On the occasion of Effidays 2025, Marion Gould, Senior Client Partner at Reddit, shared her vision of Reddit’s role in advertisers’ digital marketing strategies. This was an opportunity to go back over the fundamentals of the platform and its unique contribution to engaging
What is your role at Reddit?
I meet potential advertisers, introduce them to our platform and explain how Reddit is a unique lever. My role is to raise awareness of our ecosystem, evangelize our advertising products and make sure that brands think of Reddit in their media strategy.
Is Reddit a social platform?
In reality, Reddit is a cross between a social network and a search platform. We like to say that we’re a community of communities. Today, over 100,000 communities (subreddits) exist on every conceivable topic. There isn’t a community that doesn’t exist on Reddit, and if it doesn’t exist now, it will tomorrow. To give an example, when there’s a new TV series, potentially today the community doesn’t exist, but tomorrow it will. Reddit is really the place where people come to discuss in depth what they’re passionate about.
So interaction is based on topics, not profiles?
Exactly. It’s not individual accounts that focus attention, but topics. Reddit users, known as Redditors, gather around common interests: they ask questions, share experiences, help out. It’s a space for collective exchange, with a real sense of belonging and contribution.
Who are Reddit users today?
We sometimes have a very “gaming” image, inherited from the early days. But today, it’s much broader: beauty, fashion, finance, renovation, home, lifestyle, health… There are even communities that support people wishing to retire earlier! Reddit is an extremely diverse place.
What are the most important communities today?
Beauty is one of the key themes. There are highly specialized communities: skincare, make-up, foundation, etc. Fashion is also very present, including in the luxury segment. And of course, technology remains a strong vertical.
Are there any peculiarities in France or Europe?
The same trends can be observed all over the world. But each country has its own nuances: certain local communities are taking on greater importance, even if the main themes are found throughout Europe. In France, beauty is particularly dynamic, with major brands present.
How can brands interact with communities without appearing intrusive?
This is an essential question. The worst mistake would be to push commercial messages in a crude way. To be part of the conversation, brands need to provide value: explanations, answers to questions, useful advice. It’s all about education and transparency. On Reddit, you have to be authentic and informative, not just promotional.
And what advertising formats do you offer?
First, we encourage brands to create an account, to take ownership of their name and engage in conversation organically. Then, they can activate various paid formats:
- Promoted Post: sponsored posts visible on the home page or in targeted communities on a fairly granular basis.
- Conversation Placement: ads integrated directly under a post or in comment threads, with very precise targeting. For example, a post about mascara can be targeted to run an advert about mascara.
- Ask Me Anything Ads: a brand hosts a live expert who answers questions from a community.
- Takeovers: notoriety format, similar to that found elsewhere in the industry.
- Free-form Ads: sponsored articles that enable brands to tell a story and generate engagement.
Can you share an example of a successful campaign?
Levi’s adopted a full marketing funnel approach to drive awareness, consideration and purchase, leveraging its global partnership with Beyoncé to reinforce its cultural relevance. The campaign generated twelve times more awareness than expected. It was one of our great successes of the year in Europe, and shows the power of Reddit for retail.
Does having a presence on Reddit influence the results of generative AI?
Reddit’s corpus of authentic, human conversations is a valuable data source for large language models (LLMs). However, the key driver for our marketing partners lies not in influencing generative artificial intelligence, but in achieving tangible business results.
The fact that LLMs also benefit from this rich conversational ecosystem represents a powerful validation of the quality of our content, but the immediate and measurable return on investment for advertisers lies directly on the Reddit platform itself.
What are the practical tips or mistakes to avoid for a brand?
The golden rule is authenticity. Redditors interact anonymously and look for real experiences. If a brand isn’t honest, it will be spotted immediately. Before taking the plunge, it’s important to listen to what’s already being said about your brand, to analyze the conversations. Above all, don’t hesitate to call on us: we help brands to succeed, whether on the organic or paid side.
Why should a brand care about Reddit today?
There are a multitude of reasons for a brand to be interested in Reddit! But I’ll give three main reasons. First, to diversify your network of partners. Reddit, today, is a perfect solution for this, enabling brands to target an audience they don’t reach on social networks. Secondly, to reach a unique audience. For example, in France, 57% of Redditors don’t use other social platforms. This audience comes for information, not just to scroll through photos. And, finally, curiosity. Reddit offers an original, pioneering approach to digital marketing. In highly competitive sectors, this can make all the difference.
