Reddit Ads Not Converting? 11 Fixes to Check First
Updated: Oct 13
If your Reddit ads aren't converting, check these in order: the campaign objective, tracking, targeting, creative, placements, comments, remarketing, budget and patience. Most "Reddit doesn't convert" problems are setup problems: a traffic objective, no tracking, broad automated targeting, Meta-style creative, or judging results too early.
What are the 11 fixes?
1. Check your campaign objective
Problem: you chose traffic. Reddit finds clicks, not buyers.
Fix: use a conversion objective when you can track, awareness when you can't. In our cost per signup case study, a traffic campaign had cheap clicks, and more than half never reached the website. After the switch, cost per signup fell to $3.63. See Reddit campaign objectives.
2. Check your tracking
Problem: Reddit can't see conversions, so it can't optimize for them.
Fix: install the Reddit Pixel and the Conversions API, and confirm the events fire. In our experience, the pixel alone catches about half. See Reddit Pixel and Conversions API guide.
3. Check your own data
Problem: it may be converting, and you can't see it.
Fix: compare Reddit's numbers with Shopify, your CRM or your measurement partner, and look at branded search. See the Reddit attribution gap and brand search lift.
4. Tighten your targeting
Problem: too broad, or automated targeting is expanding it. In one test, we doubled reach and revenue fell 40%.
Fix: start with community targeting, one targeting type per ad group, and turn automated targeting off. See Reddit ads targeting.
5. Make the creative native
Problem: you copied your Meta ads. In 9 out of 10 of our tests, Reddit-native headlines won.
Fix: lead with a real problem, sound like a person, and use one message. See Reddit ad headlines and Reddit meme ads.
6. Check your placements
Problem: conversation placements bring cheap, often accidental clicks.
Fix: use feed for cold audiences. See Reddit ad placements.
7. Open your comments and reply
Problem: 79% of ads have comments off, and a closed comment section is a monologue.
Fix: tick Allow comments, and answer questions in a human voice. See Reddit ad comments.
8. Add remarketing
Problem: cold-only campaigns. Most people need to see you more than once.
Fix: add a remarketing ad group with about 10 to 20% of your budget. See Reddit ads campaign structure and Reddit retargeting without a pixel.
9. Stop spreading the budget thin
Problem: budgets are set per ad group, with a $5 per day minimum, so many ad groups means none gets enough data.
Fix: test fewer audiences at once. Under about $2,000 over 3 months rarely teaches you much. See Reddit Ads limitations and How much do Reddit ads cost?.
10. Give it time, and stop tinkering
Problem: you judged too early, or changed things every few days. Each big change can trigger the learning phase. In one account, profit dropped about 4x for 3 to 4 days every time.
Fix: give a new ad about 4 days, a test 7 to 14 days, and a new account about 3 months. Make one or two significant changes a month.
11. Check the landing page
Problem: the page doesn't match what the ad promised.
Fix: keep the same message, one clear next step, and no walls between the click and the offer. This one is our rule of thumb, so test it on your own page.
What should you check first?
Objective: are you optimizing for the result you want?
Tracking: can Reddit and you see the result?
Targeting and creative: are you reaching the right people with a message that sounds native?
Time and budget: have you tested long enough, with enough spend?
Reddit ads not converting: FAQ
Why are my Reddit ads not converting?
Most often it's the objective, missing tracking, targeting that's too broad, or creative that doesn't sound native.
How long should you wait before deciding Reddit ads don't work?
About 4 days for a new ad and about 3 months for a brand-new account.
Can Reddit ads convert even when the dashboard shows nothing?
Yes. The dashboard under-reports, so check your own data and branded search.
Should you use the traffic objective?
Only when visits are the goal. For sales and signups, use a conversion objective if you can track.
How much should you spend to test Reddit ads?
In our experience, under about $2,000 over 3 months rarely teaches you anything useful.
Get the full playbook
This post comes from my free eBook, How Reddit Ads Actually Works. It also covers targeting, creative, comments and measurement. Get it free, by email.
Checked all 11 and still stuck? Our Done-For-You Reddit ads management takes the whole account off your plate.
About the author
Written by Dāvis Lejnieks, CEO of Undecided Agency and a Redditor for 15+ years. He plans and runs Reddit ad campaigns for DTC, gaming and app brands, and shares what the data shows here.
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