How to Run Effective Reddit Ads (and Actually Get Conversions)

An in depth Reddit Ad Guide for small business owners

If you're running digital ads and not using Reddit, you're missing out on one of the most niche-targeted and engaged communities on the internet.

Reddit isn’t like other platforms. It’s a space where users choose the content they engage with. That makes Reddit ads powerful — but only if you set them up the right way.

At Team Kimes Design, we help small businesses grow through smart, story-driven design, digital campaigns, and AI-powered marketing strategies. And Reddit ads? They’re one of our secret weapons.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to set up Reddit ads from scratch — including strategy, targeting, tracking, and pro tips for getting real results.

✅ Step 1: Install Reddit Ad Events (Conversion Tracking)

Before running any ads, you need to tell Reddit what actions matter. Use the Reddit Pixel to track key behaviors on your website like:

• View Content

• Add to Cart

• Purchase

You can install the pixel directly in your website code — or better yet, use Google Tag Manager (GTM) for cleaner management (our preferred method).

Pro Tip: Make sure your events are firing correctly before launching your first campaign.

🎯 Step 2: Choose a Target Audience (Subreddits FTW)

Reddit allows you to target by:

• Subreddits (best for niche precision)

• Interests

• Keywords

• Geography

We highly recommend subreddit targeting — it’s like tapping into ultra-specific communities of people already passionate about your topic.

Need help? Team Kimes Design offers audience research support to help you find the best-performing subreddits for your business.

🎨 Step 3: Design Mobile-Friendly Creatives

Most Reddit users browse on their phones, so always design in 4:3 aspect ratio to maximize screen real estate.

Whether you’re using an image, GIF, or video:

• Keep it clean and clear

• Use bold visuals

• Make your brand instantly recognizable

Need pro-level graphics? Our design team at Team Kimes Design can create custom Reddit ad creatives that stop the scroll.

💰 Step 4: Budget Strategy (Awareness + Remarketing)

Divide your budget like this:

• 70–80% → Awareness campaigns

• 20–30% → Remarketing ads

This two-tier approach helps you build interest first, then convert users later through strategic follow-up ads.

🧱 Step 5: Build a Smart Account Structure

Here’s a proven Reddit ad account structure we recommend:

One Campaign, Multiple Ad Groups:

1. Cold audience – Never visited your site

2. Seen your ad, not clicked

3. Visited your site, didn’t purchase

4. Added to cart, didn’t purchase (optional)

Each ad group should have 3–4 ad variations with different visuals or copy.
Minimum budget per ad group: $5/day

Pro Tip: Use “Add to Cart” or “View Content” as your conversion goals, not just “Purchase,” for better early results.

🔍 Step 6: Always Use UTM Tags

If you don’t use UTM tags, Reddit traffic will appear as “Direct” in Google Analytics — making it nearly impossible to track campaign ROI.

Use this free UTM builder tool:

• Campaign Source: reddit

• Campaign Medium: cpc

Paste the full URL (with UTM tag) into each Reddit ad.
Team Kimes Design helps all ad clients set this up right — it’s that important.

👥 Step 7: Create Custom Audiences (Retarget Like a Pro)

After your campaign starts running, go to:

Audience Manager → New Audience → Custom Audience → Reddit Engagement Audience

Here you can build:

• Audiences who’ve seen your ad

• Website visitors (via pixel)

• Users who added to cart or purchased

Lookback windows up to 90 days give you more targeting flexibility.

📅 Step 8: Attribution Settings

Reddit attributes conversions to the day someone saw your ad, not the day they actually purchased.

Example: They saw your ad on May 1, purchased on May 15 — Reddit counts it as a May 1 conversion.

So if you don’t see immediate results, wait 10–14 days before making changes. It takes time to reflect results.

Go to Events Manager → Attribution Settings → Edit → Set to 28-day click-through + 28-day view-through for full data visibility.

📢 Step 9: Optimize Your Reddit Profile

Even if you’re not posting, people will check out your business Reddit account. Make it credible:

• Add a profile photo

• Banner image

• Short bio

• Link to your site

Think of it as your Reddit storefront — and it builds trust.

🧠 Extra Notes from Team Kimes Design

• Reddit users are smart and skeptical. Make sure your ads are helpful, authentic, and targeted.

• Testing is everything — your first round of ads is data collection. Use that data to scale what works.

• Want to skip the steep learning curve? Let Team Kimes Design help you with ad setup, pixel tracking, creative development, and full-funnel optimization.

🚀 Want to Try Reddit Ads but Don’t Know Where to Start?

At Team Kimes Design in Menifee, CA, we combine design expertise, data-driven strategy, and real-world marketing experience to help small businesses grow smarter.

We offer:

• Full Reddit Ad Setup + Targeting

• Custom Ad Creatives

• Conversion Pixel & GTM Configuration

• UTM Tagging and Analytics Integration

• Ongoing Campaign Optimization

Let us build your Reddit ad machine — so you can focus on what you do best.

📞 Call (951) 349-4950 or
🌐 Visit www.team-kimes.com

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✅ Reddit Ads Setup Checklist

Powered by Team Kimes Design – Menifee, CA

🔧 Technical Setup

• Install Reddit Pixel on your site (via code or Google Tag Manager)

• Track core events: View Content, Add to Cart, Purchase

• Test all event triggers before running campaigns

🎯 Audience Targeting

• Choose targeting method:

  • Subreddits (most effective for niche audiences)

  • Interests

  • Keywords

  • Geo-targeting

• Research subreddit fit for your audience

🎨 Ad Creative

• Use 4:3 aspect ratio for mobile optimization

• Create bold, high-contrast visuals or short videos

• Keep branding consistent and minimal

💰 Budgeting & Campaign Structure

• Allocate 70–80% to awareness ads

• Allocate 20–30% to remarketing ads

• Use this structure:

  • Campaign: Main offer or brand focus

  • Ad Groups:

    • Cold users (never visited)

    • Viewed ad but not clicked

    • Visited site, didn’t purchase

    • (Optional) Added to cart, didn’t purchase

  • Include 3–4 ads per ad group

• Minimum $5/day per ad group

📈 Tracking & UTM Tags

• Use UTM tags in every ad

  • Source = reddit

  • Medium = cpc

• Build using: https://ga-dev-tools.google/campaign-url-builder/

• Verify traffic in Analytics is attributed correctly

👥 Custom Audiences

• After launching campaign, go to Audience Manager

• Create:

  • Reddit Engagement Audience

  • Website Retargeting (Add to Cart, Purchase, etc.)

• Set lookback window (preferably 90 days)

🗓️ Attribution Settings

• Go to Events Manager → Attribution Settings

• Set to:

  • 28-Day Click-Through

  • 28-Day View-Through

• Expect analytics delays — monitor for 10–14 days before judging results

🧾 Reddit Business Profile

• Upload a profile picture

• Add a branded cover photo

• Write a clear business bio

• Include link to your website

👋 Need help?

📍 Team Kimes Design | Menifee, CA
📞 (951) 349-4950
🌐 www.team-kimes.com

Ask us about Reddit ad setup, UTM tagging, pixel tracking, and creative support.
We’ll help you build a system that works.