Reddit recently released updates to it’s self-service ad platform, which include changes to conversion tracking and audience reporting. With 234 million unique monthly users, and ranking as the #5 most visited website in the country, Reddit represents a new and different audience for education marketers willing to experiment outside the Google/Facebook duopoly and more familiar advertising channels.

If you’re new to Reddit, I recommend checking out How Reddit Works to learn the basics of how the site and community operate.

Enhanced Reporting

Reddit’s dashboard now offers reporting segmented by:

Subreddit and Interest: Subreddits and Interests are the main targeting options for Reddit ads and now advertisers can view performance by each subreddit or interest they have targeted.

Geography: Broken out by Country or DMA.

Platform: Advertisers can view metrics for both desktop or mobile impressions.

Reddit-specific engagement metrics, such as upvotes and downvotes.

Conversion Pixel

Reddit has also released a basic conversion-tracking pixel which allows advertisers to track an action on their site after a user has viewed an ad on reddit.com. This tracking is somewhat limited at the moment, only allowing tracking of one action, but is a welcome step in the right direction for advertisers measuring campaign ROI.

5 Reddit Targeting Ideas for EDU Marketers

1. Want to target prospective undergrad computer science majors?

Try using interests targeting to reach users in your geo areas who are already interested in programming.

2. Interested in targeting more niche technical programs?

A graduate program for artificial intelligence could use Subreddit targeting to get their message out to users already active in r/MachineLearning or r/artificial.

Subreddit targeting is more an art than a science at this point, as many of the subreddits advertisers may wish to target are not yet available. Reddit only allows targeting of the “top 5k most trafficked subreddits”. Some that are available also may not have sufficient traffic for your campaign.

3. Need to do some general branding for your school?

Try running a broad awareness campaign targeting subreddits with topics of interest to current high school students still in the research phase:

4. Launching a new program or initiative and want to gauge interest?

Test run ad copy on Reddit with some new discovery from your research department or gauge interest in a new program that really makes your school stand out and will spark discussion in a subreddit such as askscience.

5. Need to promote an upcoming AMA?

A Reddit AMA (ask me anything) can be a great way to get the word out about upcoming events, promote new programs, or just answer questions from prospective students and the general public. Why not try Reddit advertising promoting your AMA to those with interest in related subreddits?