Reddit In-Market Audiences: How to Reach People While They're Shopping
Reddit in-market audiences let you reach people Reddit sees actively researching a purchase in a category, not just people interested in a topic. They're in beta, they started with business categories (enterprise and business AI, and cybersecurity), and they switch on automatically in Max campaigns. Reddit says early trials cost nearly 7% less per acquisition than its other first-party targeting.
This post is part of our Reddit ads roadmap. Dates are estimates and can shift.
What are Reddit in-market audiences?
Most Reddit targeting is about what people are into: the communities they visit, the topics they follow, the words in the threads they read. In-market audiences add timing. They look for people who are researching a purchase right now, based on what they search for, read and engage with on Reddit.
Which in-market categories can you target?
Reddit launched the test in October 2026 with business categories: enterprise and business AI, and cybersecurity. More categories are planned, including consumer ones, with wider access expected in 2027.
That makes them a natural fit for B2B lead generation today. Consumer brands will likely have to wait for their categories.
How do in-market audiences work with Max?
In Max campaigns, Reddit uses in-market audiences automatically as one of its signals. You don't pick them; Max decides when they help. Outside Max, access is limited while the feature is in beta, so check with your Reddit rep.
Are in-market audiences better than community targeting?
They solve a different problem. Community targeting finds the right people; in-market audiences add the right moment. Reddit's nearly 7% lower cost per acquisition is an average from early trials, not a promise for your account.
In our experience, precise community targeting is still the best place to start. In one of our tests, letting Reddit expand targeting on its own doubled reach but cut revenue by 40%. Treat any automated audience as a test, not a default. More in Reddit Ads Targeting Explained.
How should you test in-market audiences?
Keep your best community ad group running as the control.
Add in-market audiences in a separate ad group, or let them run inside a Max campaign, with the same ads and a similar budget.
Run both for at least 2 weeks.
Compare cost per lead or sale, not clicks.
Keep the winner, and test again when new categories open.
What other new targeting is coming to Reddit?
"Describe your audience" (early testing expected around Q4 2026–Q1 2027): write who your customer is in plain words, and Reddit's AI suggests communities, interests and keywords.
Smarter automated targeting for brand campaigns (automated targeting is live, brand upgrades expected around Q4 2026–2027): Reddit finds similar people beyond the communities you picked.
Age targeting for every advertiser (expected in 2027).
Dates are estimates and can shift. The full list is in our Reddit ads roadmap.
Reddit in-market audiences: FAQ
What are in-market audiences on Reddit?
People Reddit sees actively researching a purchase in a category, based on what they search for, read and engage with on Reddit.
Which in-market categories does Reddit offer?
At launch in October 2026: enterprise and business AI, and cybersecurity. More categories are planned, with wider access expected in 2027.
Can you use in-market audiences outside Max?
Access is limited while the feature is in beta. In Max campaigns, Reddit uses them automatically. Check with your Reddit rep for other campaigns.
Do in-market audiences work for B2B?
They're built for it right now, since the first categories are business ones. Pair them with Reddit's lead gen tools and a CRM connection, and judge them on leads, not clicks.
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.
Keep reading
Undecided Agency is a Reddit ads agency for DTC, gaming and app brands. Want a plan for your product? Get a Reddit Ads Game Plan.
Comments