Reddit Marketing Agency Case Study: 214% ROAS Growth with Reddit Max (2026 Data Breakdown)
- Dāvis Lejnieks
- Feb 13
- 5 min read
Introduction: Why This Reddit Marketing Agency Tested Reddit Max
As a performance-focused Reddit marketing agency, we’re always testing new automation tools the moment they’re released. In early January, we gained access to Reddit Max (currently in Beta) and launched our first campaign on January 9th.
The big question: Would Reddit Max outperform a manual full-funnel Reddit strategy?
The short answer?
Reddit Max prints money only if you already understand Reddit targeting. If you don’t- it can burn your budget fast.
This case study breaks down real numbers, strategy decisions, attribution issues, and whether Reddit Max deserves a permanent place inside a professional Reddit agency’s media stack.
What Is Reddit Max? Understanding Reddit’s Performance Automation
Reddit Max is Reddit’s version of Google’s Performance Max. You upload:
Creatives
Headlines
Targeting signals
Campaign goal
Then the algorithm handles placement and delivery across Reddit’s inventory.
Instead of building:
Awareness campaign
Consideration retargeting
Conversion campaign
Reddit Max compresses it into one automated system.
How Reddit Max Compares to Google Performance Max
Just like PMAX:
It has a learning phase
It optimizes toward conversions
It requires sufficient conversion volume
It reduces manual control
But here’s the key difference:
Reddit targeting works differently from Google or Meta. Communities matter more than interests. And if you don’t deeply understand Reddit culture, automation won’t save you.
Key Differences from Traditional Reddit Ads
Traditional Reddit ads allow:
Manual placement control
Precise community targeting
Separate funnel campaigns
Creative-level optimization
Reddit Max reduces that control in exchange for scale and automation.
For a Reddit agency, this means:
You gain efficiency- but sacrifice precision.
Client Overview and Campaign Goals
Industry and Audience Targeting
B2C Tech
Worldwide audience
Multi-channel sales (Website + Amazon)
For two years, we’ve refined audience targeting to near-perfection. That meant:
No broad targeting.No random expansion.Community-level precision only.
Why Purchase Optimization Was Selected
The campaign objective: Purchase
Not traffic.Not awareness.Not engagement.
We wanted revenue data.
Because at the end of the day, impressions don’t pay invoices- conversions do.
Campaign Setup Strategy Used by Our Reddit Agency
Targeting Framework: Community + Location
We intentionally avoided broad interest expansion.
Why?
Because we’ve already identified high-performing subreddits over two years of testing.
Automation doesn’t replace audience intelligence- it amplifies it.
Creative Strategy: AI, Memes, and Meta-Style Ads
We tested:
8 images total
3 AI-generated creatives
2 meme-style ads
3 Meta-style structured ads
3 headlines
Reddit responds strongly to authenticity. Meme creatives still outperform polished corporate visuals in many communities.
Budget Allocation and Funnel Structure
Important detail:
No major MoM budget changes
Budget partially reallocated from lookalike audiences
Awareness campaigns did not use feed placement previously
This matters when analyzing performance swings.
Full Performance Breakdown: Data Comparison
Year-over-Year (Jan 2025 vs Jan 2026)
Metric | YoY Change |
Ad Spend | -18.75% |
CPA | -71.92% |
CTR | +45.92% |
CPC | +2.5% |
CPM | +49.25% |
Reddit Dashboard ROAS | +214% |
Website Revenue | +95.67% |
Conversion Rate | +104% |
Important note: In early 2025, we installed Conversion API, which alone reduced CPA by roughly 50%.
Still, even adjusting for that- performance improved significantly.
Month-over-Month (Dec 2025 vs Jan 2026)
Metric | MoM Change |
Ad Spend | +1.22% |
CPA | -48.18% |
CTR | -30.8% |
CPC | -22.64% |
CPM | -80.54% |
ROAS | +87.55% |
Website Revenue | +46% |
Conversion Rate | +16% |
Revenue nearly doubled YoY- with lower spend.
That’s efficiency.
Why Reddit Max Works Only If You Understand Reddit Targeting
The Importance of Community-Level Targeting
Reddit is not Facebook.
Interest targeting is weaker. Community intent is stronger.
If you already know:
Which subreddits convert
Which communities generate discussion
Which audiences respond to memes
Then Reddit Max can amplify that structure.
If you don’t?
It’s expensive experimentation.
When Automation Amplifies vs Destroys Performance
Automation amplifies:
Good creative
Proper audience mapping
Sufficient conversion volume
Automation destroys:
Weak targeting
Low conversion data
Underfunded campaigns
Attribution Challenges in Reddit Advertising
This is the elephant in the room.
Reddit likely drives more revenue than dashboards show.
Why Reddit Undervalues Its Own Impact
Whenever we pause Reddit campaigns:
Revenue drops 3–4x within 3–4 days.
But dashboard attribution doesn’t reflect that impact.
Why?
Because Reddit is often upper-funnel consideration traffic.
To measure that properly, you’d need enterprise-level analytics- often costing $100K+.
Revenue Drops During Learning Phases
When Reddit Max enters learning phase:
Sales dip temporarily
Algorithm recalibrates
Revenue rebounds post-stabilization
This confirms Reddit’s true impact is broader than reported.
Limitations of Reddit Max and Reddit Ads Dashboard
Poor creative-level insights
Limited optimization transparency
Attribution gaps
Lack of control compared to manual setup
Even Reddit documentation suggests not removing poor-performing creatives- because they may work in specific auctions.
That makes optimization less data-driven than preferred.
When Should a Reddit Agency Use Reddit Max?
Budget Threshold Recommendations
Minimum: $10,000/month
Why?
Algorithms need conversion volume.
Anything less will:
Slow learning
Reduce optimization efficiency
Hurt both manual and Max campaigns
When Manual Campaigns Are Still Better
Use manual ads when:
Targeting very specific communities
Running “spicy” creatives designed for organic sharing
Testing new subreddit angles
Reddit Max is automation.Manual ads are surgical tools.
A smart Reddit agency uses both.
Scaling Strategy and February Results
As of February:
Shopify shows +54% sales increase
Learning phase completed
Performance remains stable
If profitability continues at this level, scaling is the next logical step.
However, one caveat:
Reddit Max is still in Beta.
When broader adoption occurs, auction competition may reduce current advantages.
FAQs About Reddit Marketing Agency and Reddit Max
1. What does a Reddit marketing agency do?
A Reddit marketing agency specializes in running paid and organic campaigns on Reddit, focusing on subreddit targeting, creative strategy, and conversion optimization.
2. Is Reddit Max better than manual Reddit ads?
Not always. Reddit Max works best when supported by strong targeting knowledge. Manual campaigns still offer more precision.
3. What budget is required for Reddit Max?
At least $10,000 per month is recommended for proper algorithm optimization.
4. Why does Reddit attribution seem low?
Reddit drives strong consideration traffic, which often converts later and isn’t fully captured in last-click attribution models.
5. Can small brands use Reddit Max?
Technically yes- but performance may be unstable without enough conversion volume.
6. Is Reddit advertising suitable for B2C tech brands?
Yes. B2C tech performs especially well due to Reddit’s community-driven, research-focused user base.
Final Verdict: Is Reddit Max the Future for a Reddit Agency?
Reddit Max is not a magic button.
It’s a multiplier.
For experienced teams, it unlocks serious efficiency gains. For inexperienced advertisers, it accelerates losses.
From a professional Reddit agency perspective:
Reddit Max is now a permanent component of our strategy- but never the only one.
Conclusion
Reddit advertising is evolving.
Automation is coming fast. Competition will increase. Early adopters have leverage.
For brands spending over $10,000 per month and working with an experienced Reddit marketing agency, Reddit Max can deliver exceptional performance- including triple-digit ROAS growth.
But remember:
Algorithms don’t replace strategy.
They amplify it.
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