike other social platforms where users mindlessly scroll, Reddit’s community actively engages: they read, discuss, and take action. Reddit’s Custom Survey about purchases & social media shares “79% of people would be interested in seeing brands share information about their products on Reddit.” When you really want to amplify your Reddit results, knowing which of Reddit’s ad types is right for you is key.

Lauren, Search & Content Director
Meara
Sr Social Media Director
Lauren and Meara work on laptops side by side. Lauren looks up at the camera and smiles as Meara points to something on the screen.

What makes Reddit truly special for advertisers? Since consumers associate Reddit with honest recommendations, the Brandwatch data shows that they are 27% more likely to purchase products they see advertised on Reddit compared to other social media. Plus, Reddit’s advertising is often more affordable than other social platforms, giving brands great value when connecting with an audience that’s ready to listen and take action.

Keep reading to discover how to start your Reddit advertising account and what ad types you should use for your ad campaign.

What makes Reddit truly special for advertisers? Since consumers associate Reddit with honest recommendations, the Brandwatch data shows that they are 27% more likely to purchase products they see advertised on Reddit compared to other social media. Plus, Reddit’s advertising is often more affordable than other social platforms, giving brands great value when connecting with an audience that’s ready to listen and take action.

Keep reading to discover how to start your Reddit advertising account and what ad types you should use for your ad campaign.

The Reddit robot icon, in a little business suit.

Want to learn more about building your brand’s presence on Reddit? Check out our guide on Building Your Brand through Reddit Organic Marketing for complementary strategies to boost your Reddit marketing success.

Setting up Your Reddit Advertising Account

Start by visiting Reddit’s advertising platform to create your account. You’ll need to provide basic business information, including your company name, contact details, and payment method. For self-serve campaigns, you can start creating ads as soon as your payment method is verified. If you’re interested in managed campaigns with premium ad placements, youÆll need to contact a Reddit sales representative to set up your account.

Two presentation whiteboards with different numbers of people drawn on them.

Types of Reddit Ad Campaigns: Self-serve vs. Managed

Self-serve Campaigns

Built for precision and scalability, self-serve campaigns provide direct access to Reddit’s core advertising toolkit. Through this platform, advertisers can leverage Reddit’s complete suite of standard formats—from text and image to video and carousel ads—while taking advantage of the platform’s advanced targeting capabilities to reach highly specific communities and interests. This solution offers full campaign control and budget management, enabling real-time optimization and performance tracking. Though particularly well-suited for growth-stage companies and mid-sized businesses, self-serve campaigns accommodate any budget scale, allowing advertisers to test, learn, and expand their Reddit presence based on measurable results.

Managed Campaigns

Designed for larger brands and bigger budgets, managed campaigns unlock Reddit’s premium advertising features and placements. With managed campaigns, you gain access to high-impact offerings like Reddit Takeovers, Front Page Takeovers, and Category Takeovers, which can guarantee your brand maximum visibility for 24-hour periods. These campaigns come with dedicated support from Reddit’s account management and KarmaLab teams, who help optimize your campaign strategy and creative execution. While requiring higher minimum spends, managed campaigns provide the ultimate way to make a splash across Reddit’s most visited pages and targeted communities.

Reddit Ad Types

Below, we’ll give you the lowdown on every type of Reddit ad you can purchase. Each section begins with a clear description of the ad format, followed by our expert insights on which ad types will best serve your marketing objectives. We then dive into best practices, ensuring you can maximize engagement and get the most bang for your ad-spend buck. Last but not least, we did the hard work for you; we included detailed technical specifications on the dimensions, file sizes, character limits, and supported formats each ad type requires, giving you all the info you need to ensure your ads meet Reddit’s standards.


Jump to Section

A list of different types of Reddit ads.

Free-form Ads

What They Are

Free-form ads are Reddit’s most versatile and unique ad format that allow advertisers to combine multiple types of content in a single ad. Unlike traditional ad formats with rigid structures, free-form ads let you mix text, images, videos, and GIFs to create rich, engaging posts that feel organic to the platform. The format provides a blank canvas for storytelling while maintaining the authentic Reddit experience.

When to Use Them

Use Free-form ads when you want to:

  • Tell complex stories that require multiple media types
  • Create detailed product guides or tutorials
  • Share in-depth brand narratives or announcements
  • Drive upper-funnel brand awareness and education
  • Foster deeper community engagement
  • Establish thought leadership on specific topics
  • Create holiday shopping guides or product collections

Technical Specifications

Text Requirements

  • Headline
    • 300 characters max
    • Recommended: ≤150 characters
    • Required field
  • Body Text
    • 40,000 characters max
    • Feed preview shows only 850 characters (3-6 lines)
    • Optional field

Image Specifications

  • Maximum files: 20 images
  • File type: JPG, PNG, or GIF
  • Maximum file size: 10 MB per image
  • Recommended resolutions:
    • Square (1:1): 1200 x 1200 px
    • Landscape (4:3): 1440 x 1080 px
    • Landscape (16:9): 1920 x 1080 px

Video Specifications

  • Maximum files: 5 videos
  • File type: MP4 or MOV (ProRes not supported)
  • Maximum file size: 1 GB
  • Recommended: 50-100 MB
  • Maximum frame rate: 30 FPS
  • Recommended resolution: 1920 x 1080 px (16:9)

Thumbnail Requirements

  • Not automatically generated
  • File type: JPG, PNG, or GIF
  • Maximum file size: 500 KB
  • Recommended resolution: 400 x 300 px
  • Minimum width: 220 px
  • Required for media visibility in feeds

Additional Notes

  • Free-form ads without a thumbnail won’t display media in feeds
  • Content should be organized with clear headings and breaks
  • Consider including a TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read) section
  • Templates are available in Ads Manager for quick starts

Image Ads

What They Are

Image ads are what you’d expect from the name: they’re images that you can pay to promote on Reddit. These static graphics, accompanied by text, appear natively in Reddit feeds as well as on conversation pages. They’re designed to blend as seamlessly as possible with the platform’s organic content, and brands who adapt their language to feel more like “Reddit-speak” find great success with these kinds of Reddit ads. When someone clicks on an image ad, the users will go to your specified landing page. Image ads can fit into a variety of formats and aspect ratios to accompany Reddit’s many media sizes for their images.

When to Use Them

Use Image ads when you want to:

  • Showcase products or services visually
  • Create eye-catching brand awareness campaigns
  • Share infographics or detailed visual information
  • Drive traffic to your website
  • Present content that doesn’t require or benefit from motion or animation
  • Target specific communities with relevant visual content

Technical Specifications

Text Requirements

  • Headline
    • 300 characters max
    • Recommended: ≤150 characters
    • Required field
  • Destination URL
    • 268 characters max
    • Required field
  • Display URL
    • 100 characters max
    • Must match destination URL domain
    • Optional field
  • Call to action
    • Choose from predefined options
    • Optional field

Image Specifications

  • File type: JPG, PNG, or GIF
  • Maximum file size: 3 MB
  • Recommended resolutions:
    • Square 1:1 (1200 x 1200 px)
    • Portrait 4:5 (1080 x 1350 px)
    • Landscape 4:3 (1440 x 1080 px)
    • Landscape 16:9 (1920 x 1080 px)

Thumbnail Requirements

  • Shown in conversation placement and compact view
  • File type: JPG, PNG, or GIF
  • Maximum file size: 500 KB
  • Resolution: 400 x 300 px
  • Aspect ratio: 4:3
  • Minimum width: 220 px
  • Can be auto-generated from main image or custom uploaded

Additional Notes:

  • Images must be static—no animated GIFs
  • Images appear in both card and compact view modes
  • Supports A/B testing of different images and headlines

Video Ads

What They Are

Video ads are a dynamic ad format that combines video content with text. Videos autoplay in users’ feeds and conversation pages, designed to capture users’ attention without coming across like an ad. Videos can run from a few seconds to 15 minutes, with the platform offering real ROI for both short-form and long-form content. When clicked, these ads can either expand for playback or direct users to your landing page, depending on your specifications.

When to Use Them

Use video ads when you want to:

  • Maximize brand impact with engaging motion-based content
  • Tell complex stories that benefit from audiovisual elements
  • Drive higher engagement; campaigns combining videos and images have seen 10x higher lifts in memorability
  • Reach the 75% of Reddit’s global audience that accesses the platform via mobile
  • Take advantage of longer-form content: ads over one minute have shown 17% higher click-through rates
  • Demonstrate products or services in action with immersive storytelling

Technical Specifications

Text Requirements

  • Headline
    • 300 characters max
    • Recommended: ≤150 characters
    • Required field
  • Destination URL
    • 268 characters max
    • Optional field
  • Display URL
    • 100 characters max
    • Must match destination URL domain
    • Optional field
  • Call to action
    • Choose from predefined options
    • Optional field

Video Specifications

  • File type: MP4 or MOV (ProRes not supported)
  • Maximum file size: 1GB
  • Recommended: 50-100MB
  • Maximum frame rate: 30 FPS
  • Length: 2 seconds to 15 minutes
  • Recommended length: 5-30 seconds
  • Recommended resolutions:
    • Square 1:1
    • Portrait 4:5
    • Landscape 4:3
    • Landscape 16:9
  • Recommended dimensions:
    • 1440 x 1080 px (4:3)
    • 1920 x 1080 px (16:9)

Thumbnail Requirements

  • Shown before video plays in conversation placement and compact view
  • File type: JPG, PNG, or GIF
  • Maximum file size: 500 KB
  • Resolution: 400 x 300 px
  • Aspect ratio: 4:3
  • Minimum width: 220 px
  • Can be auto-generated from video or custom uploaded

Best Practices

  • Optimize your video for mobile viewing, given Reddit’s predominantly mobile audience
  • Avoid flash or strobe effects, as they are not allowed on the platform
  • Consider that videos will loop if no user action is taken
  • Leverage Reddit’s detailed metrics to track views, impressions, conversations and engagement
  • Test different video lengths–while shorter videos (5-30s) are recommended, longer content performs better for certain objectives

Conversation Ads

What They Are

Conversation ads are a unique Reddit ad format that appears within conversation threads, positioned between the original post and the comments section. They’re designed to engage users when they’re most active and leaned in, participating in discussions. These ads extend your reach beyond Reddit feeds to engage audiences where the platform really shines: in the comments section, where Redditors share authentic interactions and compelling discussions.

When to Use Them

Use Conversation ads when you want to:

  • Reach users actively engaged in relevant discussions
  • Target audiences coming from topic-specific SEO searches
  • Build deeper connections with engaged audiences
  • Complement feed ads for maximum reach (47% of redditors spend time in conversation threads)
  • Drive performance across the full marketing funnel
  • Increase brand awareness (83% higher when combined with feed ads)
  • Boost action intent (5.46% higher when running both feed and conversation ads vs. feed alone)

Technical Specifications

Text Requirements

  • Headline
    • Mobile: 100 characters max
    • Desktop: 250 characters max
    • Required field
  • Destination URL
    • 268 characters max
    • Required field
  • Display URL
    • 100 characters max
    • Must match destination URL domain
    • Optional field
  • Call to action
    • Choose from predefined options
    • Optional field

Thumbnail Requirements

  • File type: JPG, PNG, or GIF
  • Maximum file size: 500 KB
  • Resolution: 400 x 300 px
  • Aspect ratio: 4:3
  • Minimum width: 220 px
  • Required for ad visibility

Product Ads

What They Are

Product ads are a specialized ad format on Reddit that enables advertisers to create shoppable ads directly linked to their product catalog. These ads display product information dynamically, including images, prices, and descriptions to foster seamless product promotion and shopping experiences. Product ads appear natively in Reddit feeds and conversation threads, designed to reach users when they’re actively discussing or searching for related products

When to Use Them

Use Product ads when you want to:

  • Showcase specific products from your catalog directly to potential customers
  • Drive direct product sales and conversions
  • Target users who have shown interest in similar products
  • Promote multiple products simultaneously
  • Present products in relevant community discussions
  • Convert product-aware audiences into customers
  • Scale product promotion across multiple Reddit placements

Technical Specifications

Text Requirements

  • Headline
    • 300 characters max
    • Recommended: ≤150 characters
    • Required field
  • Product Description
    • Up to 40,000 characters
    • Displays description pulled from product catalog
  • Price Information
    • Must be current and accurate
    • Automatically updated from catalog
  • Call to Action
    • Choose from predefined options
    • Optional field

Product Catalog Requirements

  • Minimum catalog size: Hundreds of SKUs recommended
  • Required product metadata:
    • Product ID
    • Title
    • Description
    • Price
    • Image URL
    • Landing page URL
    • Availability status

Image Specifications

  • File type: JPG, PNG
  • Maximum file size: 20 MB
  • Recommended resolutions:
    • Square 1:1 (1200 x 1200 px)
    • Landscape 4:3 (1440 x 1080 px)
    • Landscape 16:9 (1920 x 1080 px)

Thumbnail Requirements

  • Shown in conversation placement and compact view
  • File type: JPG, PNG
  • Maximum file size: 500 KB
  • Resolution: 400 x 300 px (min width 220 px)
  • Aspect ratio: 4:3
  • Auto-generated from product image

Additional Notes

  • Products must be in stock and available for purchase
  • Pricing must be current and accurate
  • Support for both feed and conversation placements
  • Product information updates automatically from catalog
  • A/B testing available for different product presentations

AMA (Ask Me Anything) Ads

What They Are

AMA ads are a unique Reddit advertising format that enables real-time Q&A sessions between brands/hosts and the Reddit community. They combine the authenticity of Reddit’s signature AMA format with paid promotion to ensure maximum visibility and engagement. AMAs can be hosted either on your brand profile (Profile AMA) or within specific communities (Community AMA).

The format has deep roots in Reddit’s history, originating in r/AskReddit where users with unique experiences and backgrounds created posts to share their stories with curious community members. Yes, we’re old enough to remember when Victoria used to run them on the platform. Today, AMAs stand as one of Reddit’s most distinctive offerings, providing one of the few digital spaces where fans can connect directly with experts, talent, or interesting people with unique perspectives.

When to Use Them

Use AMA ads when you want to:

  • Build authentic connections with your target audience
  • Humanize your brand through direct community interaction
  • Launch new products with expert explanations
  • Share detailed knowledge or expertise
  • Generate buzz around announcements or releases
  • Gather valuable community feedback and insights
  • Drive brand awareness and advocacy

Post Requirements

Headline

  • 300 characters max
  • Must be written in first person from host’s POV
  • Cannot be edited after posting
  • Required field

Body Text

  • 40,000 characters max
  • Should include background information about the host
  • Can include links to social media and relevant content
  • Required field

Platform Requirements

Profile AMAs

  • Requires Reddit Pro account
  • Full moderation control
  • Flexible duration
  • Best for specific announcements/brand-focused discussion

Community AMAs

  • No Pro account required
  • Moderation handled by community moderators
  • Minimum 1-hour commitment
  • Best for broader topic discussion

Reddit Takeover Ads

What They Are

Reddit Takeover Ads are premium advertising packages that give brands exclusive 24-hour visibility across Reddit’s most prominent placements. These high-impact ads secure prime real estate across Home, Popular, and Search pages, ensuring maximum exposure and engagement. Takeovers combine multiple ad formats into a cohesive premium package that dominates Reddit’s most visited spaces.

When to Use Them

Use Reddit Takeover ads when you want to:

  • Launch major products or campaigns with maximum visibility
  • Create significant brand awareness in a short timeframe
  • Align your brand with trending conversations
  • Dominate share of voice during key moments
  • Enhance early-stage customer engagement
  • Support full-funnel campaign strategies with a burst of awareness

Technical Specifications

Package Components

  • First in-feed ad placement
  • Top banner (Above the Fold)
  • Sticky banner (Below the Fold)
  • Trending tile on Popular and Search pages
  • Trending page promotion
  • Optional: Vertical video add-on

Banner Specifications

Top Banner

  • File type: JPG or PNG
  • Maximum file size: 150 KB
  • Resolution: 300 x 600 px or 300 x 250 px

Sticky Banner

  • File type: JPG or PNG
  • Maximum file size: 150 KB
  • Resolution: 300 x 250 p

Trending Tile Specification

Image dimensions

  • Mobile: 657 x 288 px
  • Desktop: 600 x 450 px
  • Thumbnail: Aspect ratio 4:3, minimum size 400 x 300 px
  • Maximum headline: 15 characters
  • Maximum subhead: 50 characters

Additional Notes

  • Each takeover is exclusive to one brand for the full 24-hour duration
  • Available only through managed advertising partnerships
  • Can be combined with other Reddit advertising products
  • Requires collaboration with Reddit sales team

Category Takeover Ads

What They Are

Category Takeover ads are a premium advertising solution that gives brands 24-hour exclusive ownership of ad placements within specific content categories on Reddit. This format allows advertisers to dominate the ad space in their chosen category, ensuring maximum visibility among users interested in specific topics or communities.

A Category Takeover includes:

  • First promoted post position in the category feed
  • Conversation placement ads
  • Top banner placement
  • Sticky banner placement
  • 100% Share of Voice (SOV) within the selected category

When to Use Them

Use Category Takeover ads when you want to:

  • Target specific interest categories aligned with your brand
  • Launch products or campaigns to highly relevant audiences
  • Maximize visibility within specific verticals
  • Drive focused brand awareness in particular topic areas
  • Own the conversation in your industry category
  • Reach users actively engaging with related content

Promoted Post Specifications

Headline

  • 300 characters maximum
  • Recommended: ≤150 characters
  • Required field

Image/Video Requirements

  • Resolution: 1200 x 628 px
  • Maximum file size: 3 MB for images
  • File formats: JPG, PNG, MP4, MOV
  • Video frame rate: 30 FPS maximum

Thumbnail

  • Resolution: 400 x 300 px minimum
  • Maximum file size: 500 KB
  • Required for promoted posts

Banner Ad Requirements

Top Banner

  • Resolution: 300 x 250 px or 300 x 600 px
  • File format: JPG or PNG
  • Maximum file size: 150 KB

Sticky Banner

  • Resolution: 300 x 250 px
  • File format: JPG or PNG
  • Maximum file size: 150 KB

Additional Specifications

  • Duration: 24-hour placement
  • Available Categories: 15 verticals to choose from
  • Placement Types:
    • Feed placement
    • Conversation placement
    • Banner placement
  • Device Compatibility:
    • Desktop
    • Mobile web
    • Mobile app
  • Targeting Options:
    • Category-specific audience targeting
    • Geographic targeting available
    • Device targeting supported

Additional Notes

  • Category Takeovers are reserved for managed advertisers
  • Requires collaboration with Reddit sales team
  • Premium pricing model based on CPM
  • Available through managed service only
  • Cannot be purchased through self-serve platform
  • Custom reporting available for campaign performance

Reddit First View Ads

What They Are

First View ads are a premium advertising format on Reddit that guarantees your ad will be the first in-feed advertisement users see when visiting Reddit’s Home and Popular pages. This exclusive placement provides maximum visibility by securing the initial ad impression for your brand. First View ads support various content formats including images, videos, and carousel ads while maintaining the first-position placement guarantee.

When to Use Them

Use First View ads when you want to:

  • Launch major brand campaigns or announcements
  • Maximize brand awareness and recall
  • Reach users when they are most engaged and receptive
  • Ensure your message stands out from other advertisers
  • Target high-impact moments like product launches or events
  • Achieve broad reach with frequency control

Technical Specifications

Text Requirements

  • Headline
    • 150 characters max (recommended: ≤36 characters)
    • Required field
  • Destination URL
    • 268 characters max
    • Optional field
  • Call to action
    • Choose from predefined options
    • Optional field

Content Specifications

  • Supports multiple ad formats:
    • Image ads: JPG/PNG, 3MB max
    • Video ads: MP4/MOV, 1GB max, 30FPS max
    • Carousel ads: 2-6 images
  • Recommended resolutions follow standard ad format specifications
  • Thumbnail requirements match standard ad specifications

Additional Notes

  • Reddit First View Ads are reserved for managed advertisers
  • Requires collaboration with Reddit sales team
  • Premium pricing model based on CPM
  • Available through managed service only
  • Cannot be purchased through self-serve platform
  • Custom reporting available for campaign performance

In an increasingly crowded digital landscape, Reddit offers advertisers a unique opportunity to connect with engaged, interest-driven communities through various ad formats tailored to different marketing objectives. By understanding Reddit’s distinct user culture and leveraging the right ad format for your campaign goals, you can tap into a platform where users are actively seeking out content rather than passively scrolling by it. As Reddit continues to grow its user base and refine its advertising solutions, savvy marketers who master this platform will enjoy a competitive advantage in reaching engaged audiences that are increasingly difficult to connect with elsewhere.

Meara
Sr Social Media Director
Meara sits at her laptop in the office and smiles at the camera.

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