ad-reddit

Overview

This skill defines exactly what to produce for a Reddit ad. It is platform-spec only: the slots Reddit exposes per format, the asset specs, the CTA enum, AND — critically — the native-voice and subreddit-fit rules that decide whether the ad performs or gets reported/downvoted.

Reddit is the platform where polished ad creative DIES. The audience is hostile to obvious advertising. The ads that work look like organic Reddit posts: first-person voice, real screenshots, plain headlines, honest reasoning, founder/maker accounts, comments enabled and actively answered.

Instructions

Ad Formats Covered

Text Field Limits

Image Asset Specs

Best mobile feed performance: 1:1 (1080×1080) or 4:5 (1080×1350). Stock photos die — use real product UI, screenshots, or hand-drawn diagrams.

Video Asset Specs

Free-form Ads — Rich Body

• Up to 20 inline images/GIFs/videos
• Supports headings, bold, italic, line breaks, inline links
• Up to 40k char body; treat anything past ~1,500 as long-form
• TL;DR at top mandatory for anything >300 chars

Carousel — Spec

• 2–6 cards
• Per-card sizes: 1200×1500 (4:5), 1440×1080 (4:3), 1920×1080 (16:9), 1200×1200 (1:1)
• Headline per card ≤300 chars (≤80 recommended)
• Caption per card ≤50 chars
• Each card has its own destination URL in feed
• Conversation placement carousel: only the FIRST card's URL is used for the whole unit

CTA Button Enum

Fixed dropdown — no custom copy allowed:

• Apply Now
• Book Now
• Contact Us
• Download
• Get a Quote
• Get Showtimes
• Install Now
• Learn More
• Order Now
• Play Now
• Read More
• See Menu
• Shop Now
• Sign Up
• Subscribe
• View More
• Visit Site
• Watch More
• Watch Now
• No button (omit CTA — often the best choice for Free-form ads in storytelling format)

Pick the CTA matching the actual landing-page action. Mismatched CTA is a top reason for low Reddit CTR.

Reddit-Specific Creative Rules (Native Voice + Subreddit Fit)

These are not stylistic preferences. They decide whether the ad performs or dies.

1. Native voice beats polished ad copy. Lowercase headlines acceptable, conversational, slightly self-deprecating. Avoid superlatives ("amazing," "revolutionary," "best-in-class"), buzzwords, exclamation points.
2. First-person, believable persona. "I built this" / "we ran into this problem so we…" outperforms corporate "we are excited to announce." Use a founder/maker/employee account where possible; the verified business account is fine for product showcases but worse for storytelling.
3. Subreddit fit > single creative. Same product → different creative per subreddit cluster. A dev tool ad for r/programming uses different references, examples, and tone than the same product in r/sysadmin or r/startups. Produce one creative variant per subreddit or tight cluster as the default.
4. No clickbait, no hype. Reddit's hostile to teaser headlines. Plain, descriptive, specific. Numbers > adjectives.
5. Tell, don't sell. Long-form Free-form posts with honest reasoning ("here's what didn't work, here's what we changed") outperform short polished ads in most B2B / niche DTC verticals.
6. Engage in the comments. Top-performing ads have the brand actively replying in the thread within the first hour, from the same posting account. Comments are ON by default — leave them on unless legal blocks it. Disabling comments is a credibility killer.
7. Real artifacts over stock photos. Screenshots, terminal output, real product UI, hand-drawn diagrams, native Reddit-style memes — all outperform stock or studio photography.
8. TL;DR at top for any body >300 chars. Reddit convention; ignoring it tanks engagement.
9. Disclose when appropriate. "I work at X" or "(I'm the founder)" in the first line builds trust faster than hiding it; the "Promoted" tag already telegraphs ad status.
10. Username matters. Brand handle for product launches; persona for storytelling; NEVER a fresh zero-karma throwaway — it reads as astroturfing and gets reported.

Policy + Restricted Categories (2025–2026)

Post-IPO (March 2024) Reddit tightened enforcement.

Prohibited entirely: illegal drugs, weapons, ammunition, exploitative content, fraud / get-rich-quick, deceptive claims, deepfakes / manipulated media of real people, hate speech, political ads targeting elections (most regions; case-by-case allowlist).

Restricted (allowed with gating, certification, or geo-limits):

• Gambling & sports betting — license verification, geo-restricted
• Alcohol — geo + age-gated; no under-21 (US) / local age elsewhere
• Cannabis / CBD — extremely limited; CBD-only in some US states with certification; THC generally blocked
• Cryptocurrency & financial products — regulatory disclosures required, no unregistered securities, no "guaranteed returns"
• Healthcare / pharma / supplements — Rx restricted; OTC needs claims substantiation; no before/after weight-loss imagery
• Dating — mainstream only; no hookup/adult
• Adult content — PROHIBITED in ads regardless of NSFW community context
• Political / issue ads — managed via Reddit's political ads policy with disclosure; many jurisdictions blocked

IP / Trademark: enforced via takedown; do not use competitors' marks, do not impersonate other brands or Reddit itself.

2025–2026 enforcement trends:

• Tighter creative review on AI-generated imagery; disclosure encouraged
• Faster takedown of ads with disabled comments + manipulated screenshots
• Heavier scrutiny on crypto, financial coaching, and "AI tool" ads for misleading claims

Output Format

# Reddit Ads — [Product] [Campaign Name]

## Target Subreddits / Clusters
[List — REQUIRED, since one variant per cluster is the rule]

## Destination URL
[URL]

## Per-Subreddit Variants

### Variant 1: r/[subreddit]
- **Account / Persona**: [brand handle OR persona — match to subreddit tone]
- **Format**: [Promoted Image / Video / Free-form / Carousel / Conversation Placement / etc.]
- **Headline** (≤80 char recommended, ≤60 for conversation placement):
  > "[headline]" — [chars]
- **Body** (Free-form only — TL;DR at top if >300 char):
  > TL;DR: [one-line summary]
  >
  > [body]
- **Media spec**:
  - Image: [ratio + shot description, real artifact preferred]
  - OR Video: [ratio + duration + caption track + thumbnail spec]
  - Conversation placement thumbnail: 400×300 — [shot]
- **CTA**: [from enum, or "No button" for storytelling Free-form]
- **Carousel cards** (if format = carousel):
  | Card | Image | Headline | Caption (≤50) | URL |
  |------|-------|----------|---------------|-----|
  | 1 | [shot] | [≤80] | [≤50] | [URL] |
  | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
- **Comment Engagement Plan**:
  - Who responds: [name / handle]
  - Within: [first hour ideal]
  - Tone: [match the subreddit]
- **Disclosure** (if applicable): "[I work at X / I'm the founder]" in first line

### Variant 2: r/[subreddit]
[...]

## Pre-Submit Checklist
- [ ] One variant per subreddit cluster (no single-creative blasting)
- [ ] Native voice — no superlatives, no buzzwords, no "we're excited to announce"
- [ ] First-person framing where storytelling fits the subreddit
- [ ] Headline ≤80 char (≤60 for conversation placement)
- [ ] TL;DR at top if body >300 char
- [ ] Real artifact image, not stock photo
- [ ] Captions burned in on all video
- [ ] CTA from enum (or "No button" for storytelling)
- [ ] Username matches post type (brand for showcase, persona for story)
- [ ] Comments left enabled
- [ ] Reply plan in place (within first hour)
- [ ] No restricted-vertical content without certification
- [ ] No competitor trademark / impersonation
- [ ] No AI-generated imagery without disclosure

Realistic 2026 Scenarios

A. B2B dev tool, Free-form, r/programming + r/devops: Account = founder persona (u/alex_builds). Format = Free-form. Headline: "we built a CLI for X because Y kept breaking in CI." Body: TL;DR (2 lines), problem context (3–4 short paragraphs), inline terminal screenshot, link to repo, brief "I'm the maker, AMA." CTA: Learn More or No button. Different variant for r/devops emphasizing Kubernetes pain.

B. Indie SaaS launch, Promoted Post (image), niche subreddits: Account = brand handle. Format = image post, 1:1, screenshot of actual product UI (no stock). Headline: "Launched our [tool] today — replaces [X] for [Y use case]." Body: 2–3 sentences, honest "we built this because…" framing, pricing transparency. CTA: Sign Up. Comments enabled; founder responds within the first hour.

C. DTC niche product, Conversation Placement Ads, topical subreddits: Account = brand handle. Format = conversation placement with 400×300 thumbnail. Headline ≤60 char. Thumbnail is a real product photo on a plain background (NOT lifestyle stock). CTA: Shop Now. Variant per subreddit cluster (e.g., r/CampingGear vs r/Ultralight — different language and feature emphasis).

D. Mobile app install, Video Ad, sound-off captioned: Format = 9:16 or 4:5 video, 15–20s. First 3s shows a relatable problem; remainder shows the in-app solution. Burned-in captions throughout. Headline plain ("an app for tracking X"). CTA: Install Now. Multiple variants per audience cluster.

E. Promoted User Post boosting existing organic traction: A genuine user post (or brand's own organic post) that already has 500+ upvotes and active comments. Boost via Promoted User Post, add Visit Site CTA. Do NOT alter the post body. Brand replies in-thread immediately.

When NOT to Use This Skill

• Subreddit targeting strategy → out of scope (audience-level decision)
• Reddit Pixel events / conversion tracking → out of scope
• Organic Reddit growth tactics → not paid